Dr Karen Darke MBE:
Athlete-Explorer, Author, Motivator & Mindset Coach

Karen could be described as a modern-day ‘Alchemist’: a learning & development specialist turned mindset- heartset coach, explorer, athlete, speaker and author. Karen’s purpose is about helping individuals and organisations ‘Find Inner Gold’: turning challenge into opportunity, turning ‘lead’ into ‘gold’ and developing habits that enable a sustainable approaches to high performance.

“Ability is a state of mind…” is Karen’s philosophy. Speaking about mindset, positive psychology, growth through challenge and how to optimise potential and flourish, Karen gives valuable insights, “To have our best impact on the ‘outside’ involves mindful work on the ‘inside’.” Her direct experiences combined with unique studies of mind, resilience and performance give Karen abilities to help others overcome challenge, perform sustainably, embrace a growth mindset, positively impact emotions, presence and wellbeing.

Karen started out as a geologist researching gold in the Bolivian Andes, but a life-changing accident that left her paralysed led her away from being a ‘rock-doctor’ to winning Paralympic gold in the sport of hand-cycling in Rio 2016. An explorer at heart, she has navigated the challenge of paralysis but in extreme ways, cycling across 7 continents, a triple Guinness World Record holder for landspeed by armpower, climbing El Capitan with her arms, and skiing to create the Pole of Possibility in Antarctica. She is ‘Explorer in Residence’ for the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Karen’s work is grounded in the belief that when we step out of our ‘normal’ and go beyond our comfort zone, we find INNER GOLD: more connection, peace and motivation from within. We enhance our own happiness, our own agency and impact, and spread positive waves to all those whose lives we touch.

“I have a passion for helping others transform, move beyond perceived limitations and consider possibility. Ability is a state of mind not body: through my own journey, I have discovered the incredible power we have within us to change our thoughts, our emotions, and our energy. We can all learn to be our own alchemist, to transform unwanted emotions or experiences into gold, be creators of our reality and in doing so improve our performance, our wellbeing, and the world around us.”
“Karen's captivating story shines a bright light on the meaning of challenge, and on the limitless capabilities of the human spirit.” Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Polar Explorer
Karen has an MBE, a PhD in Geology, MA’s in Development Training & High Performance Psychology & Coaching, and Diploma’s in Clnical & Pastoral Counselling, Hypnotherapy & Motivational Coaching. She has been awarded honorary doctorates from The University of Aberdeen, The University of Leeds, The University of Cumbria, The Robert Gordon University, Sheffield Hallam University, and Abertay Universities, in recognition of her accomplishments and contributions in exploration and sport. Contact karen@inspireandimpact.com
The gold medal was the 79th medal for Britain, and 79 being the elemental number for Gold led to Karen creating Innergoldlife, offering retreats that focus on taking an ‘inner’ journey, to inspire positive transformation and nurture potential possibilities. The project has Karen cycling 7 continents in 9 iconic rides, raising funds for charity and encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones and discover passion, purpose, strength and other aspects of their ‘inner gold’.

Speaking & Blog / Writing Topics

Sustainable High Performance Adapting our narrative, story and patterns of thinking or doing to enhance and enable performance.
- Being aware of the power in our ‘inner gold’: the qualities and skills that can help us achieve surprising things.
- Flow science insights (tools & neurochemistry) to help us be our best selves.

Achieving the ‘Impossible’ / Breaking Barriers
- Setting ‘WIBA’ goals (Wouldn’t It Be Amazing…)
- Growth mindset, visualization & techniques for arriving at the ‘impossible’
- Navigating the ‘grind’ of sustainable effort & consistency for results
- Embracing innovation & possibility mindset

Adversity Mindset: Overcoming Challenge & Change
- The opportunity in adversity, the learning & growth ‘adversity advantage’.
- Mindset tools & reframing perspectives for navigating times of challenge.
- Inner motivation & inspiration as fuel to motivate us through challenges.

Power of Team & Diversity
- Stories of leadership and teamwork experiences in different and diverse outdoor expeditions and Paralympic life. Integrating models, team development etc.

Ambassador

Karen brings her passion for possibility, performance and post-traumatic growth to her role as an Ambassador, Patron & fundraiser for a range of charitable, not-for-profit organisations and others.
- Voice of Specially Abled People https://www.voiceofsap.org
- Surfable Scotland https://surfable.org.uk
- Bendrigg Trust Patron www.bendrigg.org.uk
- The Cornerstone Trust https://thecornerstonetrust.org.uk/
- Scottish Orienteering Association www.scottish-orienteering.org
- The Adventure Syndicate http://theadventuresyndicate.com/
- The Spinal Injuries Association www.spinal.co.uk
- 3H Helping Hands for Holidays www.3hfund.org.uk
- Williams F1 Advanced Engineering partnership projects https://www.wae.com/what-we-do/case-studies/karen-darke

Awards

2022 Keynote Speaker of the Year, Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Awards, https://www.corporatelivewire.com/awards.html
2022 Mindset Coach of the Year, Scottish Enterprise Awards 2022
2022 Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture, https://mountainfestival.co.uk/culture-awards/
2019 Isobel Award for excelling through challenge and bringing meaningful positive change, https://carlowriecastle.co.uk/isobel-award/
2017 Scottish Royal Geographical Society Mungo Park Medal – outstanding contribution to geographical knowledge & exploration, https://www.rsgs.org/mungo-park-medal
2015 Scottish Adventure Awards – inspiring others
2010: Women of the Year Awards – woman of achievement https://news.cision.com/revolver-pr/r/women-of-the-year-awards-2010-hono...
2009: Cosmo’s Ulimate Women of the Year – ultimate fearless female https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/more/a7556/cosmos-ultimate-women-of-the-...

Media Projects

2024: BBC Scotland ‘Adventure Show’ feature, Scottish wilderness handcycling
2022: BBC Scotland ‘Adventure Show’ co-presenter on the Moray Coastal Path
2020: BBC Radio 4 presenter, ‘One to One’ : Taking Control 3 part series https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jvxs
2020: BBC Radio 4 The Listening Project https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cqx3bhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programme...
2020: BBC Radio Scotland, ‘Brainwaves’ : In Search of a Competitive Edge & my journey with Williams F1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fp2d
2018: BBC Radio 4 / Royal Geographical Society award to explore a vulnerable Australian river eco-system as a metaphor for my own vulnerability, www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000pdb
2018: Ganges journey podcast https://soundcloud.com/karen-darke-110198085/tracks
2016: Crowdfunded and co-conceptualised a film about Rio Paralympic cycling, with Al Aire films, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it_Pe6mu4Qw
2014: Mallorca Handbike Tour promo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8f6hewn0Tk
2014: BBC Radio Scotland programme ‘The Road to Freedom’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02mtjc9/p02mthvb
2014: Kickstarter funded & conceptualised ‘Impossible’ film: what drives and helps people achieve surprising things? with LW Images, at https://vimeo.com/220426340
2013: BBC Radio Scotland, ‘Mountains’: being interviewed by Mark Stephens
2010: BBC Radio Scotland presenter, ‘Into the Unknown’, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qyk90
2009: BBC TV Scotland: Karen’s Ultimate Challenge, kayaking Patagonia https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kpydl