Where are we heading?

Raji Rags on Balancing Creativity, Parenthood & Money, and Exploring ADHD

A walk-and-talk conversation on ADHD, creativity, and the reality of balancing work, parenthood and identity. We explore time blindness, burnout, being present, and what it really means to build a creative life without losing yourself along the way. On this episode of Where Are We Heading?, Dan and Kim walk through Hilly Fields with DJ, producer and cultural tastemaker Raji Rags to explore what it really means to live a creative life in the real world. This is an honest, unfiltered conversation about ADHD, time blindness, and the tension between ambition and wellbeing. From juggling multiple creative projects to navigating parenthood, Raj shares how he’s learning to be more present—both in his work and with his son. They dive into: * The hidden challenges of ADHD in creative industries * Why “being busy” can mask deeper burnout * The struggle between providing and being present as a parent * How identity shifts when you become a parent * Why creativity needs structure (even if you resist it) * The importance of community, music, and human connection There’s no perfect answer here, just three people figuring it out in real time. 🎧 If you’re navigating creativity, mental health, or trying to balance ambition with life, this one’s for you. 1. ADHD & Creative Life * Time blindness, hyperfocus, and overwhelm * Diagnosis as validation—not just treatment * Learning to ask for support and structure 1. Presence vs Productivity * Being physically present ≠ being mentally present * Full attention transforms stress into enjoyment * “When you’re present, it’s the most calming thing” 1. Parenthood & Identity * No perfect balance between work and family * “Happy parent = happy child” dynamic * Avoiding resentment by staying connected to self 1. Creative Energy & Burnout * Some people are energised by chaos and community * Others need recovery and stillness * Energy changes across life stages 1. Friendship & Adulthood * Presence matters more than constant contact * Adult friendships shift but don’t weaken 1. Structure vs Inspiration * “Inspiration needs to find you working” * Creativity benefits from discipline (even if it feels unnatural) 🔑 Key Takeaways / Themes join the journey https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod https://rajirags.com/contact https://rajirags.com/congratulations

Dating Your Creativity, the olympics and AI episode

This week on Where Are We Heading?, we explore what it really means to train your creativity. Inspired by an Olympic comeback story, we talk about rest as discipline, learning your craft instead of outsourcing it, and whether AI is helping or slowly replacing human creativity. A walk-and-talk about resilience, burnout, artistry and the future of work. Can creativity be trained like an Olympic sport? On this week’s walk-and-talk, Kim shares the story of Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu and how stepping away — and returning on her own terms — changed everything. That sparks a bigger conversation about discipline, rest, and whether creativity should be treated as play, practice, or performance. From “dating your creativity” to resisting the temptation to outsource skill-building to AI, this episode explores what it means to truly develop your craft in a world that rewards speed over depth. We also dive into: * AI replacing creative work * Human connection vs holograms * Job interviews run by algorithms * Ownership of voice and identity * Whether technology is serving humanity — or replacing it This episode is raw, reflective, and very much unfolding in real time — just like the path we’re walking. 📍 Recorded outdoors, in motion, as always 🔑 KEY THEMES / TAKEAWAYS * Rest is not weakness — it’s strategic. * Creativity needs structure, but not punishment. * “Dating your creativity” vs forcing productivity. * Learning your craft matters more than speed. * AI is a tool — but craft builds depth. * Human imperfection creates connection. * Work, purpose and identity are deeply linked. * Tech is accelerating faster than regulation. * Community matters more than automation. #creativitypodcast #AIandcreativity #wellbeingforcreatives #futureofwork #ADHDcreativity https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod Get Wild https://www.instagram.com/get_wild1/ Alysa Liu https://youtu.be/AdUCcU8P24s?si=g0oSG5dCdjqEE7Rz Sam Altman https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaTech/comments/1rbdmcu/sam_altman_people_talk_about_how_much_energy_it/

Bodies, Burnout & Building a Creative Life That Actually Works

A walk-and-talk on fitness, burnout, identity, and why discipline doesn’t work for everyone. Dan and Kim explore motivation, representation in movement, ADHD-friendly structure, and how redefining “training” can unlock joy, creativity, and sustainability in both work and life. walk in the park louder In this episode of Where Are We Heading?, which was filmed at the end of 2025; Dan and Kim head out for a slow walk - sore legs, tired bodies, and full minds - to talk honestly about motivation, burnout, and what it really means to look after yourself as a creative person. They unpack why traditional ideas of discipline often fail ADHD brains, how reframing structure as training or fun can change everything, and why representation in fitness and movement matters more than we realise. Kim shares a powerful reflection on seeing her body reflected in the people she trains with - and how that unlocked motivation she didn’t know she was missing. The conversation moves through grief, work, energy, money, and value - including Dan’s evolving approach to artist management, mentoring, coaching, and sustainable creative careers after burnout. There’s no fixed roadmap here - just two friends thinking out loud, finding their footing, and reminding each other (and you) that it’s okay to go slow. This one’s for anyone trying to build a creative life that doesn’t cost them their body or their wellbeing. walk in the park louder Key Themes & Takeaways * Reframing discipline: why “training” or “fun-structure” works better than punishment * ADHD & motivation: why timing, energy, and enjoyment matter more than willpower * Representation in movement: seeing bodies like yours changes everything * Burnout recovery isn’t linear: and sometimes takes a year, not a month * Fitness as regulation: movement as meditation, not productivity * Creative sustainability: valuing your time, energy, and experience properly * Hybrid working models: mentoring, coaching, consultancy as a flexible alternative to traditional management * Choosing your hard: creative work is hard - but not doing it is hard too Links Dan Garber Management offerings - ⁠https://www.taperec.com/consultancy⁠ [https://www.taperec.com/consultancy] Lily Silverton Prioritise This - https://geni.us/PrioritiseThis [https://geni.us/PrioritiseThis] Bottega Caruso - https://www.bottegacaruso.com/ [https://www.bottegacaruso.com/] LULLABY charity single- ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/T4Plive⁠⁠ [https://linktr.ee/T4Plive] / ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/t4plive⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/t4plive] Join the journey https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod [https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod]

Joy Is Not Optional: Creativity, Youth Work & Community with Zoë Carassik

In this episode of Where Are We Heading?, Kim and Dan walk with Zoë Carassik, CEO of Pie Factory Music. Zoë reflects on her own journey through youth arts spaces and how those early experiences shaped her confidence, creativity, and sense of belonging. What starts as a conversation about music soon opens out into a wider discussion about youth work, community, and why spaces that centre creativity and care matter more than ever - especially at a time when youth services across the UK continue to disappear. As we walk, Zoë shares what it’s really like to lead a charity in the current climate, and why she believes joy, playfulness, and silliness aren’t distractions from the work, but essential to sustaining it. We talk openly about responsibility, burnout, and how creativity can exist alongside leadership and accountability without losing its humanity. This episode is a reminder that creativity isn’t a luxury - it’s infrastructure. That small moments of validation can stay with a young person for life. And that community is built not through grand gestures, but through consistency, care, and shared creative experiences. Zoë Carassik is CEO of Pie Factory Music, a music and youth work charity based in a busy youth centre in Ramsgate, East Kent. With a background in community music engagement and music education, Zoë’s work has predominantly focused on supporting social justice causes and has taken her from immigration removal centres, women’s refuges and community centres to world-class cultural institutions and strategic charitable organisations. Zoë is a passionate advocate for young people’s rights, ensuring young people are front and centre of the cultural regeneration of Thanet and other areas of high deprivation. https://piefactorymusic.com/ [https://piefactorymusic.com/] Join the journey ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmZ2aWZydi1KTWpWYVg2MWtwMFlGNER4N3VKUXxBQ3Jtc0trNzM1N3NpRXdvUWJSM1V2OGJvNTZCOUFZRGFaRXQ2bDlVWHBFZzJ2TDA1T2VpbkFpd1pXNWNVU1gybHI5TjE5eGxaS19GY2hFa01WYUJaaDNBNHVFTkhfeHgtOWk2UzVmaTI2LVduYUZJRDhMakRoSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fwhereareweheadingpod&v=-1pd6nVVX6U] Credits Hosts: Kim and Dan Logo Design: Jane Hogan Illustrates Music & Production: Kim Recorded in: Margate, UK

No Resolutions, Just Presence — A Christmas Special

A Christmas Day walk-and-talk reflecting on burnout, grief, ADHD, alcohol, ambition, and learning to live more gently. This special episode of Where Are We Heading? is a quiet, honest reflection on the year that’s been — and how to move forward without burning out. Dan and Kim talk about grief, first Christmases after loss, sobriety, ADHD, anxiety, burnout, and the pressure we put on ourselves to “be further along.” Instead of setting big resolutions, they explore what it looks like to slow down, listen to the body, and let life be enough — even when things aren’t perfect. Kim shares how burnout has reshaped her relationship with work, ambition, and self-worth, and how practices like meditation, exercise, and compassion have become essential tools rather than optional extras. Dan reflects on grief, reflection without regret, and finding meaning in presence rather than productivity. As always, the conversation unfolds while walking, grounded in the landscape, the moment, and the reality that none of us have it figured out. This episode is for anyone ending the year feeling tired, reflective, or quietly hopeful and for those who want to enter the next chapter with more kindness and less force. Key Takeaways * Letting go of New Year’s resolutions in favour of compassion * Burnout as a turning point, not a failure * ADHD, anxiety, and the body’s memory of trauma * Grief and first Christmases after loss * Sobriety, alcohol, and changing relationships with celebration * Meditation and exercise as regulation, not optimisation * Learning to say no without guilt * Measuring life by presence, not productivity * Why slowing down can actually create space for better things Join the journey ⁠https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmZ2aWZydi1KTWpWYVg2MWtwMFlGNER4N3VKUXxBQ3Jtc0trNzM1N3NpRXdvUWJSM1V2OGJvNTZCOUFZRGFaRXQ2bDlVWHBFZzJ2TDA1T2VpbkFpd1pXNWNVU1gybHI5TjE5eGxaS19GY2hFa01WYUJaaDNBNHVFTkhfeHgtOWk2UzVmaTI2LVduYUZJRDhMakRoSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fwhereareweheadingpod&v=-1pd6nVVX6U] Credits Hosts: Kim and Dan Podcast: Where Are We Heading? Logo Design: Jane Hogan Illustrates Music & Production: Kim Recorded in: Margate, UK