We've been field testing our products with a range of guys, from the every day man, to World Champion surfer, Tom Carroll. Likewise we've developed a line of questioning seeking to uncover the truths, differences and commonalities in a broad spectrum of men from around the world. It's called Face Value. We caught Tom in between trips to test out our set of questions.
1. Name, age, location?
Thomas Victor Carroll, 53, Avalon, Sydney.
2. What do you do?
I do various things. I work with my partner on a business where we help people through a nutritional cleanse which helps their system come back to some form of equilibrium. I do brand ambassador work. I am a father of three daughters and I do a lot of physical activity in the ocean.
3. What would you rather be doing?
There’s nothing I’d rather be doing, but I still put up resistance to it. It’s pretty weird, that. I bend and twist my reality into something uncomfortable.
4. How have you changed in the last five years?
I’ve started to mellow out in my approach. That might be the testosterone tide running out a little bit. I’ve been able to say no to some things, and recognise the messages that offer a healthier path as I age.
5. Who do you look up to?
Nelson Mandela, even though I know he has two sides. He was able to offer an extraordinary leadership to a very troubled part of humanity. I got to meet him once and he was pretty awesome. It was a beautiful thing being near him and talking to him. I get the feeling that there’s another side to all of us that we’re missing when we’re running hot, so I look up to people that have transcended that. Not saying they’re bigger than anyone else, but they’ve been able to come to peace within themselves and they’re actually helping people. My brother Nick is one of them, and my father, they’re both incredible guys. They can see through the shit.
6. How do you look after yourself?
I try to put good water into me; we have a ph. balance machine in our house. Then there’s nutrition; putting really good products from the best possible sources into our bodies. I’m not completely psychopathic about it; I definitely have some ice cream from time to time. Emotionally and mentally, I definitely operate better if I’ve been engaged with the ocean each day. And physically, if I’m pumping oxygenated blood, it feels amazing. I feel alive and I feel calm.
7. Do you think men need to moisturise?
Absolutely. Moisturising is really important for men. Skin is absorbing stuff all the time and drying out; it’s the largest organ of the body. If you haven’t moisturised and you’ve got a crusty old face, you’ll be blown out by how nice it feels when you get your face back.
8. What do you care about?
My partner, my kids, my cats... and I guess I care about my surfboards. I care for my friends and I particularly care for my blokey mates. I’ve learned a lot from getting closer to the blokes in my life.
9. What don’t you care about?
At any given moment, I might not care about anything. I don’t care for violence. I’m not saying I’m not violent, but I don’t care for it.
10. How important is honesty to you?
It’s right up at the top of the list for me, even though I’m not perfect with it. I try to be as honest as I can from moment to moment, and I know that when I am, things are much smoother and I’ve got much less going on upstairs. I’m not as busy, I’m not caught up with a story, I’m not so bothered with my circumstances. I went through a lot of times when I wasn’t very truthful; I struggled with it really hard. But as soon as I started working towards being more truthful, the easier life became. And more people naturally gravitated towards me, good people.
11. When was the last time you were wrong?
I’m wrong all the time, but there are all kinds of wrong. Like, that was a wrong fart I just did. I might’ve been wrong about the surf call this morning. You know what? I’m in that much denial that I don’t know the answer to that question.
12. What’s the most brutal truth you’ve faced?
I had to face the brutal truth that I was a drug addict. I needed a lot of other people to wake me up to it, but ultimately when it dawned to me, it was incredibly healing. When I acknowledged it, then I could reach out and accept help. I surrendered to the truth and there was this amazing relief. You could call it a spiritual awakening, and that’s the brutal truth!