Stan Grant: 'I've put the past behind me'

I changed schools 13 times before I was 11. I was born in Griffith but we lived all over central-west NSW. Dad was a saw miller so we went where the work was. I'd go to school for a few weeks, then not go for a month.

Growing up, I had a longing to experience the world. But the thought of travelling to and living in different countries was foreign to me.

I have vivid memories of wanting to report the news. I remember seeing things such as the moon landing and the Vietnam War. It transformed me. I didn't know what being a journalist was - nobody in my family went to school, let alone thought of that - but I knew I wanted to be part of whatever that world was.

You should always be prepared to change and take a risk. I went to university in NSW, then to the Australian National University and got a job as a copy boy at The Canberra Times. Once I was in the door, I met other people and that led to opportunities. I spent several years at a radio station before going into TV, and finally the bureau at Parliament House, where I worked for six years.

I have a front-row seat, watching the world turn. From working at CNN and covering natural disasters to being in Afghanistan and meeting members of the Taliban. I was there when Nelson Mandela was released, and I was in London when Princess Diana died. To watch these places change, with people who share your passion, is the most extraordinary experience.

My job is to tell stories and take people from one part of the world to another. I was always drawn to personal stories and the will people have to go on and make a life. It's an incredible privilege to be a storyteller, but I do carry the weight of what I've seen on my shoulders.

I remember [acclaimed TV journalist] Kerry O'Brien telling me years ago, "It doesn't matter what you do or where you go, make it matter.” I hope my kids [Grant has a daughter and two sons with ex-wife Karla Grant, and a son with wife Tracey Holmes] learn to make things count and get the most out of their experiences. I hope they see the way I've lived my life and draw on these things.

I don't think back to the past. [Grant left his role at the Seven Network in the lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, amid controversy over his affair with colleague Holmes.] If you're true to yourself and you know what's meaningful and honest, that's what matters. Our life isn't meant to be defined by other people. If you live your life like that you're going to be living in hell.

It was time to come back to Australia. I first went to London in 1996, and for the past 12 years we've lived in five countries and I've reported from over 60. The kids are getting older, my parents are getting older - it was now or never; did we want to stay away forever or come back and reconnect with the place and family? I think we're here to stay.