Our Life’s Journey

We are all looking for some form of success, regardless of our age, gender, creed, or political affiliation. The way you define success determines how you try to pursue it.

Today, for many business people, their striving for business success has become their battleground. I see so many business leaders trying to make a difference in the world and to have a positive impact.

But when the struggling is happening, things aren’t working out the way you want, it not only hurts your business, but it also takes a huge toll on your family and yourself as well.
The worst situation you could find yourself in is that your life has become a part of your business, resulting in sucking all the life energy out of you.

Looking back on my childhood with the eyes of the man that I am today; The most heartbreaking thing for me was seeing my dad being a business leader, working hard and trying to make a difference. He was struggling and his business was like being on a roller coaster.

In my memory he was always busy, stressed out, working long hours 7 days a week trying to make it work. This impacted our family life and my relationship with him.
It was reflected in the tensions on the rare occasions when my father was at home, the lack of unity within the family due to lack of leadership and the many quarrels between my parents. Our family was very disconnected.

Our family suffered because my dad was a business leader.
His life had become his business. And because his business apparently sucked, so did his life.

My dad finally died full of regrets, having led an unfulfilled life.
Like many business leaders, he failed, but not because he didn’t work hard, but because he was doing the wrong things.

He not only didn’t understand business, he also didn’t understand people and he didn’t understand himself as well.
To put it briefly; He didn’t understand life.

The strange thing is that I unconsciously copied my dad’s lifestyle.
So, when I started my career, I was working hard, being stressed out and sacrificing almost everything for my business.

It cost me my first marriage; I lost my beautiful wife, my 2 fantastic sons, our beautiful country house and even our dog left me.
Because of my ignorance, I lost all the things I took for granted.
But also -perhaps the most important thing for a man- I lost my self-respect.
It took me many years and struggles to come back again and reclaim my power to become the man I am today.

As a business leader, you are both a skipper and a ship at the same time.
With all the turmoil in the world, now more than ever, your leadership is needed.
To lead and navigate your business in the right direction, you need a map.

This translates into having a viable business model, a strategy, and blueprints.
The thing is; however, this map can only lead to destinations that have already been discovered.
A blueprint for example will only enable us to recreate something according to a predetermined set of specifications.

For most businesses, such a map is a great asset and is very valuable to reach its goals and objectives. Since COVID-19, however, we are living in a new world that is both challenging and exciting in a lot of ways! So, the old maps don’t work well anymore.

As business leaders in today’s world, you are all grappling with the ramifications of multiple crises in one form or another — be it the burden of supply chain disruption, high energy prices or general uncertainty about the economic outlook. So how can we navigate these uncertain times? How can we lead others when the path ahead is so unclear?
In crises like this, everything that really matters becomes very clear, very fast.

As a leader, you must decide how to adapt, pivot, recalibrate, rebuild and grow and scale your business. Failure is not an option. Why?

Because your business is not only a generator to serve your customers, to satisfy your stakeholders or a way to generate your income. It could become your catalyst for developing bold leadership skills and a pathway to personal growth, transformation and, if you will, to fulfilling your destiny.

In the end, your business could be the vehicle that helps you become the leader and role model you are meant to be.

Unlike starting, building, and growing a business, living an exciting adventurous and fulfilling life is something completely different. There are no maps for that. That journey requires a compass.

Wouldn’t it be great if you also had a compass for yourself as the skipper and the leader?
So, you could navigate your life and your business in the right direction. That way, if you get off course, it will easily help you to get back on track.

I invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in seminars, courses and materials (CDs and DVDs).
And in travelling around the globe trying to redefine myself, I spent countless hours with gurus, spiritual masters, mindset coaches, business coaches, mentors and… idiots.

I finally had to overcome many headaches, sleepless nights, doubts, anger, and fears.
So, you can say that I learned it the hard way.

What I’ve found is that for a lot of business leaders, it’s really important for them to make a difference. But they often are too stressed out about figuring out how to build a profitable and sustainable business. While also having a family that they love, support, and want to connect with.

And I realized the ones who are able to figure this out, were the business leaders who belong – as I define them – to the Top 1%!

The top 1% of people can be put in almost any situation, and they succeed!
And here’s what’s interesting: It’s not that they are born lucky. Neither do they have exclusive access to certain strategies. Nor do they possess a particular type of personality.
It’s also not because they know what to think.

It’s because they know HOW to think.
They know how to shift their own psychology.
That is why they can stay calm, even though it feels like chaos is happening on the outside.
This is how they know how to identify the best next decision to make, even when there’s a lot of pressure happening around them. And they don’t break under pressure.
Because they’ve mastered their psychology.

My father’s life journey ended very sad.
But luckily it wasn’t wasted. I have learned from his as well as from my own life lessons and have been able to transform and apply them in my life.
In fact, my father’s life taught me that you actually don’t have business problems.
You have life problems that manifest in your business; Your business reflects and magnifies your life issues.
Therefore, you need to grow first before you can grow your business.
Because in the end, it is your business that reveals and defines the man or woman you truly are.

What I have come to realize is that it has become my mission to show business leaders how they can have everything: How they can live an extraordinary and fulfilling life.
How you can have a business that’s not stressing you out while also having the joy of a thriving family life. With a family that’s supporting you and you’re also making a difference.

The stories I am about to share with you in “Bless your Business” contain lessons, principles and strategies that form the ingredients for your personal life compass. They guarantee an adventurous, successful, and fulfilling life. A life worth living!
Leading such a life will impact your business in ways you never thought possible.

Although there are no shortcuts in life, you can make it easier on yourself and reach your destination more quickly.

Today I teach struggling business leaders to create a better version of themselves, so they become much more successful, fruitful and fulfilled; Not only in their Business but in all areas of their Lives!

And this completes the circle for me; Every business leader has his or her own lonely battle. But it doesn’t just give me the thrill and fulfilment of guiding them to success.
Every breakthrough they’ll experience also confronts me with a bittersweet memory.
Because, when I see them, I don’t just see my old self; I see my beloved father…

Published in Exquisite International Magazine, June 2022