I recently gave a talk, lasting a few minutes, about my passion for creativity and business. In essence: “I love creating businesses” for a group of early-stage entrepreneurs, individuals who have just begun to think about and act on their business ideas. After the talk, one person approached and asked, “Wow, now tell me: how do you manage all of that? Who mentored you?”

I don’t have a straightforward answer to that question. It’s challenging to trace all the influences, the wonderful mentors and coaches, and even those who contributed to my life in less positive ways.

I consider all of the influences: learnings and experiences. Things that happen to us so we can learn and evolve. Just to make it clear, when you go through a challenging situation, it’s not always easy to see the lessons, but they are there…

even if just hiding themselves in the dusty corners of the library or between blank pages of not-yet written journals.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that my internal and external worlds shifted profoundly when I took another leap of faith. By delving deep into my world of inner beliefs and addressing the negative ones head-on, I took them apart, one by one and I underwent a profound transformation.

A very complicated surgery, I must say, but so much worthwhile. This is how I discovered the importance of self-leadership and learned to be courageous no matter what.

Along the way, I was fortunate to encounter incredible individuals who introduced me to potent tools of self-leadership, posed challenging questions, and inspired change. Here are some questions we should all ponder occasionally:

• Are you paralyzed by fear or bursting with possibilities?
• Do you merely perform, or do you thrive?
• Are you present, or are you merely going through the motions?
• Do your actions resonate with your inner values?

Upon learning the remarkable story of Tanja Frieden and having the privilege to meet her in person, I was captivated by the wisdom and skills she cultivates. I won’t delve into our initial meeting, during which I wasn’t at my best. Fortunately, we reconnected a year later and enjoyed a heartwarming conversation.

Tanja introduced me to the idea that everything these days can be measured in frequencies, with

…courage being the frequency that unveils new opportunities.

Regrettably, many people still live in fear. We must remember the privilege of living in today’s world, where most of us don’t need to fight.

I had the opportunity to see Tanja conduct a workshop, and I was immediately enamored with her methods of harmonizing the inner and outer self and embracing one’s authentic identity without external pressures.

She might seem like a magical figure, effortlessly transforming lives. But there’s so much more depth to her approach. She carves out safe spaces where people can be their genuine selves. Her guidance towards less pressure in business and more soulful success is profound, swiftly and sustainably bringing people back to their core essence and primal power: Back to life.

Reflecting on 14 years of top-tier sports, an Olympic gold medal, victories that felt unfulfilled, and numerous journeys of self-discovery, Tanja has amassed vast experience. Her mission is to share the often unfamiliar knowledge that transformation to “inner peace” is possible AND can be both rapid and enduring. Performance and success then become even easier, and life becomes enjoyable once more…