Books
John Williams: Screw work, let’s play
The author of this book escaped corporate life to build an independent career on his own terms. The core messages are around steps how to have a more playful career. What inspired me about it are all the individual stories of people who turned their passion into their living.
Talks
TED Talk: Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action
I came across this talk during very early stages of my career change journey and it finally made me realise why I had the urge to do something more meaningful; that is because of my ‘Why’. Simon explains a simple model for inspirational leadership, which I think can be applied to every individual’s search for personal fulfillment.
TED talk: Diana Nyad: Never, ever give up
I love this talk! It came recommended from my coaching colleague Jamie. It’s about Diana who swam 100 miles from Cuba to Florida in the pitch-black night at the age of 64. For me, she is the ambassador for how to live your dream at any age. Her motto: “Every day of our lives is epic”.
Tools
Gallup Clifton Strength finder:
There are lots of resources on the internet that promise you to get clarity on your personal strengths. This can be truly overwhelming! I would recommend the Gallup Strength finder. It’s an online tool that asks a lot of multiple choice questions and helps you discover your core strengths. The basic version is $15 for 5 core strengths. For me, all of them resonated, some more, some less.
Before my escape, I had so many things going on in life and it was just a mess in my head. This app helped me massively to reduce noise. It’s simple guided meditations that help to focus, exercise mindful awareness, relieve anxiety and reduce stress. The first 10 sessions are free. Highly recommended – just give it a try.
If you have any stories, books, talks, article or anything that truly inspired you, I’d love to hear about it.
Personal & career change coaching 