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I skipped leg day at the gym. For 50 years.Now? I train my legs 4 times a week. I have to.
“Squats” might as well have been a dirty word.And lunges? Let’s just say I preferred lunches. In every fitness program I’ve ever followed, leg exercises mysteriously disappeared from my routine.Entire chapters of workout books remained unopened. Why?Simple: I didn’t like the movements, wasn’t good at them, and my knees complained. Besides, I never thought I…
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Christmas in the Iraqi Desert – 20 Years AgoWith the best crew in the world, I gave a small speech.
5,000 kilometers from home. From family. From comfort. The desert stretched endlessly around us. Sand found its way everywhere – every cavity. Carrying plastic bags to shxt in. Leave no trace. No showering for weeks. Nights were bitter cold as we kept watch. But we had a mission. I gathered my elite SF team around…
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In 2006, I used to be that stubborn entrepreneur who insisted on doing everything myself. What a fool I was.
My ego told me that no one could match my standards.That perfectionism was almost destroying me. I worked an incredible amount. And was getting grumpier by the week. Then came the breakthrough. When I finally let go and trusted others, something magical happened – they didn’t just meet my standards. They exceeded them. Why? Simple.…
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I hear my heartbeat loud and clear.We have just been inserted into the Iraqi desert.
Me and my Special Forces team. 2 Vehicles. Delivered by helis. The Chinooks have left us and are out of sight and hearing. We are stationary, vehicles off. All alone. Weapons manned. Silently scanning the vast desert for threats. “Damn, it’s quiet here,” I think. There is no surrounding sound in the empty desert. Just…
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You wake up. Your house is on fire. What do you save?
Obviously anything with a heartbeat. For most of us, photo albums make the top 3. Why? Because memories are the only true wealth we can’t replace. They’re priceless. Think about those irreplaceable moments:• Childhood adventures• Family gatherings (including those no longer with us)• Adventures with friends and loved ones• Life-changing experiences “The business of life…
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As a former Royal Dutch Special Forces Officer, I learned:Every military objective comes with a casualty forecast.We call it “acceptable losses.”
Ideally there are none. But that is not the reality. Now I see successful high achievers making the same calculations. Often without realizing it. In business, you’re running operations too. But are you doing the correct strategic assessment? Your ´casualties´ might include:• Physical reserves drained• Mental status overstressed• Family connections destroyed• Life purpose lost In…