Strengthening self-leadership for lasting high performance and a calmer life balance | Personal & professional growth | Great leadership begin from within | 25 years in Comms & Leadership

The women I work with are already successful.

Like yourself: competent, respected and trusted. You lead, deliver and are deeply committed to doing a good job - often without anyone needing to ask. 

But inside you often feel self-doubt and a sense of being out of sync with yourself.  

And, a growing sense that the way you’ve learned to succeed has come with a cost no one warned you about: 

More or less constant self-pressure, blurred boundaries and the feeling of always being “on.” 

So you keep going. 
Not because it works, but because it’s what you know.

Now imagine another way of leading yourself - one that’s grounded, sustainable and supports the life you want alongside your career.

That’s the work I do.

I help high-performing women strengthen self-leadership from the inside out — with boundaries, courage and practical tools — so you can lead yourself and your team without self-compromising. A way of working and living that both you and your well-being can stand behind.

Are you tired of feeling that you're giving everything, but has nothing left for yourself?

Are you ready to find another way to lead, work and live?

Then let's talk. 
DM me or send an email to annika.mohlin@growu.se

Or be the first to know about this:
https://annika-mohlin.systeme.io/programwaitlist


Based in Sweden. 
Working globally.
Languages: Swedish & English 🇸🇪 🇬🇧 

Annika Mohlin 🌱

This week 3 years ago I went back to work after my sick leave for exhaustion syndrome. 

Coming to terms with that word – and even worse: burnout – has been a journey for a high performer like me, with big ambitions in all areas of life. For a long time, I felt ashamed about it. 

Many of you know me as a happy, energetic and positive person. And I am.

But like everyone else, I have my dips. 
The autumn of 2022 was a deep one.

> I had worked far too much for too long.
> I was handling new demands and responsibilities without getting more resources for the team – sometimes not even a thank you.
> Life at home was intense: three active children, one was struggling a lot in high school and needed a lot of support.
> In the middle of all of this I lost my Dad.
 
What kept me going for as long as I did was that I prioritised the basics: sleep, food, exercise. And fantastic support from my husband. It was actually he who finally said: “Either you call your manager, or I will.”

The three months I spent at home made me rethink a lot of things. I reflected a lot, listened more carefully inwards and started making other choices. 

This is what helped me:
✅ Starting each day with breathing and practising taking control of my thoughts
✅ Reflecting and journaling about everyday happy moments
✅ Spending a lot of time outdoors, long walks by the sea
✅ Practicing setting boundaries with myself and others
✅ Being coached
✅ Exercising
And getting lots of love from family and friends ❤️ 
 
It can be hard to see the signs when things are becoming too much. I certainly didn’t.

So if you’re feeling low, easily irritated, unfocused or constantly on the run... please: slow down, check in with yourself and start putting yourself first a bit more. 

I was the last one to realise I had burned out.
Don’t be like me.

 📸 My ever loving support and I, on a shopping tour (can you see where?) with unconsciously colour coded outfits 😂

📧 If you like this kind of content, I have a newsletter too. Link to sign up in my profile.

Leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | For women leaders done being the good girl | Authority without self-compromise | Popcorn Lover🍿| Waitlist is now OPEN👇🏼

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What a fr***in mess. I felt sooo stupid. 

Yesterday I ran my online workshop. Halfway through my screen froze and I got kicked out from my own meeting.

– Wow, you all look very focused, I said to the participants as they came back from setting their goals, and I felt so happy about the dedication I saw. 

Then I noticed: my screen had frozen completely. 
They couldn't hear me. 
I couldn't hear them. 

$hit. 

Luckily the meeting chat worked fine, so long story short I let everyone know I'd leave and rejoin the meeting, but it wouldn't let me leave so I tried leaving again but it wouldn't let me since it was just stuck, so I joined from my phone instead trying to keep up with what I was teaching while at the same time restarting my computer hoping it would let me back in. Which it did 🙏🏼

Phew. 
(if that felt chaotic to read, you've got a little hint of what I felt)

Participants were still around 💛
We went on from there. 
Everyone got their roadmaps for 2026✌🏼

I can't help but laugh at this. This is exactly the kind of mess you DON'T want “on stage” (or backstage, for that matter).

But this is leadership too. This is facilitation too – dancing in the moment, staying present when things wobble, bringing the process forward and trusting that “good enough” is enough. And if nothing else, it's a proof of being human.

Good thing tech support isn't part of my services 😬

Here's a question for you: 
What do you do when things don't go as planned?

3 years ago I sat in my car outside my office building, just as my doctor recommended.

“Just go there once before you start.
Don’t go in. Just look.”

So that’s what I did.
I sat there watching as a way of mentally preparing myself to go back to work after my burnout.

I remember it felt like returning with a version of myself I no longer fully trusted. Rough feeling to be with for sure. 

They say some things never quite go back to how they were after a burnout... I think they’re right (my husband agrees. He says there’s a 'before' and an 'after').

And yes, I sure miss some qualities I used to have.
At the same time, I’ve gained others.

I am grateful for the learnings, but hitting the wall like I did is nothing I recommend.

One of my biggest learnings is about setting – and keeping – clear boundaries. 

Not only with others.
But with yourself.

Knowing when to pause, rest and take care of yourself is a boundary in itself. 

Especially when the inner drive to push through and "just finish this little thing too" is hard to resist.

If this struck a chord, you might want to know that I’m running a small Boundary Bootcamp.

A 2-week challenge focused on building practical, sustainable boundary skills – for those who tend to give a little too much.

Read more on the link in my profile, or send me a DM.

I'm such a hypocrate.

Teaching balance and boundaries and last night I caught myself

> Watching Sweden shred Croatia in handball Euros
> Texting with my Mom
> Catching up on news reading Mark Carney’s speech

...all at the same time. Triple-tasking. Double-screening. 

And you know what else?

Some days I forget to pause. I lose track of time and just... keep going.

Which only makes me edgy and irritated. Far from my best self.

So how dare I talk about sustainable self-leadership, if I don’t even get my own basics right...?

Because I’m human.

Which means I don’t always get it right (who does?).

Here’s the difference from when my bad good girl ruled the show:

I don’t beat myself up about it.
I catch it, stop and return to what I know works.

Who said the coach can't make mistakes?

Slipping is normal.
Finding your way back is something you practice in small ways, every day.

Grateful for the reminder last night.
And for Sweden’s win!!

PS. Tournament is held in Malmö where I live. Anyone on site last night?

I've coached Comms Managers, CFO:s, Project Leaders, Marketing Managers. Over the years, one pattern keeps repeating:

They're exceptional at meeting everyone’s needs. 
Their own come last.

The reasons are familiar:

> There’s never enough time. 
> Doing things yourself seems faster (and better)
> They're afraid they'll be disliked if they say no

Still though: this logic doesn't hold up. 

When you don’t protect your boundaries and your energy, something will slowly fade away. Your sincere smile likely goes first. Then your presence and focus. Your temper. Worst case → you'll burn out (like I did). 

Leadership isn’t only what you give to others. 
It’s also about what you give to yourself, over time.

You can't be sharp, steady and effective if you permanently exclude yourself from your own priorities. 

Meaning: making space for YOU in your calendar.

And (sorry to say), this won’t happen on its own.

The tempo will not just "slow down". No one's coming to hand you more time.

You need to plan for it. With the same seriousness as the meetings you never cancel 😉

Something new is coming for women leaders who are tired of coming second in their own lives:

The first-to-know list is open >> https://lnkd.in/dNGbMbjR

I was the teachers' favourite in school. 

I'm sure you know the type: 

> Good grades
> Didn't cause any trouble
> Raised my hand before speaking and got seated to the rowdier ones to help keep them calm (how crazy is that?)

Oh, teachers loved me.
Later, managers did too.

I can see why – us good girls are easy to work with. 
We are very good at delivering without asking for too much in return.

I can also see this: 
Being “easy” earns you safety, praise and belonging.

Keeps you safe when you're young.
But in leadership?

Success built on fear – of disappointing, disrupting or being too much – demands constant proof.

It's tiring to be a good girl. 

And this is what I mean when I talk about being a bad good girl. 

How much of a bad good girl are you?
The Bad Good Girl Audit™ reveals 29 habits that women leaders use to stay safe, liked and in control – at the cost of their power and authority.

Comment AUDIT if you want to take the audit and get your Bad Good Girl profile pattern.

How much of a bad good girl have you become 

Here’s how to get really good at expressing clear boundaries. For free.

Step 1: Pick 3–4 real (or very likely) situations where you’ll need to set a boundary.

Step 2: Open your camera or voice notes.

Step 3: Record yourself saying it as if you were talking to the other person.
Do this for all scenarios.

Step 4: Watch or listen. What do you notice?

Step 5: Choose one thing to improve – then repeat from step 2.

You’ll likely spot things like:

> Rambling or over-explaining
> Saying ummmm.... 
> Sounding unsure or submissive
> Excusing yourself too much

Remember to breeeeeathe.
Keep it short. Keep it fun! You're playing. 

Do this 5 times, then review your first recording.
I’m pretty sure the progress will surprise you 🤓

Training boundary setting is like training any muscle.
This will build strength. And as a bonus, also your confidence.

Will you try this?

💛 This is one of the challenges I give the women in my 2-week Boundary Bootcamp. We just kicked off week two, and the wins the participants are sharing already make me so proud about their progress!

In October a woman joined Boundary Bootcamp after being close to burnout for a long time.

She was doing her job really well, being relied on, stepping in where things needed to be handled. 

From the outside, it looked like competence. 
From the inside, it was draining her.

In her check-in to the bootcamp she described full days, a constantly busy mind and very little space left for herself. 

Responsibility had its sneaky way of expanding, and she had bit by bit started to carry more than her own load.

A month or so after the Bootcamp she wrote me this:

“I’ve had great help from your sessions after being very close to burnout for a year. I felt a lot better after going through your 2-week program where I learnt to say no, delegate and not throw myself at every single task just to be good.”

Nothing about her drive or ambition disappeared. 
What shifted was how she related to it.

This is often how boundary work shows up.
As a series of small, conscious choices that create more room to breathe.

That’s the kind of change I care about.

graphical user interface, text, application

Hennes team hade fullt förtroende för henne.
Men uppifrån organisationen fick hon andra signaler.

När Anna kom till första träffen i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv var hon osäker på om hennes sätt att leda verkligen var ett bra sätt att leda. 

Hon kände sig ifrågasatt och mikrostyrd. 
Inte riktigt uppskattad för det hon bidrog med, trots fina resultat och ett team som fungerade väldigt bra. 

Hon hade börjat tvivla på sig själv. 

Under programmets gång blev det allt tydligare att Anna har en mycket emotionellt intelligent ledarstil, och en inre kompass som leder henne tydligt och klart. 

Dilemmat var snarare om den här arbetsplatsen var rätt för henne. Och i att stärka hennes trygghet i hur hon leder, och hennes eget förhållningssätt till det. 

"Jag fick större tillit till mitt nuvarande ledarskap genom att bli speglad, utmanad och hjälpt av andra kvinnliga ledare i ett 100% tryggt rum." 

Hon började lita mer på sitt eget omdöme igen. Hon slutade tolka andras kontroll som en signal på att hon gjorde fel. Hon fick ord för allt det hon redan gjorde rätt.

Kort därefter tog hon nästa steg – till en arbetsgivare där hennes styrkor och ledarskap kommer till sin fulla rätt.

"Jag upptäckte att färdigheter som jag tycker är lätta och självklara, och därmed inte sett som speciella eller värdefulla, tvärtom är mycket värdefulla. Och att det inte alls är något alla gör, utan är en styrka i just mitt ledarskap."

Landa i sitt eget ledarskap, och sen landa på rätt plats. Den förflyttningen, på 10 månader – inte illa! 

Tusen tack Anna för att du valde att gå Perspeqtiv och stort varmt lycka till på nya stället! ✨

🔭 Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar i april. 
📧 Nyfiken? Hör av dig!

Who never blamed a Monday? Or January?
Easy explanations are tempting.
It takes more courage to ask why the same pattern keeps coming back.

“Oh, you know… it’s just one of those days.”

How many of "those days" are there? 

I surely had a few of them 😬
So I know they can be plenty. 

But who are we fooling? At some point, I had to ask myself a more honest question:

What if it’s not about timing at all?

What if the low energy, the resistance, the irritation keeps returning not because of the day, the hour or the colour of the sky... but because of something else?

You bet it was uncomfortable to realise that many of the habits and qualities that had taken me far in life were the same ones slowly wearing me down.

That insight came too late to me. I burnt out. 
But it can still change something for the better for you. 

I write about this in today’s newsletter.

We’ve made it past Blue Monday, the third Monday in January – supposedly the most depressing day of the year. The day when all kinds of shitty stars a

Open article: The convenience of blaming the calendar by Annika Mohlin 🌱 • 3 min read

There’s nothing wrong with New Year’s resolutions. But they won’t change a thing.

Action will.

Without a plan – and action of course! – resolutions stay what they are: thoughts, wishes, good intentions.

And you end up in the same place.

The gap between intention and action is where most resolutions fall apart.

And it’s also where clarity makes all the difference.

That’s what we’ll work on in my (free) New Year’s workshop on January 6. 

I’ll take you through a step-by-step process to help you:

>> Clarify where you want to be by the end of 2026 
>> Identify the steps and actions that will take you there
>> Anticipate challenges and how to handle them 
>> Make sure you stay on track and move forward 

You'll leave with a personal roadmap that's concrete, actionable and right for your life, your needs and your well-being. 

A roadmap for inspired, intentional action, that support your resolutions. 

If this sounds like a good way to start the year, I'd love for you to join! 

🗓️ Tuesday, January 6 (tomorrow!)
⏰ 13.00-14.30 CET 
💻 Online on Teams 
🌟 Free to join 

Sign up on the link on my profile, or here: 
https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n 

If you can't join live, I'll send out a replay to all who signed up. 

Looking forward to see you! 💛 

📸 Sweet words from previous participants... who also come back to update their roadmaps – because what we do works!

For female leaders done being the good girl | Lead yourself and others with clarity, boundaries and sustainable habits | Practice clear and kind boundary-setting in my 2-week challenge 👇🏼

Are you joining my New Years-workshop today?
Last chance to sign up... because we start at 13.00! 

This is a 90-minute workshop for ambitious women who want to keep performing at a high level + also have a life outside of work feeling happy and energized.

...which sometimes can be tricky, especially if you're stuck in good-girl-patterns that keep stealing your energy.

👉🏼 Taking time to yourself to listen inwards and get clear on what YOU want, and from there add concrete actions is a good way to start.

This workshop gives you time and structure for doing that.

So if you’re always there for others, but not-so-often for yourself: 

Here's a chance to really put yourself in the driver's seat, and create a roadmap for a year with YOU in focus. 

You'll also get some tools for energy and balance you can apply right away + a chance to join my 2-week boundary setting challenge with a little bonus 🎁

📅 January 6th = TODAY!
⏰ 13.00 - 14.30 CET
💻 Free to join, on Teams
✍🏻 Sign up here:

https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n

See you soon! 👋🏼

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Associate Certified Coach (ACC)

Certified GDQ consultant

The Daring Way - 

Co-Active Coach

ICF Member Badge

Företagsekonomi

Marketing the IKEA Way

Läst en termin i Madrid på Universidad Antonio de Nebrija

En termins studier i Madrid kombinerat med extrajobb som servitris på TGI Friday’s

Friskis & Svettis

Friskis & Svettis Malmö

Coaching female leaders to feel well, perform well and still have energy at the end of the day | Sustainable self-leadership | Personal & professional development | 25 years in Comms & Leadership | Ex-IKEA

🌱 I believe that people who feel well, perform well.
🌱 I believe that people who are self-aware, perform better and collaborate better. 
🌱 And I believe that in order to lead others, you need to lead yourself first. 

These beliefs are the foundation of what I do. My passion comes from my ability to help people grow and expand themselves beyond what they thought possible - and succeed. That's what I do best. 

🔸For you as a driven, high-performing professional or founder leading yourself.
🔸For you as a leader noticing that books, classroom trainings and TED talks don’t turn you into the leader you aspire to be.

I can help you start leading yourself in a more conscious way, 
get clear on who you are, 
where you're going and 
confident about the choices you make for yourself. 

So you can
🌱Perform and deliver — with a calmer mind and energy left at the end of the day. 
🌱Find a sustainable way of living and working — with ripple effects on both your leadership and your relationships.
🌱 Enjoy life on your terms and last in the long run. 

Why go with me? 
🔸With me you get a down-to-earth, warm and engaged partner who has been through the highs and lows of juggling a global manager role, a crowded diary and 3 kids. 
🔸You get a curious, open-minded ICF-coach who coaches by the high standards set by International Coaching Federation.  
🔸I bring energy, clarity and a holistic perspective (and a bit of playfulness). 

I am a great listener, but not afraid to challenge you. 
I have a creative mind, but can also be with serious emotions. 
I will hold a safe space, so you dare to look within for the answers I know you have. 

I can help you get to the front seat of your life and to design your unique roadmap, so that you can truly own your journey and fill it with what gives you energy and fulfilment.  

My approach mixes coaching with evidence based tools for self-leadership, stress management and well-being. The beauty is in the blend. 

All in a simple and action-oriented way - 20 minutes a day goes a long way. 
But those you need to commit to: I will give you the keys, but you have to turn them around yourself.  

📬I'm just a DM away. Let's talk! 

👋🏻
Here as HR or Manager? 
Happy to support your company and co-workers with developing (self-)leadership skills or communication skills. 

I am an appreciated facilitator thanks to my ability to create a safe, relaxed and inclusive space for participants. Talk to me about leadership development, creating effective teams or preparing your spokespersons for media engagements.

🌱Let's grow together!

An 8-week online program, available individually or in groups, in English or Swedish: 
for those of you who are longing to live life on your terms and are ready to take the driver's seat of your life. 

The program combines coaching with well-established self-leadership tools and techniques. You work at your own pace with a coach by your side to support you every step of the way.

Coaching Program: Own your Journey | English or Swedish | Next start January 2025

8 veckors online-program, enskilt eller i grupp, för dig som längtar efter att leva ditt liv mer så som du vill ha det och känner dig redo att sätta dig själv i förarsätet. 

Programmet är en blandning av coachning och väl beprövade metoder för självledarskap. Du arbetar på egen hand och tillsammans med en coach som finns med och stöttar dig hela vägen.

Coachprogram:  Äg din resa | Svenska eller engelska | Nästa start januari 2025

If you... 
Feel stuck. 
Want a change.
Search for the big meaning. 
Don’t know where to go next. 
Need action towards your goals. 
Want to grow your self-awareness.

Individual coaching online or IRL | Life | Career | Leadership | English or Swedish

För dig som vill växa i din chefsroll genom att jobba med verkliga utmaningar från din verksamhet och vara del av ett lärande nätverk med andra kvinnliga ledare: 
 
Vill växa och utvecklas tillsammans med andra kvinnliga chefer.
Är nyfiken på andras erfarenheter och perspektiv på dina utmaningar och ditt ledarskap. 
Vill fördjupa din självkännedom och hitta ditt trygga sätt att leda.
Tror på kraften i ett lärande nätverk där deltagarna stöttar och inspirerar varandra.
Har varit chef i några år.

Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv för kvinnliga chefer i Öresundsregionen | Start Februari 2025

I talk about the keys to sustainable self-leadership and how to last the long run.

Kick-off? Inspirational speaker? Action-oriented workshop? I can help.

Lectures | Workshops | Facilitation | Inspiration | Kick-offs

Welcome to browse around my website to learn more about me and GrowU. So far it's only available in Swedish. English yet to come!

Besök min hemsida för mer information |  Arbetar med företag och privatpersoner IRL och online

Jympa, Skivstång och Multifys 
Ledaruppföljare
Tidigare styrelsemedlem 

Leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | For women leaders done with surface solutions | Authority without self-compromise | Popcorn Lover 🍿 | Get on the First-to-know-list 👇🏼

👋🏼Hello dear network – hej kära nätverk!👋🏼
De flesta som följer mig bor i Sverige. Jag skriver mest på engelska. Jag är nyfiken på vad du som ser mina inlägg tycker. Kan du hjälpa mig?

Most of my posts are in English, at the same time many of you are based in Sweden. 

I'm curious about how you experience it – and I'm asking everyone, not only Swedes.

Feel free to elaborate your answer - in Swedish or English - in the comments. Appreciate your help!
💛

What's it like for you reading my posts in English? 

To share or not to share... 💀

Excited to host this Live with 3 marketers + 3 coaches debating when it gets too much... and who gets to decide what IS too much. 

Log in and join us, bring your questions too!

Build leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | I help female leaders lead themselves first | Self-leadership, boundaries & sustainable ambition | Get The Bad Good Girl Newsletter 📬👇🏼

For the people who think dangerously well. ​>​>​> Scaling Intellectual Authority / Thought Leadership 🌃 (Storyteller, raised on cyberpunk fiction.)

You’ve all seen it: The trauma-dump with a CTA. And then you wonder: Is this brave… or ...?

This audio Live is a real-time debate between people who build attention and people who protect nervous systems.

We are answering:
- Who decides when sharing becomes “over”sharing?
- When does “vulnerability” become “emotional burden” for the audience?
- Should you post while you’re still bleeding, or after you’ve processed?

We made a panel of 3 marketers vs 3 wellbeing coaches!

Team Wellbeing:
Our host Annika Mohlin 🌱 —  Self-leadership, boundaries, sustainable ambition.
Josh Perry — High Performance Coach (creation vs survival mode)
Emily Heird, LPC/MHSP — Licensed therapist & mental performance coach 

Team Marketing:
Jenni Reher — Marketing strategist, creator of Find Your Weird™ 
Sandra Macele — Identity & positioning strategist (thought-leadership infrastructures)
Robert van Tongeren — Content strategy that makes you look like a genius

Log in tomorrow, and bring your best questions ;) muahahaha ...

Building ⭐ performance teams that deliver true digital transformation

I’m a technology and transformation leader passionate about turning strategy into meaningful outcomes - for people, teams, and organizations.

Over the past decade, I’ve led initiatives across pharma, healthcare, and digital ecosystems, helping global teams deliver innovation that matters. My focus is simple: connect human insight with technical excellence to create environments where people perform at their best.

I believe transformation isn’t just about systems or tools; it’s about trust, clarity, and purpose. As a coach and author of A Life in Motion, I apply that philosophy to help leaders align strategy with culture, and vision with execution.

I’m always exploring opportunities where I can combine leadership, technology, and coaching to drive organizational growth and help teams create extraordinary results - sustainably and together.

Eduardo dos Santos Silva

🎉 Breaking news:
It’s a new year.

Yes. I know.
Very exclusive announcement. 😄

But before we rush into goals, resolutions, and gym memberships that will expire by February… let’s pause for a second.

Because what we call “the new year” is actually a cultural agreement, not a universal truth.

In much of the Western world, we reset on January 1st, driven by the Gregorian calendar.

Clean slate. New chapter. Fresh start.

But elsewhere, time turns differently:
🪔 In India, calendars like Vikram Samvat and Shaka Samvat tie time to cycles, seasons, and meaning.

🐉 In Chinese culture, the Lunar New Year arrives later marked by renewal, luck, and energy shifts.

🌙 In Islamic tradition, the Hijri calendar moves with the moon, reminding us that time itself is fluid.

✡️ In the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection, repair, and return.

🌍 In Ethiopia, renewal after the rains in September brings the new year.

Different calendars.
Same human need.

We use big, meaningful milestones to reset 
- because our minds are wired for it.

Psychologically, these moments act as mental bookmarks.
They give us permission to pause, reflect, and begin again.

And yes, even though I work mindfully on resets throughout the year… this one is still the most powerful.

So here’s my personal practice, every year:

🕊️ First, I sit quietly for a minute or two.
 I thank the year that passed; not just for the wins, but for everything.
 Flashes of moments. Lessons. People. Growth.

🔮 Then, I visualize what matters for the year ahead.
 Not a to-do list.
 But feelings, directions, relationships, impact.

I don’t force it.
I prime myself.

And more often than not… those things find their way into reality.

Maybe because clarity changes how we act.
Maybe because attention changes what we notice.
Maybe because commitment quietly reshapes our choices.

So if you’re resetting today, you’re not late, dramatic, or naïve.
You’re human.

Happy New Year!
However - and whenever - you choose to mark it. ✨

If you are choosing to pause today, here’s a question worth sitting with:
What do you want to thank before you move forward, and what do you want to invite in next?

Take a moment.
Intention doesn’t guarantee outcomes
- but it changes how we walk toward them.

🍃 A Life in Motion | Growth. Transformation. Results.

I read it and immediately got the chills.
“This is what I’m doing to stay relevant…”

The second worst corporate, most prejudicial quote ever. 

(what is the first? 🧐)

But why does it make me feel like this?
It takes me back to an executive I’ve met.

That sentence became his mantra 
 -  repeated in meetings and in every communication.

I was younger then, but already curious, so I paid attention:
how did people in the team respond to it?

Take a guess before reading further…
maybe even note your answers down.

...

Now… this is what I saw…

Everything slowly became about: 

📢 shouting about successes
(even when they didn’t exist)

🥵 looking busy and important
 (often wasting company time and money)

🤔talking to people who could promote us
 (instead of clients and partners)

Later, I observed the same pattern with so-called leaders who were:
 👉 learning 
 👉 taking new roles
 👉 posting here
…
 to stay relevant.

Not because they were curious.
Not because they wanted to grow.
Not because they were interested in a challenge or in helping others.

And that's what makes all the difference. 

Staying relevant as a consequence
 = fulfilment as we grow and achieve results.

Staying relevant as a goal
 = surrendering to our fear of loss.

I once had the chance to coach one such leader. And you know what I found?

A wonderful - and scared - human being.

Someone who could lead change,
but decided instead to hang on to one job.

Then got the own identify lost in the process and spent the few next years regretting the things they sacrificed to stay relevant.

That’s what  such culture does to executives.

Who loses?
Themselves first.
Then their teams.
And finally the company - shareholders included.

Have you ever caught your organization 
- or  yourself  - 
 confusing growth with staying relevant?

Let's think about that before jumping into 2026 goals...

Back in Dubai, I have found this interesting machine: it would produce a unique perfume for you based on a personality test. I imagined that industry asking itself "how do we stay relevant?" - when that is probably a bad question to ask. What would be a better question?

To end the year well, I hurt my leg real bad…
That was on December 18th -
last football training before the break.

I couldn’t believe it 🥵

I couldn’t even walk for the first two days.
I still need to walk slowly now,
and I clearly won’t be running for a few more weeks.

That was a first for me -
especially because I was feeling healthy and strong.

Worse: I knew immediately that I’d failed my objective 🎯

My Objective and Key Result (OKR):
Staying healthy and active
→ A minimum of 10,000 steps each month

How was the year tracking?

Before 2025, I’d been beating the 10,000 yearly average for a while.
Even got to 11,000.
But winter months were a disaster.

In 2025?
I made it every single month.
December was even tracking close to 12,000. ❤️‍🔥

And then… gone.

That got me thinking about how I set goals -
and how individuals and companies set goals.

Some goals are designed to be achieved.
(“Easy” goals.)

The problem?
They don’t take us further.
Worse, they can be misleading.

We see them behind layoffs that don’t aim to save failing companies, but to artificially boost short-term profits.

On the other extreme: over-stretching.
What if I set a minimum of 10,000 steps every single day?
I’d almost certainly fail.

There’s weather.
 Sickness.
 Family.
 Work.

Too many variables -
unrealistic, misaligned with priorities.

Those goals don’t motivate.
They break people.

Companies that set them get employees faking results
or disengaging altogether.

So this is how I orient myself when defining goals 👇
Challenging enough that I might fail -
but never to the point of breaking.

(that’s also why vision matters but that’s for another post.)

Some asked me last week about “Word of the year”
or “New Year’s resolutions”.

The first can be helpful 👍 
after I set my OKRs.

The word surfaces from them.
For me, 2026 is INTEGRATION.

The second, I push back on 👎
It’s broad and aspirational,
emotionally loaded,
fragile and vague.

It often invites frustration.

One example here on how it works for me:
Using OKRs kept me active on LinkedIn for 2+ years now.

That’s why in 2026 I’ll increase focus and reduce activity:
Posting twice a week instead of three.
Commenting and engaging one extra day instead.

The number of people I effectively helped will be my key result -
as part of multiplying positive impact as my objective 🙏

That’s how I know I’ll keep contributing here without burning out.

Can I fail?
Yes.
I just did - with the steps.

But in failing, I also saw how close I got.
And inspired by that,
I’ll raise the stakes this year.

That’s how objectives help in life.

Not as a destination.
But as the track of our journey.

What kind of goals have helped you grow 
- and which ones quietly broke you?

Right leg hurt and supported by a compression sock

I wanted to say so much more…
and yet, I couldn’t. 😮

Aytuna, Emily, Vaclav  and I spoke for over an hour about resumes.

What works.
What doesn’t.
The experiences we’ve had along the way.

The thing is -
 I had just been hired. 🥳

Literally the day before.

Not enough time to process it all.
Even less to communicate it properly.

But if I could have said just one thing in that conversation,
it would have been this:

“You’re right. I’ve just been hired 
- and this is mostly what I’ve done.”

What about it, you ask?
🌟 where does a great resume starts
🌟 how to leverage AI, and how not to
🌟 using a blank page
🌟 what intentional networking is
(ok, we deviated from the theme there 🤣)

If you’re curious to go deeper,
jump into your podcast app of choice
and listen to the full episode.

Despite the technical challenges 😧,
we saved most of the good material for you 😁

💬 What’s the one resume tip that really worked for you?

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬?
I don’t think so. 😮
(Before you react, let me explain.)

This question has been on my mind and a recent post by Paulo Barriga helped me connect the final dots on the different forms of empathy and how easily we confuse them.

Let me be clear:
💡 Life is better surrounded by empathetic people
💡 Empathy amplifies individual and collective results
💡 Communities thrive when leaders show empathy
💡 I’d love for us all to be wholeheartedly empathetic

Yes - I’m still team empathy.

The problem is expecting it from others.
Or worse - demanding it.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞?
Empathy is not evenly distributed.

Some people feel it deeply.
Some feel it selectively.
Some understand it cognitively, but don’t experience it emotionally.
Some can perform it convincingly without feeling it at all.

And here’s the uncomfortable part:
When empathy becomes a moral requirement, it becomes a tool.

It can be used to:
❌ manipulate
❌ extract compliance
❌ silence disagreement
❌ blur accountability

Especially in environments where power, incentives, or pressure are involved.

That’s why Paulo’s distinction between cognitive empathy and affective empathy matters so much.

Cognitive empathy can drive progress and coordination.
But when detached from ethics or transparency, it can also enable manipulation.

𝐀 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭
If we truly embrace diversity, we must accept something uncomfortable:
Not everyone will lead - or decide - through empathy.

Some leaders operate through:
🌟 clarity 
🌟 duty
🌟 principles
🌟 responsibility under pressure

They may not feel with you -
but they may still act fairly, consistently, and predictably.

And sometimes, predictability protects people more than warmth ever could.

𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝?
For me, the answer is transparency.

Transparency is harder than empathy.
It doesn’t feel good.
It doesn’t comfort.
It doesn’t soothe.

But it does something empathy often can’t:
It tells you where you stand.

That’s why it sits at the core of good negotiation (Chris Voss knows this well):
Empathy may get a yes,
Transparency gives you a real no 
- and a place to start real conversations.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡
Instead of asking:
“Why aren’t they empathetic?”

I’m learning to ask:
What are they being transparent about?
What are they unwilling to hide?
What trade-offs are they naming?
Where might empathy cloud my judgment?

Because empathy, when freely offered, is a gift.

But when expected, demanded, or moralized…
… it makes us vulnerable to disappointment & manipulation.

𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
From my leaders, I’d rather have transparency than empathy.
And if empathy comes on top of that?
Thank you. ❤️‍🔥

Curious to hear your take -
Should empathy be expected from leaders, or appreciated when it appears?

Two characters, a man and a robot, discuss empathy. 

Starting 2026 with a difficult book. On purpose.
(apparently this is my hobby now 🤣)

Modern psychology is powerful.
But is it complete? 🤔

This first book review of the year explores why psychology without spirit feels incomplete - and what we may be missing when we over-optimize rationality.

A recommendation from a friend…
and yet I cannot remember from whom!

 (Shout in the comments if it was you 😊)

📘 Integral Psychology, Ken Wilber
📖 Full reflection below

Wait a minute now -
before you go…
I’m curious:

What challenged your thinking recently? 👇

View newsletter: Book Reviews & Recommendations

Intro This is a review of a book that came into my life because I was reading another book. How? I picked up Foundation, by Isaac Asimov, to re-read a

Open article: From Psychohistory to the Soul by Eduardo dos Santos Silva • 6 min read

We talk a lot about “empowering others.”

But there’s a question we rarely ask:
👉 When does empowerment actually work and when does it fail?

A nuclear submarine might seem like an odd place to explore that question🤔 and yet…

This article reflects on "Turn the Ship Around" by L. David Marquet, and on a tension I couldn’t ignore:

Leadership, competence, 
and the uncomfortable role 
excellence plays in trust.

📖 Full reflection below
I’d love to hear your take.

Intro It was on a LinkedIn-triggered intro coffee meeting in Zurich, a slightly cold morning in the middle of a random week last year, that I first ca

Open article: Leader-Leader Works… But Only If You Earn It First by Eduardo dos Santos Silva • 6 min read

Leader-Leader Works… But Only If You Earn It First

Why do I review books for you here?
Because I know how much they changed my life.
But there is a problem…

Three years of reading.
Three years of sharing.

There are too many of them! 🤣 

A summary can turn 200–700 pages into 2 or 3.
But now there are 50+ reviews available for you.

So where do you start?
(that’s a real question I’ve been asked here.)

Thinking about it, I decided to summarize even further.
50+ book reviews.
50+ sentences.

So you can choose what speaks to you,
save time, gain knowledge and 
- maybe - have fun.

If this is helpful, save it and download it.
It’s my gift for you.
Even if Christmas has already passed! 🎁

Can I ask for something in return?

📚 ONE book you recommend -
 with a sentence that goes with it 👇

Book Reviews up to Jan 2026 with Links

I am resharing this on a nice Friday afternoon because…

It made my week 🥰

Thank you!

AI Success Copilot Architect | Neuroscience-Driven Coach | Architecting Mental Wellness in the Age of AI

Book Review - They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but you should judge it by where it takes you. 🌍

From Greek Sunsets to Swiss Peaks: The Book That Changed My Gear 🏔️☀️

I started reading "A Life in Motion" https://amzn.eu/d/fhJa4bX by my mentor Eduardo dos Santos Silva while watching the sunset in Greece,  finished at the base of the mountains!  It hasn’t just been a book—it’s been the Promethean fire for my mindset, sparking a total transformation in how I see my own path.

Why this book stands out in a crowded self-development market:
Eduardo has a rare gift for cutting through the noise. Where most books offer "fluff," this one hands you a compass and a blueprint. Using the "Wheel of Life" framework, it takes you from "stuck" to "strategy" by bridging the gap between:
🧘‍♀️ Deep Mindfulness and internal clarity.
💸 Financial Strategy and practical habit-building.

It’s the only guide I’ve found that treats personal growth as a dynamic journey rather than a static goal.

If you’re looking for a reset, here is why I recommend it: 
✅ Action-Oriented: Every chapter ends with concrete tasks. 
✅ Holistic: It connects the "puzzle pieces" of life (health, wealth, and mind). ✅ Practical: It’s a manual for building a life, not just a collection of theories.

I read it to reset my summer; I’m using it to power my winter. ❄️

If you are looking for a sign to get moving, this is it.

#ALifeInMotion #PersonalGrowth #MindsetShift #Leadership #BookRecommendation #SwissAlps

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