“This is impossible. You can’t do that. Maybe this is too big for you.”
Those were the words people told me during my cancer therapy when I shared my goal of winning my 10th water polo title.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I had just returned from chemotherapy, lying in my bed, feeling terrible. The room was dark, but the sun was shining outside. My body was reacting heavily to the drugs, and amidst that, I decided I wanted to win my 10th water polo title. I understand why people thought it was too ambitious or crazy. But for me, it became my focus. I wasn’t just fighting cancer; I had a reason—a why. I wanted to be cancer-free so I could win that title.
This is what I mean by turning goals into side effects. My primary goal was to survive cancer—everyone wants to live. But by making survival a side effect of winning my 10th water polo title, I found unexpected energy. Long story short, 18 months later, I achieved that goal.
Years later, after a long period of self-discovery (some would call it a midlife crisis – but that doesn´t sounds so cool), I realized swimming Lake Constance was another important goal for me—not just for the swim itself but to raise awareness.
During my cancer therapy, I learned two things:

having a goal helps people endure therapy better, and

everyone knows someone with cancer. But we don´t talk about it. It´s a taboo!

So, I started my “The Alpine Seven” challenge to raise awareness for those living with illness and raising money for NF Kinder, Neurofibromatosis. The challenge involves swimming through seven iconic Alpine lakes:

Attersee (20km) – done June 2025

Lake Constance (65km) – done July 2025

Wörthersee (17km) – done September 2025

Lago Maggiore (66km) – June 2026

Lake Lucerne (39km) – July 2026

Lago di Garda (59km) – September 2026

and finally Lac Léman in June/July 2027.

When I mentioned that I wanted to swim Lake Constance—65 km in one go—only five people had done it while nearly 30 had failed, people thought it was impossible. Their doubts were understandable, because I’m a water polo player, not an open-water swimmer. I hadn’t been in the water for over seven years. At the moment my longest open water experience was 2,5km.
My goal was to swim Lake Constance while my why was raising awareness for those living with illness. That supported me through the lake. Despite having a panic attack at kilometer eight and nearly giving up 12.5 kilometers before the finish line—that are two other stories—I kept going because of my why.
When was the last time you had a goal that became a side-effect of your why?

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