Good morning everyone,
\ndon\u2019t let other people\u2019s limitations hold you back just because their map isn\u2019t big enough for your goals and dreams. I recently wrote a post on Substack inspired by another post about limitations in your mind. I think it was by Gary Vee. It got me thinking because many people let others\u2019 limitations limit themselves.
\nWhat do I mean?
\nI dropped out of school at 17. At the time, I had the feeling that I was \u2018too dumb\u2019 and that everyone else was smarter than me. I started an apprenticeship, but two months in, I decided I wanted to finish my high school diploma as well; my goal was to complete the apprenticeship and graduate simultaneously.
\nMy \u2018bigger why\u2019 was that I wanted to study law and earn a degree. One day, the foreman on the construction site heard about my plans. During a break, he asked me what I wanted to be when I \u2018grew up.\u2019 When I told him I wanted a law degree, he laughed loudly. He said it was a pretty big goal for someone who had just dropped out of school. To him, it was unimaginable that a dropout could dream of becoming a lawyer. But to me, it was clear that I would achieve it\u2014even though I knew it would be a long, tough journey.
\nYears later, I did achieve it because I had resilience, a goal, and my why. My advice is not to let others\u2019 limitations affect you because everyone has their own map. Others\u2019 maps might be smaller or bigger than yours, but that\u2019s not the point. The key is knowing you can expand your own map. If you set a goal and truly want it, you can reach it.<\/p>\n
One crucial thing is inner belief. <\/p>\n
You must believe you can achieve your goal. When people heard I wanted to swim 65 kilometers across Lake Constance (65km), they thought I was crazy and said it was impossible. The same happened when I aimed to win my 10th water polo league title during my cancer diagnosis; they said it couldn\u2019t be done. It wasn\u2019t on their maps.
\nIf you\u2019ve set a goal but lack inner belief, my simple tip is the 5 Whys method. Ask yourself five times why you want to achieve this goal and what\u2019s important behind it. You\u2019ll find that it\u2019s not just the goal but also the why that\u2019s crucial.
\nThe 5 Whys of Lake Constance<\/p>\n
Why do you want to swim the 65km length of Lake Constance?
\nBecause it is an extreme endurance challenge that very few people in the world have ever completed. (In fact, only eight people have ever succeeded, and I was proud to become the sixth.)<\/p>\n
Why is it important to be one of the few to achieve this?
\nI want to show my children that no matter where you start\u2014even as a school dropout or someone facing a crisis\u2014big, \u201cimpossible\u201d goals are achievable if you have the right mindset.<\/p>\n
Why is it important to set that example for your children and others?
\nBecause during my cancer therapy, I witnessed firsthand that people with clear goals handle the struggle of treatment much stronger (not better – but this is another story); they focus on a destination beyond the illness rather than the pain of the present.<\/p>\n
Why does the connection between goals and illness matter so much to you?
\nAs an ex-cancer patient and a former national team captain, I know that the hardest \u201cgames\u201d are won in the mind. I want to prove that a diagnosis is not a finish line, but a reason to find a new, bigger map.<\/p>\n
Why is this your ultimate mission? (The Root Why)
\nMy mission is to raise awareness for people living with an illnesses. <\/p>\n
So from wanting to swim across Lake Constance, my real why emerged: raising awareness for those living with illness. This why was much stronger than the initial goal and kept me going even when things got tough.
\nThere are many ways to work on inner belief, but one small tip from project management is the 5 Whys method. Ask yourself why five times, and you\u2019ll be surprised at what you discover.
\nThe Takeaway:
\nWe all carry a map of what we believe is possible. Some maps are small, cramped by fear and convention; others are vast, expanded by resilience and ambition. The foreman\u2019s laughter wasn\u2019t a reflection of your ability\u2014it was a reflection of the smallness of his own map.
\nRemember: You are the cartographer of your own life. If your goal feels too big for your current map, don\u2019t shrink the goal\u2014expand the map. Use your \u201cWhy\u201d as the compass that guides you into the \u201cimpossible\u201d territory.
\nMy Tool: The \u201cLife GPS\u201d Method
\nThink of it this way: Your Goal is the destination you enter into your GPS. If you want to drive to Paris, you must enter the exact address. Once the destination is set, you simply start driving.
\nWhen you hit a traffic jam or a road closure (the \u201cForemen\u201d or life\u2019s setbacks), your internal GPS will automatically recalculate. It will find a new route because the destination is locked in.
\nDefine the Address: Don\u2019t just say \u201cI want to be successful.\u201d Be specific. \u201c65km across Lake Constance\u201d is a precise address.
\nHit \u201cStart\u201d: The GPS doesn\u2019t work if the car is in park. You must move to get directions.
\nTrust the Recalculation: Obstacles aren\u2019t signs to turn back; they are just prompts to find a different road to the same destination\/goal.
\nWhether you are leading a team through a market crash or leading yourself through a life-altering illness, the rules are the same: <\/p>\n
Don’t let a ‘Foreman’s Map’ dictate your team’s destination. Set the GPS, find your Root Why, and start driving.<\/p>\n
All the best,
\nBernhard
\nP.S. I\u2019m currently on a multi-year journey to swim The Alpine Seven\u2014339 km across seven iconic lakes\u2014to prove that our maps are always bigger than we think. If you want to join me as I navigate these waters and share what I learn about leadership, resilience, and turning \u201cimpossible\u201d goals into reality, hit the button below.<\/p>\n
Subscribe for more reflections on leadership, crisis, and building a life where \u201cimpossible\u201d goals become a side-effect!<\/p>\n
P.P.S. I plan to send this out every Friday morning 5am CET. But as this is a human-to-human connection, please bear with me if life (or my kids) decides to \u201creorganize\u201d my schedule. I\u2019m a pretty good swimmer, but I haven\u2019t figured out how to swim through a family emergency at a good speed yet! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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