From a young age, I had little interest in material things or in making a profit. Birthday presents, small gifts or clothes? I didn't care! I knew that I could always get what made me happy - and most of the time it wasn't anything material anyway. This attitude continued throughout my life and became an integral part of my professional ethics. I often gave up my salary if it was necessary. Can I buy it? Never! Instead, my closet was regularly filled with gifts from business partners.
I wanted the longing of tomorrow, not the addiction of today
I have often been asked why material modesty was important to me. It is very simple: today it seems like an addiction to always want more. But I did not want to be full and satisfied, I wanted to feel the longing for tomorrow. This longing gave me the drive to keep going and to set new goals.
My attitude towards modesty has also shaped my professional ethics. I placed values such as honesty and mutual benefit at the centre of my actions. I was not interested in quick profits, but in sustainable relationships and the trust that develops through them.
The Value of Questioning
I often questioned things - and for good reason. Why should you always do what everyone else does just because that's how it's always been done? Every situation gets better when you question it. Most people don't do that, but that was exactly the chance for me to find new solutions.
I realized early on that I didn't fit into the classic "system." Saying "yes and amen" in line with the party line? Not my thing. Learning things from books that didn't interest me? No chance. This was a problem at school, of course - but I quickly found my own solution: I simply calculated what I needed to pass and skipped the rest. Instead, I excelled in subjects I liked and got top marks in them.
Take responsibility and go my own way
At school, I often stood up for others. I spoke up for classmates when they had problems and was not afraid to accept consequences when it was necessary. I was not only interested in learning about things that didn't interest me, but also in intervening and addressing grievances.
To be honest, it was never a question of being smart or unsmart for me, but simply a part of my character. I put in the effort without thinking too much about the consequences. But I did it, and it made me someone people could rely on. Teachers and school administrators, however, saw it less romantically. Five schools, two punitive transfers, and the half-yearly reprimands speak volumes. Nevertheless, my report cards were always peppered with praise - I wasn't perfect, but I was good enough to do my thing.
Discovering my unique abilities
Perfection was never my goal because nobody needs to be perfect. It is enough to recognize your strengths and use them. Everyone has their own special abilities and these should be the focus, not the urge to achieve flawlessness.
A lesson I learned early on: No one has to be able to do everything. Everyone has a special ability that makes them unique. The key is to find out what that is. And once you find that, everything else suddenly makes sense.
Freedom of Choice as the Key to Self-determination
For me, freedom of choice means that I can decide every day who I want to be and where I want to be. This freedom gives me the opportunity to shape my own path and pursue my goals without being influenced by outside factors.
