Imagine you're lying in bed. It's 6:30 a.m. The alarm clock rings. And you think to yourself, "I don't like getting up yet. I can't get up yet." Who hasn't? Now imagine if you could live a life where you start your day with vigor in the morning. A life filled with purpose and happiness. Suppose that were actually possible: why don't any of us live like that?
"Because most of them don't even seriously try!" asserts Thomas Prehn during his appearance at the Speaker's Night at the Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz in Cologne. "No one teaches us that this is possible. Let alone that someone sets an example for us. Consciously or unconsciously - our parents, the school - the whole system aligns us nevertheless primarily to financial success. Topics like meaning, happiness and fulfillment come much later. Let's be honest: Who of you has attended a school that was essentially about how I can live a happy and fulfilled life? fulfilled life lead? Not many. And who of you, like me, had the feeling of being as good grades to write in order to then learn a profession that makes as much money as possible?" the speaker asks the audience.
How many children have their parents as role models? How many parents have taken up a profession that they are passionate about? And who don't go to work solely for the money? "I'm not saying you shouldn't go to work for the money. But if you go to work solely for that, then your work degenerates into a job that you have to do to support your life," the coach knows from experience. "Then we end up with such beautiful concepts as. Work-life balance. As if work and life were two completely separate things between which we must strike a balance or equilibrium."
Thomas thinks we should be allowed to break down that separation. He thinks, "We need work to be a natural part of our lives." But that also means we don't need more jobs. But rather places of activity where we can show what we need. If we do what we think is meaningful, then others will be willing to give us money for it.
"For me, going your own way is not an ego trip. After all, the happier you are, the more power you have to help others. And at the end of the days, that's one of the reasons why I've been helping people build this masterpiece of a life since 2013," says Thomas. A life where the separation between "Work" and "Life" is no longer needed. A life borne of purpose, happiness and financial success. No matter what point they're at, whether they're high school graduates or professionals looking to transform their lives, they all have one thing in common: they sense that life has more to offer than they're currently experiencing. They are all searching for what that more could be.
The speaker appeals: "Let go of the thought 'What job will bring me a good salary later, so that I can afford something nice in my free time? Thomas tells us, however, that it never occurred to him to seek professional support to find out what he wanted. "It wasn't until I knew I was going to be a father that I started asking myself some questions."
"My realization was that I only live this life once. I realized that there was no point in continuing to run in a direction that I knew wasn't going to make me happy. That was the moment a second life began for me. You can do this too if you truly understand that you only have one life. There are better things to do than waste your time on things or people that don't suit you. Most of us don't understand that until near the end of our lives!"
If you talk to people on their deathbed, you will find that they bring up the same issues over and over again - so Thomas. They express wishes about what they wish they had done differently in their lives, looking back. "I wish I had had the courage to live my life more according to my own ideas. And not according to the ideas of others." Set your course now! Set your life on your own terms now. Show the world what you're made of. We need more originals and unique people who follow their hearts. You can make a contribution that only you can make like this.
The question is, how do we do that? How do I identify what I am here for and what contribution I want to make? "What am I here for? I'm here to answer that very question for you. And that's the reason I'm grappling with the question: How can you figure out what drives you and what path you want to take? Why? Get more involved with yourself! It is your path. Your life. Only you can find the unique answer to this one question", motivates Thomas Prehn.
You could be supported by reading books, meditating, attending seminars and events or being mindful of your own everyday life. What is good for you? Who are the people you surround yourself with? What touches you? Which stories get under your skin? Direct your attention inwards and listen to yourself! The quality of your questions determines the quality of your answers. And thus the quality of your life.
"I'm going to take you on a little journey now. Close your eyes. Feel the floor beneath your feet, the chair you're sitting on. Now imagine..: "Money is not a reason for you to work. For whatever reason, it is not important that you do something to get money. What would you do in that situation? How would you use your time? What activity would give meaning to your existence?"
"For many people who think about what they would do if they no longer had to work, thoughts like: 'Then I would travel or do nothing at all.' But most of the time these are just passing desires, but they lie dormant because we can't find the time. Therefore: What would you do when you come back from your travels? How would you want to use your time then? Open your eyes again. I thank you for feeling into this question. Perhaps your subconscious has already responded."
Keep believing, "But it's not that easy." It is certainly not always easy to go your own way. But if you really want to, it can be done. "I chose a life, namely as a speaker and coach, where no 7% can live off of. My family didn't freak out with joy. There were definitely a few who asked me if I was serious? Just when you're about to become a fatherthey said. My path was certainly not easy. With the first two coaching trainings my savings were as good as used up.
"I remember very well the discussions with my wife about what else we could afford. I often had doubts. And I was also afraid. It's not always easy to follow your heart," Thomas Prehn is honest. "But it knows my way. And today I am infinitely grateful that I am doing something I enjoy. And I can make a living at it. Today I can't imagine a life without my work. Are there dreams lurking inside you that you haven't tackled yet? What would you do?"
So many people are just not really happy with their life. They would like to change something - but often don't know how or where to start. Stop wasting your time on things that don't get you anywhere. Make a not-to-do list, is the speaker's tip. What would your ideal life look like? Find your direction! That's the first step to aligning your life with what you want! Make your life your masterpiece!
