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<\/p>\nAfter working as CEO of Talpa Holding for fifteen years, Pim Schmitz was serenaded early in the morning by the facilitators of his trail to mark the start of his 24-hour solo journey in the Scottish wilderness. \u201cIt was a special moment,\u201d says Pim. \u201cI woke up, packed my things, and headed into nature. I was pretty early, the second of the group to set off.\u201d <\/p>\n
Pim Schmitz, in addition to being a Rotterdam native, is a goal-oriented and energetic businessman with a long career in corporate finance. For years, he was the driving force behind Talpa, a company he built together with John de Mol. Always available and reachable. Despite all his professional success, Pim felt it was time for a change, a new phase in his life. <\/p>\n
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Not afraid of change, Pim decided to take a new direction after fifteen years in an intensive role as CEO. \u201cI was 55, and hopefully I still have about 30 years ahead of me. Then you start asking yourself how you want to spend those years in a meaningful way.\u201d A profound question. Pim decided to reshape his life and step away from the hectic 24\/7 schedule. He transitioned to an advisory role and took time for himself to explore what the coming years could hold for him. <\/p>\n
\u201cHow do I want to spend the next 30 years in an enjoyable way? What is important in that? How do I want to structure my life, and what priorities do I want to set?\u201d With these questions in mind, Pim decided to embark on a trail with the Foundation for Natural Leadership (FNL) in Scotland. \u201cI had to climb a little mountain,\u201d he says with a laugh, referring to the transition from his busy life to the peace of nature. That mountain was not only figurative, as the trail literally took him into the Scottish Highlands. <\/p>\n
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The Scottish landscape played a crucial role in Pim\u2019s experience. Scotland is known for its unspoiled and breathtaking nature\u2014exactly the kind of environment that forces you to pause and reflect. Pim is not necessarily a fan of long hikes, as he admits himself: \u201cI\u2019m not a hiker.\u201d Nevertheless, he appreciates the beauty of nature and finds peace during trips with his family to different environments. <\/p>\n
In Scotland, Pim found that the simple beauty of nature helped him recharge and organize his thoughts. \u201cIt gave me the space to reconnect with myself, without distractions.\u201d Back to basics. No phone. No contact. <\/p>\n
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One of the most special moments for Pim was the 24-hour solo. This experience, where he was completely alone in nature, gave him the calm and space to truly reflect on himself. \u201cIf it were up to me, I would have stayed there even longer.\u201d For Pim, this trail wasn\u2019t about searching for softness but rather a way to better understand himself. To recalibrate and look ahead with fresh clarity. <\/p>\n
This newfound clarity stemmed from the insights Pim gained during the trail. \u201cThe long-term effect is that I gained many valuable tools to reflect on myself. How do I view my life? What can I do with it? And if I want to change things, how do I approach that? I still carry those tools with me.\u201d It\u2019s about small but meaningful changes: from easily leaving your phone at home to shifting your focus to what truly matters, like maintaining meaningful relationships with his children and loved ones. <\/p>\n
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Pim came out of the trail with a renewed sense of balance and clarity to thoughtfully and meaningfully shape the next thirty years. \u201cIt gave me exactly what I was looking for and wanted, and actually more.\u201d The reaction Pim often received from people around him was, \u201cDid you do that?\u201d When Pim explained why, the response was usually: \u201cI\u2019d actually like to do that too.\u201d You can already guess how Pim responded, an answer for many: \u201cThen why don\u2019t you?\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":26349,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-26350","experience","type-experience","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n