What it takes to make dreams come true

I've had my fair share of bold and risky decisions. It started when I moved to a university in the U.S. as a 19-year-old, where I was one of 50 white students among 3500 black students. A life-changing experience! I pushed my own boundaries when I hesitantly applied to the world's best international security program and was not only accepted to Georgetown, but also received a full scholarship.

I quit a promising career job at the World Bank to see if I could become a professional cyclist. I failed several times to turn my passion for cycling into my profession. I started to believe that there is no such thing as a job you love. At 30, I left my job as a management consultant and moved to the other side of the world with nothing but my bike. I had no plan except to stay in a hotel and rent a car for six weeks. My goal? To find the meaning of my life. And a year later, I've set a seemingly impossible record: Every success trumps many doubts, obstacles and failures. Most people don't talk about it. I do. In my book, I talk about fears, fears of failure, and the conflict with traditions and "what you're supposed to do," but also about how to make dreams come true. What it takes. This book is about how "ordinary" people can achieve extraordinary things if they allow themselves to do them.

If you have an unfulfilled dream or a seemingly impossible goal, this book is for you.

My life is characterized by courageous decisions, by constantly crossing boundaries - be it academically, professionally or athletically. I'm anxious, fearful, and worried like everyone else. But why I do it anyway is what I share in this book, in my talks and workshops, as I guide others through bold steps and crossing boundaries.