Life Is Short. Work Somewhere Awesome.
A cancer survivor takes all the opportunities that come her way and runs with them.
Why on earth would you move back to Germany?
That’s what my friends asked me when I told them that I would be going back to Bavaria for a month in the spring. Why would I want to leave a way cooler city in the Netherlands: Amsterdam. A city that gives me so much inspiration, has endless fun things to do and enables me to meet people from all over the world. Why would I go from a city that has it all to a village that, from their perspective, hasn’t got that much to offer?
The answer is: I’m not doing this for others, I’m doing this for myself.
My yearly challenge
After facing breast cancer last year, I want to explore new things and embrace wonderful experiences that make me happy. I made the decision to explore something new at least once a year. Something that gets me out of my comfort zone.
The opportunity to join my global corporate communications team on a short-term assignment was exactly the challenge I needed. Filling out my application I could already feel the excitement I get every time I enter the adidas World of Sports campus.
It is something I can’t describe to my friends but I’m so proud to be here; to be part of such an inspiring organization that has a core belief I can relate to.
Through Sport, We Have The Power To Change Lives.
My favorite moment is when I walk into the office and see our core belief at the entrance: Through Sport, We Have The Power To Change Lives, I know the truth that lies behind it.
My life changed completely when I got sick. I was struggling mentally and wasn’t fit which made me lose my confidence. Something we all face at times, but now in a way I had not experienced before.
It was time for a change. I started going to the gym three times a week, changed my nutrition and got rid of my bad habits (well, almost all). After a few weeks I started noticing the difference.
Because of this experience I have a different view on life and myself. This isn’t always easy, but to overcome things makes it all worthwhile.
With sport back in my life I thought “What’s next?”
How awesome would it be to be part of a team that works with our core belief on a daily basis?
I got the short-term assignment and arrived back in Nuremberg, the city where I had my daughter and that therefore always has a special place in my heart, ready to push myself out of my market-mind and into a global way of thinking.
A great team spirit and some exciting projects greeted me and I jumped straight in, supporting on a video series with our CEO, attending our annual general meeting and seeing our media relations team in action.
My highlights?
Watching Kasper Rorsted being briefed while in make-up and then delivering a word-perfect interview, filming a video across four locations in just 30 minutes and finally an impromptu coffee with my bosses, Jan Runau and Kasper.
I had missed my family life for a month but went home feeling more relaxed and with a wonderful inner peace. I wasn’t worried about what I had missed in the office, instead I had a backpack full of ideas and experiences to incorporate into our Amsterdam set-up to make work even more awesome for me!
Ready to create?
Mar 21, 2023
Data Engineer
Gurgaon | India | Data & Analytics
Frank
Wish you keep on filling your "backpack of ideas and experiences" by memorable, inspiring and most of all positive moments :-)
All the BEST to you!
Have a good day! Cheers, Maaike
I always miss my family when I travel too but it sounds like it was a great opportunity to experience more of what work can offer and connect with your broader comms team/leadership and CEO which is so important in making you feel fulfilled at work.
Thanks for sharing your story so even non-adidas employees can be inspired by it!
First of all you are so brave, and what a great example of resilience and inspiration! Your message comes at the right time when I am facing a mental challenge to keep consistent in sports and of course on trying new things.
Giving yourself time and space to take on a new challenge and renew your energies is very important and we hardly think of it sometimes.
Keep sharing your experiences please.
Cheers,
Gabi
Thank you for your inspirational story and happy to have you as a colleague here in Amsterdam. I will start my own (out of my) comfort zone planning!
Chris
Alex
Confidence is key.