The Art of Life - Ralph Goldschmidt - Art of Living

Ralph Goldschmidt is a passionate speaker and an expert in the art of living. The feedback on his lectures is overwhelming. He emotionally engages you. There are few speakers with such a psychologically and scientifically well-founded background (including a degree in sports science and economics), who also present their topics in such an inspiring, down-to-earth, absolutely authentic, and highly entertaining manner.

Are you motivated every morning?

Sure, just like every person is motivated every morning. The question is, motivated FOR WHAT? Sometimes I just want to stay in bed. I suspect your question aims at how motivated I am every morning to work. And indeed, most of the time I am. This is probably because in the last 15 years, I have crafted my job exactly the way I want it. An absolute dream job. That is the art of living.

In your life, you have gone through some groundbreaking changes, who or what gave you the courage to do so?

Over the past 20 years, I have repeatedly pondered on what is truly, truly important to me. The answers that the mind provides are often misleading. So, I have engaged in self-exploration with sometimes very unconventional methods to delve deeper into my unconscious. I still do this at regular intervals. That was and is the key. I knew and know what I really want, what is truly important to me. And what I am willing to give up, because you can't have everything, I understood and accepted that at some point. Once you are clear on that, being courageous is not that difficult. Priorities can naturally change over the course of life, as was the case with me. That is the art of living. The following questions can be helpful in important situations: How and what must I live to be able to die in peace? Imagine lying on your deathbed and looking back on your life. How would you have had to live? What would you have had to do, experience, accomplish, to be able to say from the bottom of your heart: That was a truly well-lived life? From which half-hearted things/projects/relationships should I say goodbye? Would it really be more sensible to give up what I want in order to keep what I have? Do I want my children to take me and my life as an example? For what reason? (Where yes, where not?) If my best friend were in this (my life) situation, what would I advise him? How should I decide today, so that in my last minutes I can look back on this moment with silent, wild joy?

What was the biggest setback in your life and how did you rise again?

A major - perhaps the biggest - setback was my personal bankruptcy. On my 40th birthday, on New Year's Eve, I went to the district court with a fever of 40 degrees and filed for personal bankruptcy. I should have received a lot of money, so that I could have led a very comfortable life for the next 10 years - without working. Everything turned out differently, and from one day to the next, everything was gone: house, apartment, car, wife, children... That was tough. I then laid a mattress in the office and lived there for several months, went to a third-rate gym around the corner to shower for 1 euro. Three things were particularly important to get out of that situation: 1. My firm belief that "the universe" is friendly. By that, I mean that I firmly believe that everything that happens to me in life happens FOR me, not against me (otherwise it wouldn't have happened). 2. That helped me to accept the situation as it was. I quickly got out of resistance, complaining, and lamenting. Wishing the situation to be different than it is doesn't help. "Love what is, for it is as it is... even without your approval. And you cannot win the fight against reality." Then I focused fully on what I could do in that moment... and made it clear to myself what I really wanted (as mentioned above). 3. Good friends. Having a few good friends in such a situation is certainly a blessing!

Why would you recommend your clients to attend the Karlsruhe Knowledge Forum?

I do not know of any event where there are so many good tips for private and professional life in such a concentrated form as the Knowledge Forums. Before I was able to participate as a speaker myself, I regularly attended as a listener and every time I went home with a booklet full of great tips & ideas.

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