Mental coach Michael Vaas in an interview - Breaking free from the rat race

Mental coach Michael Vaas comes to Stadtgarten and teaches success strategies for personal life and career.

"Get out of the hamster wheel - taking control of your life." This title conveys the message that Michael Vaas wants to convey to his audience. In a conversation with editor Bea Wiese, the mental coach provides insight into his toolbox. Mr. Vaas, you call yourself a mental coach and optimization expert - that sounds a lot like a business consultant, making sales, striving for profit... Michael Vaas: I used the hamster wheel as a metaphor because everyone, really everyone, has their problems in their personal hamster wheel, on their life path. For many, their life path doesn't go as they imagine it - for various reasons. For many, the wheel turns too fast, it keeps getting faster, more and more rushes at the person, when in reality it's not like that at all... But the information overload, the demands especially in the professional world, are increasing much faster than before. That's why it's even more important to make oneself aware: What do I really want in my life? What is important to me? I help people to figure that out and implement it, to be more successful and therefore happier. Everyone must have at least one goal, right? The topic of health, family, or relationships comes up for most people. But I delve into the details. Many come to me who have financial and professional success, but notice, for example, that their family is being neglected. And they can't manage to change that. My philosophy is: One must manage to stay in balance in all areas of life. There is a lot of talk about "optimization" in your advertising. Isn't that more for people in the business world, in management, and not for regular folks? We humans, whether top managers, workers, housewives, or househusbands, all have the same worries: Will what I have planned work out? Will everything go smoothly? Will I stay healthy? Studies show that most worries or fears don't actually materialize. However, we focus too much on these worries and problems, instead of on our goals. And that's where my models, which are applicable to everyone, come in. How does this work in practice? I work with two success strategies: Using the so-called "Life Success Tree Model," I look at: What has the client achieved so far, where are they today, and what do they want to achieve in the future, what are their goals? Then it's about visualizing this goal concretely and focusing comprehensively on it to be successful. Mr. Vaas, what exactly is considered success in your strategy? Success depends on each individual's life goal. For the manager, it might be increasing the company's revenue. For the tradesperson, it could be successfully completing a construction site. But for me, even the housewife or househusband can achieve top performance: by raising children well, preparing a birthday party superbly. So it's all just a matter of one's own standards? In any case, I need a goal. But because many fail in implementation and sustainability, I have developed the "Zsunge" strategy, which I have actually patented. 'Zsunge' stands for Goal Setting - Strategy - Implementation - Sustainability - Habit - Success. It involves, among other things, utilizing the mental strength that every person has. I explain how this works in my presentation. There are many guides to happiness, filling countless shelves of self-help books - what sets you apart from the competition? With me, there are no lofty ideas, no 300-page book that you have to buy and read first and probably won't understand in the end anyway. In my consultations and presentations, you get concrete strategies that you can implement immediately. My unique selling point is that I don't just write phrases, but come from practical experience. In over 10,000 customer conversations, I have learned what moves people. Those who wish can receive a monthly impulse from me, after registering online, to guide them on their way to their goal. (Gmünder Tagespost, September 2015)