Foreword to the German Edition of "The Book of Mental Toughness Mantras"
My whole life, I was extremely hard on myself. Through decades of practice, I became a world champion of negative thinking. And for a while, it even worked. I was a successful leader with a brilliant career and a degree from an elite university. As an expat, I built my career from zero, with a lot of headwinds. I doubled my salary within just a few years, got promoted only three weeks after starting a new role, reported directly to the CEO, led high-performing teams, and drove large transformation projects. I married the love of my life. We travelled the world and lived what many would call the dream.
From the outside, it looked perfect. But inside, it was different. The more I achieved, the emptier I felt. The harder I worked, the less alive I felt. I was driven by fear. By the need to prove to myself that I was enough. Faster, harder, more. I believed that was the only way to excellence and peak performance. Only at what cost?
That way of thinking and being led to burnout, depression, and suicidal thoughts (if you are affected by this, please seek professional help!). And in the very moment when everything began to fall apart, I understood that it was a wake-up call. I decided not only to get out of that situation, but to become a world champion of inner strength.
This book helped me immensely, and it still does. It changed my life. It is the manual for the lightness of being. When I first read it, I couldn’t stop. I read it several times within just 24 hours. I was completely immersed. It was as if Chris Dorris were speaking directly to me. To my heart. And my heart recognized the truth. It was magical.
At that time, our daughter was very young. We had just had our first “differences.” It was anything but easy. But this book touched me like no other. It opened my eyes. I not only laughed a lot, but I also cried - for the first time ever while reading a book. I let go of the weight of old ideas about who I thought I had to be. It was incredibly liberating. In one of those moments, my daughter came into the living room, looked at me with indescribable tenderness. Then she walked up to me and hugged me. And I was speechless. From that moment on, our relationship was healed. All “differences” disappeared. I decided that this is how it stays - forever. That experience reminded me what unconditional love means: to receive it and to give it. Not only to my daughter, but also to myself.
This book helped me build inner strength and see life through different eyes. It has also deeply influenced my work as a coach. I have benefitted from it in every area of life, without exception. Many of my clients - successful entrepreneurs and leaders, inspiring individuals and dynamic teams - report similar experiences. They use this book regularly, some daily. They carry it with them and talk about results they once believed were impossible - what we call miracles. And many wished for a German edition. I wanted to make this book accessible for them as well. For all who prefer reading in German - or who might never read it in English. Every person who is ready to unlock their inner strength should have access to it. This is how the German edition came to life.
Disclaimer
This is not a perfect German edition, and that is intentional. We could have spent many more years refining it, and it still would never have been “perfect.” Instead, we decided to publish this book now so that you and others can benefit from it immediately. A lot is happening in our world right now: faster, more intense, and more complex than ever before. That is why we want this book to have an impact as soon as possible: as an invitation to treat ourselves, each other, and the world with greater awareness and love. Today, we need inner strength more than ever.
If you notice anything that could be improved, please let me know. I also warmly invite you to share your experiences, thoughts, and questions about this book with me. Your feedback is valuable and helps me continue to improve the book.
Just send me an email at: alexander (-at-) lossew.de
I strongly encourage you to do so.
How to get the most out of this book
To get the most out of this book, I invite you to keep an open mind as you read. Pay attention to your doubts, your "yeah, but...", your “inner critic,” and also to the thought, “I already know that.” Your openness is your greatest lever for benefiting in all areas of life: in business, leadership, finances, relationships, your career, or life itself.
Don't just read this book for information. Apply it. Play with it. Test everything. Use it like your mental gym! And make the mantras your own.
If I could do it, so can you. I trust your inner wisdom and wish you much joy with it!
Alexander Lossew
Top coach for inner strength and peak performance for entrepreneurs, teams, and organizations
Get your copy of the German Edition
or - if you prefer, the original English Edition - "The Book of Mental Toughness Mantras"
The book is also available digitally.