Far from any big city, we met former CEO and manager Michael Jäger – a man who spent more than a decade running an international IT company, steering through expansions and crises, conquering markets and leaving them again. Today, he’s standing in wellies on damp grass, tending cattle and sharing wine and instant coffee with us. No flipcharts, no KPIs, no pep talks – just a time-out to gain fresh perspectives.
Uncertainty Is Life
Our climb was steep and uncertain. We had only a rough idea of where the mountain hut should be; the maps contradicted one another, and the directions were vague.. GPS or mobile signal? Forget about it. So we chose the path that felt most “right”.
Along the way, the doubts crept in. Were we even heading the right way? How much further was it? And while we were already questioning things, we realised we didn’t really know our host Michael either. What would it be like with him? What was waiting for us up there?
If we’d been able to answer those questions in advance, we wouldn’t have needed to keep climbing. Life can be like that: we trade curiosity and uncertainty for comfort and safety. It sounds sensible at first – but it’s deceptive. When we think that we know what to expect already, life stands still – and yet slips by in a flash. The real point of life – to live, to experience, to feel – gets lost along the way. We may still exist, but we’ve stopped truly living.
“We” – More Than We Think
When we arrive at the hut, Michael greets us with a warm hug. We’d only met briefly once before at a birthday party – and now here we were, still strangers in a way, but instantly sensing that the chemistry was right.
“We” was Robin – the founder of our magazine, who lives his life firmly on his own terms while keeping the doors wide open for unexpected twists and turns. After all, who really knows what life will look like in five years? Then there was Lena – from Stuttgart, who has crafted an extraordinary work-life model for herself: eight months of full-throttle work, followed by four months off to spend the winter surfing in Costa Rica. And finally, Michael – the former top executive who, after training as a coach, turned his life completely around and now works independently as a business consultant.
Who Speaks the Loudest? And Who Do We Listen To?
We sat down with tea in front of the hut. Just a few hours ago we were stuck in traffic in Stuttgart’s city centre, and now we’re in the heart of the Bregenzerwald, far from civilisation and the bustle of everyday life. One change of scenery is all it takes to step into a new world.
Our thoughts are still whirring, but before long we’re deep in conversation about life, sharing perspectives, fears and experiences. Time slips away, and the first bottle of red wine is on its way.
Michael talks about his coaching training. What we think of as “I”, he says, is actually a “we”. Inside each of us are different voices, needs and habits. Some we let speak loudly, others we suppress or ignore. Which inner voice we choose to listen to shapes the person we are. Which sides of ourselves do we live out? Which do we keep hidden?
Our beliefs and routines shape our reality – so deeply ingrained that we rarely question them. This is where the 180° principle comes in: turning everything completely on its head, because for every light casts a shadow. What if we assumed or did the exact opposite? Michael offers the key to such experiments in one simple line:
If you pause, you gain the freedom to choose.
The “Frankl space” describes this: between stimulus and response lies our personal freedom. In that brief pause, we can ask ourselves: Do I want to react this way? What do I want to achieve? Is there another way – and do I even need to respond at all?
Why Should They Know Better?
The smoky, homely scent of a fresh fire drifts into my nose. I slowly open my eyes, see the checked blanket and wonder – am I still dreaming? No day could have started more idyllically. My head feels fine too, despite a few glasses of red wine and schnapps the night before.
In my underwear, I tiptoe downstairs and find Michael stoking the wood-burner to, heat up water for the morning coffee. No fancy portafilter speciality brew with oat milk – just instant coffee. And in this setting, it tastes like the best cup in the world.
I grab a mug and step outside, taking in the view and thinking back to yesterday’s conversations. It strikes me how good it felt not to be given advice for once – just to be listened to, while we shared our different experiences.
I still remember Marrakech in autumn 2021. My dad, Manne, and I were weaving our way through the bustle of the souks around Djemaa el Fna. Every five metres, a seller would stop us, each convinced they knew exactly what we needed. “Funny,” my dad said, “everyone here seems to think they know better than I do what I want.”
Maybe that’s the heart of it: the world is full of advice – some well-meant, some absolute nonsense. But the only path you can truly walk is your own. The snag is that in everyday life we’re so busy, so bombarded with stimuli, that we barely listen to ourselves anymore. Suddenly logic, morals or outside opinions drown out our inner voice – or rather, our inner voices. Yet they are our ultimate compass, if only we’ve learned to trust them. And that’s exactly why taking regular time out isn’t just a nice idea – it’s a necessity.
Why It’s Good to Lose People
Over breakfast, we talk about courage. About how courage is a muscle you can train, just like your biceps. The courage to live your own life and truly express yourself is like a seed, needing care and attention to grow. And we talk about how much bravery it actually takes to reshape your life so that it genuinely feels right. So right that you wake up in the morning and think: yes, this is me.
The truth is, many people would rather stay in a toxic relationship or a life that no longer serves them – simply because the familiar still feels more comfortable than the unknown.
Many of us fear being misunderstood or upsetting people, simply because the immediate reactions can be painful. But what if we flipped the whole thing on its head? Maybe it’s actually important to upset people now and then – or even to lose them entirely from our lives. What if that very loss was in fact a gain? And what if it simply made space for the people who fit better with the new person we’re becoming?
In life, you’ll meet all sorts: those whose fear of your dreams leads them to plant doubts with “are you sure?” or “do you really want that?”; those who only seem happy when you’re struggling; and those who genuinely celebrate your successes and want to see you grow.
Rhetorical question: do you really want to keep all of them in your life? How would it feel if certain blockers, begrudgers or killjoys were no longer there?
When Was the Last Time You Looked at Your Life from Above?
Up here, time seems to run differently. It dawns on us slowly, but Michael sums it up with a clarity that sticks. As a tourist, you only ever see small fragments of the mountains – and rarely their best sides. It’s only when you stay with them, seeing them from dawn until dusk, through the blue hour, the deep night and the first light of dawn, in rain and sun, mist and cloud, that you realise: the mountains are always the same, and yet different every single day.
It’s the same with your inner voice. Anyone can take time off and chill on a beach. But facing yourself? That’s something few people do. And that’s exactly where freedom begins. And as everyone knows, life rewards the brave.
The smell of the fire lingers through breakfast. The sun climbs higher, and we get ready for a hike after checking in on the cows. What happens next? We’re not telling – because this is our time out, our path. What we do want is to encourage you to take your own. We’re not here to hand you answers, but to ask the right questions. The answers are yours to find – not here and now, but in your own time. Maybe during a mountain escape. Or by the sea. Or on a bikepacking trip. Or simply while walking through your local woods. “Our” mountains didn’t tell us where to go. But they did show us what it feels like to walk your own path.
Here are a few questions that might help you:
- How does my life feel right now?
- If I look at my life from a bird’s-eye view, do I like what I see?
- Am I living by my own vision or someone else’s?
- What if I turned it all 180 degrees?
- No matter where I am right now, what do I want to invest my time in?
- What do I truly want to do? What happens if I just try it? What’s the worst that could happen – and is that really so bad?
- What am I holding on to that’s actually holding me back?
In summer, Michael spends a few weeks up on the alp – and with a bit of luck, you can visit him there. He only takes on a handful of clients, but the Bregenzerwald is well worth the trip in any case. Definitely worth a try: michael-jaeger.at
Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Robin Schmitt
