My Walk the Tightrope Experience

After a tumultuous few years, I found myself in a state of flux.  I had left my career, where I worked for a top tier Financial Services multinational. I then completed a Master’s degree in Social and Organisational Psychology from the London School of Economics and Political Science, hoping to transition into a new career; not knowing exactly what that career would be.  If I were to describe where I stood in life before my Walk the Tightrope journey began, I would use the word “uncertain”. In all domains of my life, I felt like something needed to change, I just was not sure what, and more importantly, how. I was confused; I found myself single, living at home, insecure, stagnant and on the verge of regretting trying to pursue my dream of a new career. Something needed to change. In fact, many things needed to change.

Cue Walk the Tightrope. My Walk the Tightrope journey was an intense experience of deep reflection and self-exploration. Although I had taken courses before, both in the leadership development and self-help domains, I realise now that they provided me with knowledge of what to do to improve, but never addressed where I was in that moment.  Through both the workshops and one-on-one coaching, I was guided to really understand myself and the journey that I had taken to arrive at where I am. Provided with this knowledge, I felt ready to undertake changes that would last.

One of the highlights of the programme for me was the bond that I created with my fellow tightrope walkers. From the start of my journey to the end, I was immersed in an environment where I was free to share, be raw and authentic and open up to others who were invested in my growth. Through this experience, I created lasting friendships that reach far beyond the training room.

The content of Walk the Tightrope is rich, diverse and relevant. All of the workshops were subtly structured; there was a definite backbone to the material, and yet it was fluid enough to be able to be tailored to our needs. We touched upon subjects that were pertinent to work and personal life, creating a holistic transformational experience and allowing me to break through one of my main barriers: compartmentalising life. For the first time, I felt empowered to let down my guard and decide to be fully authentic at work, rather than adopt a persona that I had carefully constructed over the years.  

One of the many insights that I gained through the Walk the Tightrope programme was an understanding of power. I was able to understand what power means to me, both internally and externally, and how I can best harness that power to be a force of good for myself, my organisation and my community. I also now have a better understanding of politics in the organisational setting; I have a new perspective on how I can navigate an organisation taking into account the type of politics that are present and thrive in different environments. I am certain that this will prove an invaluable asset in my future career.

My Walk the Tightrope experience was transformational for me. I found direction and drive to truly break through the stagnation that had engulfed my life. I pursued and realised my dream – by the end of my journey I had a job offer for my dream job at my dream company. I now have clarity of where I would like to go long term and have broken through my fear of imagining the impossible, because Walk the Tightrope has taught me how to reimagine the possible.

I have noticed many changes in myself, both throughout my Walk the Tightrope journey and since its completion. I feel secure in myself, my confidence has grown tenfold and I find myself rejuvenated and ready to take on the next challenge. My self-awareness has developed extensively, my belief in myself has grown and I find myself willing to be uncomfortable, whereas before I would hide away in my comfort zone and make excuses for why I remained there. I always spoke of myself as the victim, however Walk the Tightrope shifted my paradigm from ‘victim’ to ‘survivor’, empowering me to put the past behind me and use it as fuel to propel myself forward.  I strongly believe that this will benefit me in my professional life, allowing me to strive in my career, better navigate the corporate ladder and be a better employee, colleague and leader.

Since the completion of Walk the Tightrope, I have been involved with the Tightrope Walker community. This has given me excellent exposure to a vast and diverse array of people. The community is an intersection of inspirational leaders from different industries who bring incredible experiences and interests to the table.  I find myself in awe of all of the good work that is being done and I am inspired during and after every event. I have been touched by the wave of generosity that the community members show to each other and always feel immersed in a sea of goodwill at community events.

Walk the Tightrope and the Tightrope Walker community have transformed my life, my belief in myself and my faith in humanity. I am humbled and feel privileged to have been through this experience.

To find out more about the Centre for Synchronous Leadership visit https://www.synchronousleadership.com

To find more about the Walk the Tightrope course, visit www.walkthetightrope.com