The Nomadic Mindset

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆—𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 🌱

In 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁, Kevin Cottam shares the story of a Moroccan tea ceremony that embodies respect, patience, and building rapport—qualities every leader needs. Imagine how slowing down for clarity could impact your work. Have you experienced something similar in your journey?

In today's fast-paced business world, we often rush through meetings, decisions, and negotiations. But as Aissa Derhem wisely shared in The Nomadic Mindset:

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮.” 🍵

The Berber tea ceremony is more than just a drink—it's a metaphor for leadership and relationship-building. Just as the Tea Master takes time to brew the perfect tea, leadership requires us to slow down, gather information, and build rapport. In 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁, this process is about gaining clarity, respect, and trust—all vital ingredients for successful leadership.

In your Leadership Journey, remember:

𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 ... 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴. 🌍 Take the time to nurture meaningful connections, one "cup of tea" at a time. In every conversation and decision, clarity and trust are what ultimately lead to powerful outcomes.

Leadership is like tea—it may start strong and challenging, but with time, it becomes smooth, collaborative, and fulfilling. ☕✨



________________________________

🌳I am Kevin Cottam, Global Nomad | Speaker | Facilitator | Executive Coach who guides leaders through uncertain transitions to high-performance success by 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀. DM me for information on our Leadership Journey’s.

𝗕𝘂𝘆 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gAKbJuU8

In today's rapidly changing world, your most valuable asset isn't tangible - it's your 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭. As Binderiya wisely states in Kevin Cottam's book 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭: 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 ... 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 ; '𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙.' This powerful insight reminds us that our ability to adapt, learn, and embrace change is the true currency of success.

A 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 encourages us to remain flexible, open to new experiences, and ready to seize opportunities wherever they may arise. It's about cultivating a perspective that values growth over comfort, and sees change as a chance to thrive rather than a threat to stability.

How are you investing in your mindset capital today? Share your thoughts and strategies for maintaining a nomadic mindset in our ever-evolving professional landscape.

Lets Go Nomading Together!

: TRIUMPH over ADVERSITY

Have you triumphed above a seemingly impossible situation in your life or work? What has this taught you?

I would like to celebrate with you by congratulating Kalenga Hamunyela's dream of finishing his Masters Thesis and Degree from HMKW, University in Applied Sciences in Berlin on Blockchain Technology and Digital Marketing. This truly is a Triumph over Adversity story. Kalenga is such an inspiration of hope, resilience, courage, and love for learning and life.

Kalenga, 30yrs old, of the Ovambo Tribe in Namibia has had no easy road to life or graduating.

He was finishing up a double honours University Degree in Theatre and Marketing when I met him in Nambia Feb. 2020, while I was researching the Himba and San Tribes. Shy, deep listening, warm, kind, says thank-you, lived simply, ate only once per day, lived in a small room and his life and schoolwork was all done on his phone.

At 7 years old, he survived a car accident where his parents were killed. Orphaned, his family would not take him in. He became a street kid sleeping under bridges, eating out of dustbins until 11 yrs old.

He said to me … the people who put their left-over food in the dustbin didn’t know how GRATEFUL I was.’ GRATEFULNESS now took on a new meaning for me.

A lady said to him one day, ‘you should be going to school’ and took him in. Starting school at 11yrs with children of 5 and 6yrs was no easy task. He was bullied, called names left him depressed at times. Feeling hopeless he attempted su***de with a very deadly poison and survived.

The lady passed away, leaving him homeless again. Again, feeling hopeless, before graduating high school, he tried and failed to hang himself. He picked himself up and started selling clothes online to survive.

For the first 2 years at the University of Namibia, he lived in a room in a prison. He would walk 6 hours, there and back to University limiting the amount of classes he could attend. Desperate, Kalenga submitted his story to the newspaper. The Dean of the University read it, reached out to him and gave him accommodation. He catapulted up the ladder of education graduating with honours.

His next dream was applying to several European Universities, whereby 7 accepted him for a Master’s Degrees in Digital Marketing and Public Relations. But, how to pay for this? I said, let’s do a Go Fund Me Page. We did and a couple in the Netherlands saw this, reached out to him and gave him a full 2-year scholarship. Now he is graduating!

I have heartfeltly watched this shy, orphaned guy blossom into a mature, confident, caring, elegant, out-spoken well-dressed man who travels the world, and manifests big dreams.

Kalenga’s impressive story of Triumphing over Adversity needs to be shared. Dreams do come true. It takes guts, courage and hope.

He has inspired and taught me what true Gratefulness is…and more.

What have others taught you?

Kalenga’s motto: ‘Life is a Gift, Never Give Up.’

: TRIUMPH over ADVERSITY

Have you triumphed above a seemingly impossible situation in your life or work? What has this taught you?

I would like to celebrate with you by congratulating Erastus Kalenga Hamunjela’s dream of finishing his Masters Thesis and Degree from HMKW, University in Applied Sciences in Berlin on Blockchain Technology and Digital Marketing. This truly is a Triumph over Adversity story. Kalenga is such an inspiration of hope, resilience, courage, and love for learning and life.

Kalenga, 30yrs old, of the Ovambo Tribe in Namibia has had no easy road to life or graduating.

He was finishing up a double honours University Degree in Theatre and Marketing when I met him in Nambia Feb. 2020, while I was researching the Himba and San Tribes. Shy, deep listening, warm, kind, says thank-you, lived simply, ate only once per day, lived in a small room and his life and schoolwork was all done on his phone.

At 7 years old, he survived a car accident where his parents were killed. Orphaned, his family would not take him in. He became a street kid sleeping under bridges, eating out of dustbins until 11 yrs old.

He said to me … the people who put their left-over food in the dustbin didn’t know how GRATEFUL I was.’ GRATEFULNESS now took on a new meaning for me.

A lady said to him one day, ‘you should be going to school’ and took him in. Starting school at 11yrs with children of 5 and 6yrs was no easy task. He was bullied, called names left him depressed at times. Feeling hopeless he attempted su***de with a very deadly poison and survived.

The lady passed away, leaving him homeless again. Again, feeling hopeless, before graduating high school, he tried and failed to hang himself. He picked himself up and started selling clothes online to survive.

For the first 2 years at the University of Namibia, he lived in a room in a prison. He would walk 6 hours, there and back to University limiting the amount of classes he could attend. Desperate, Kalenga submitted his story to the newspaper. The Dean of the University read it, reached out to him and gave him accommodation. He catapulted up the ladder of education graduating with honours.

His next dream was applying to several European Universities, whereby 7 accepted him for a Master’s Degrees in Digital Marketing and Public Relations. But, how to pay for this? I said, let’s do a Go Fund Me Page. We did and a couple in the Netherlands saw this, reached out to him and gave him a full 2-year scholarship. Now he is graduating!

I have heartfeltly watched this shy, orphaned guy blossom into a mature, confident, caring, elegant, out-spoken well-dressed man who travels the world, and manifests big dreams.

Kalenga’s impressive story of Triumphing over Adversity needs to be shared. Dreams do come true. It takes guts, courage and hope.

He has inspired and taught me what true Gratefulness is…and more.

What have others taught you?

Kalenga’s motto: ‘Life is a Gift, Never Give Up.’

: Awards Time!

I do not normally share awards that I or Go Nomading have won. Someone told me once, you are being too humble and you ought to share this information. It is publicity.

Ok, I want to announce Go Nomading Pte Ltd has just learned we won the Corporate Vision 2022 award for Most Innovative Team Leadership Coaching Provider – Singapore. We are overjoyed.

How do you feel about awards?

History
Over the years as champion figure skater, I was honoured through hard work, practice and talent, to win national championships and other awards. This was certainly a feeling of pride. After leaving the amateur ranks, I went on to develop my career, choreographing for clients/students from around the world who won National, World and Olympic titles...

I was excited for the team and mostly to see the excitement in the athlete’s eyes – that was what really was important to me.

From there, I went on to become a director/choreographer of awarding short dance film, TV Figure Skating Special’s, mega sized productions and my books.

It was always great for the first time and then for me it was ok what’s next, let’s moveon, there is more to accomplish and give back to humanity. For me, it is part of the journey, if you are doing what you love and it is recognized, wonderful, yet don’t stop there. There are more hills to climb.

I feel blessed for having done all things in my life because of what I love and continue to do so. It is the creating and making a difference for others and watching from behind the scenes their glow that spurs me on.

Yeah! The New Award
This award by Corporate Vision the 2022 award for Most Innovative Team Leadership Coaching Provider – Singapore has a different feeling for us. What I am jazzed most about are the words.

Innovative = honouring the creative side, The Nomadic Mindset, The Pause Retreat… (I am the only speaking on this Mindset in the world – that I know of)
Team = Community – the Common Unity
Leadership = the Ship and journey we are on begs for Leaders to change direction by navigating the path forward
Coaching = our passion
Singapore = to be honoured in another part of the world than my origins, Canada; the birthplace of The Nomadic Mindset. This really excites me.

The Pause Retreat is one of those products. It has been created due to a caring gap and deep concern for holistic well-being of humanity. We feel we are providing a creative safe space for building mindful communities of excellence through recognizing the growing issues of mental well-ness within societies and organisations.

If you have been following, The Pause Retreat is happening in Feb 27-March 3 in Hoi An Vietnam and we do have 1 space left, if you are wanting to join us!

I/we at Go Nomading Pte Ltd are grateful for this new award indeed and wish to thank Corporate Vision and everyone that has supposed supported us in many ways. It is a medal and recognition for holistic well-being - a big purpose.

Tag,like and share with you fellow travelers.

This very auspicious day is in the day of darkness celebrated before the new moon - the new light.

It is raising you into new consciousness.

Happy Diwali. This year I feel blessed as it falls on my birthday!

Celebrate you light always! Within darkness their is always light supporting you!

Tag, like and share nature with your legends!

My Galloping Goose walk just before sunset in Sooke.

A super glorious sensorial experience and connection with beautiful nature!

Explore Nature’s miracles that feed the soul and is always giving. Receive with grace and humility!

🇨🇦

Tag, like, share and register if you want to know inside of Values!

World Values Day, Oct 20 is here.

My guests and I are excited to share with you the power and mystery of values and how they can make all the difference in your behaviour … but you need to know and NAME your values for them to make any sense.

The work Values is a generic word and naming your values is crucial for you be your best whenever and wherever are … leading to more confidence, clarity, decision making…

Have you ever thought of them to be competencies or tools?

You will in the webinar!

Come join us. To register tap/copy this link

https://thenomadicmindset.com/webinar-oct-2022/

Tag, like, share and sign up if values are important to you.

Find out how nomadic cultures see community through their string values that unit them. How this can apply to communities today.

I have found in my coaching over the past 17 years knowing, naming and embodying your values is a game changer in our lives on many fronts indeed.

Eg.
1. Helps you make better decisions in sync with your purpose
2. See them as tools and competencies for your deeper self awareness and performance in life.
3. Brings deeper clarity to your behaviours.

I do not see a downside.

In fact most people can’t name their specific values and in fact don’t know them.

Research has shown we have probably 500 values in our unconscious ‘soup’ and we utilize very few - under 25 - for our everyday existence.

What if you discovered you had more choices in the way you walk into the world; behave; perform; communicate; regard money and making it …

Would that be important to you?

If so, come along to the webinar - Join the conversation and Let’s Moomba (come together)

Sign up here or DM me

Www.thenomadicmindset.com/webinar-oct-2022/

Let’s go nomading together

: 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆

𝗔𝗿𝗲 ‘𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀’ 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂? I am sure they are.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀? To answer this question, most clients I have (at first) and others I ask, have a hard time to name them! Values are precious and must be handled with the utmost care.

Values are the underpinning of our behaviours/attitudes or how we show up and be in the world – our actions.

𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵, is ‘𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆’ and the theme for this year is ‘𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆’.

I will be hosting a webinar, 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀. I invite you all, and maybe the time frame may not work for you, don’t worry, I will be recording it if you wish to have a link to view it you can just ask for it.

I will also have a guest join me to speak about her experience with values and the importance in community. We can go in many directions with this topic and we will cover a few…

1. What are values and how they drive our behaviours toward living our purpose
2. How values can uplift and unify a community and teams
3. How we can draw from nomadic cultures to help us understand the value of values in community

“𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱, 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘂𝘀”.

If we look at the word Community = Common + Unity.

Our ancients nomads understood community helps guarantee their survival and safety. There is a general sense of unity for the higher good of all in the community. The values of the community, in this instance are what bind, encourage belonging and as the word in Aborginal, ‘moomba’ = come together.

This can be applied to today and may I suggest can be a better solution to the differences we experience. Seek commonalities through values.

Let’s ‘Moomba’ for the greater good of community on Oct 20th and learn more about values, specific values and how these can also be seen as 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 for your deeper awareness and development in all areas of your life. Join the conversation!

Please invite your community along. You can sign up at the link in the comments below.

https://thenomadicmindset.com/webinar-oct-2022/

Fire in the Sky

As I watched the sunset at English Bay in Vancouver, I couldn’t me more astonished and mesmerized by the changing cloud formations and absorption of colour.

This looks much like a contemporary artists vision of a sunset with beautiful flowing strokes of the brush.

What do you in this picture.

I see the sea in the air!

Ah Food Choices!
Go nomading and explore cuisines!

- they have big dishes of Pasta! Take home for another meal! Yum

: freshly redecorated with a more restaurant table service. Kind is diner style - great Vietnamese food.
Salad rolls with avocado are great!

: dynamite gooey grilled chess sandwich !

Clouds design: The formation of a fish!

I watched this sunset and took a few progressive pics. I finished when the Clouds seemed to form
a fish or for some it may be a bird.

What do you see forming in these clouds?

- # moveon # nomad

Clouds, the Magic.

‘Look up’! Do you ever pause long enough to look up?

I love the creative wisdom and flow of the clouds - so graceful and light, yet they be very dense and ominous as well. They send messages perhaps.

They also are wonderful design if you look at them from that perspective.

They speak to me as nature does.

If clouds speak to you, how do they?

We take them for granted, like most things.
I sense it is important to our well-being and mental agility if we were to pause from time to time to ‘look up’ and see what an amazing world we live in. They can bring a calm, also anger or depression even - they connection our emotions in an uncanny way.

I invite you to pause, take a micro pause, and ‘look up’.

Sense where you feel the ever changing clouds in your being. Get curious!

Walking along the Trilho das Vinhas in Cascais, Portugal.

A little known trail that is beautiful and goes for about 14 km towards Sintra!

avelportugal

The Magic of the Oceanarium in Lisbon. It is so magical is nature!

Don’t ya think?

: I trust you are all well - I wanted to share with you a couple of articles I have noticed and perhaps you have already seen them.

1. New Queen of Green : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/14/whats-the-alternative-to-give-up-environmentalist-bella-lack-the-new-queen-of-green

2.
Migration factor - which has been happening since the beginning of time and will pick up. There is first the book by futurist, Dr. Parag Khanna, MOVE and then I am thinking this article is inspired by this book - or maybe not.
https://www.theguardian.congm/news/2022/aug/18/century-climate-crisis-migration-why-we-need-plan-great-upheaval

Thanks again for everyone being here.

I have just visited the wonderful Oceanarium in Lisbon at the old Expo 1998 Site and it is a delight - they speak about the responsibility we all have to keep the pristine and well-populated oceans vibrant in this time of climate and decline of the oceans diversity. If you are in Lisbon - go there is it beautiful and it so put a smile on my face and opened my heart.

Enjoy your weekend
Kevin

www.theguardian.congm

I have become fascinated with walls in Portugal. Destressed, deteriorating and decrepit walls. There is something very creative and beautiful re their design.

What do you think?