Flow Discovery

Zettelkasten Learning Journey – 6 Weeks of Experience & Insights

Felix Harling — Mon, 26 May 2025 06:31:47 +0000

What happens when you don’t just read about the Zettelkasten method, but actually try it out – week after week, together with others?
In this article, I share my experiences from six weeks of learning: what works, what doesn’t, what routines I’ve developed and what I’m still working on.

The Learning Journey

At the kick-off of the DATEV Learning Circle Experience on March 27, it was not yet clear whether there would be a learning journey on the slip box (aka “Zettelkasten”) method. I was the only one who was interested in the guide.

I was curious about the method because I wanted to improve my note-taking. The aim of the slip box method is to “collect thoughts and ideas in a central place and link them together – in order to gain new insights, deepen knowledge and write better texts” (source: lernOS Zettelkasten guide).

As a plan B, I had considered learning in tandem with an AI, but then – a serendipity moment – I was joined by curious people: Brigitte, Francesco and Ina. Our learning journey started on April 8.

Zettelkasten: The Learning Guide

For the learning journey we use the lernOS Zettelkasten guide (in German). Many thanks to Andreas Trebing, Maris Krobath and all other contributors for sharing and publishing.

The lernOS Platform

lernOS is an open source platform for individual and collaborative learning. It offers methods for learning modern ways of working and knowledge management. I have been a member of the lernOS community since 2020.

Once a year, the community meets at the lernOS Convention (loscon). Have you already registered for this year’s loscon with the theme “Mind The Knowledge Gap”?

My Learning Goal

For this learning journey, I have decided to develop a routine to make my notes and thoughts more usable with the slip box method. I am using Obsidian as a tool. From July onwards, I want to write my blog posts based on this new routine. I share my learning progress week by week on Mastodon.
This blog post is part of it – we are now in week 6, exactly in the midpoint of our learning journey.

The Learning Circle

We have been meeting at the same time every week since April 8. We have agreed that it is fine if only two of us attend a meeting. We document the content of our meetings on a Notion board that Francesco has created.

As has always been the case with lernOS learning circles, it is an enriching experience to learn with three structured and committed people from very different organizations.

Zettelkasten: First Insights

My train journey from Karlsruhe via Lyon and Barcelona to Valencia and back gave me time to explore further sources on the card box method in addition to the guide. I found it particularly helpful:

the video The fun and efficient note-taking system I use in my PhD
the audio book How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens

I haven’t really gotten used to Notion – it’s a proprietary tool from a US company. It’s important to me to be able to save my personal notes locally and to be able to use them in Markdown format in other programs. That’s why I chose Obsidian.

What I Have Realized

A few points have become clear to me since week 0:

The point is not to collect quotes or summaries, but to develop and record your own thoughts.
Permanent notes don’t need keywords, but connections to other notes. It is also important to think about what I want to use the note for.
Working with the slip box once a week is not enough. It is best to write new permanent notes (almost) every day.
One possible measure of progress: the number of permanent notes per day. Luhmann wrote an average of six of them – that would be over 2,000 per year. I start with five to ten per week.
In summary: I’ve realized that I’ve wasted a huge amount of potential over the years with my fleeting notes in various places. I want to change that now.

My First Slip Box aka Zettelkasten

I have set up my new slip box in Obsidian. I had previously used the tool more for fleeting notes – now I use it in a more targeted and structured way.

My first version consists of the following areas:

Metadata: List of hashtags as an anchor for what I want to use the notes for (e.g. #insights, #peerlearning)
Bibliography: one note per source (books, podcasts, videos, etc.)
People: one note per person that provides food for thought
Permanent Notes: one permanent note per personal thought. These notes are the core of my note box.

My Zettelkasten Workflow

I created the workflow inspired by the audiobook by Sönke Ahrens:

Weekly: add hashtags, list of sources and people
Ad hoc: Collect fleeting notes, create literature notes
Several times a week: Create, link and assign permanent notes
Ad hoc: reflect on notes, record open questions
Ad hoc: writing ideas emerge from the existing notes

I have tested the process with different source formats – it works surprisingly well.

And: it’s fun to record new thoughts, connect them and notice how the network grows.

Zettelkasten: Next Steps

First of all, I’m looking forward to the second half of the learning journey with Ina, Brigitte and Francesco.

The lernOS Convention will take place on July 1 and 2, 2025. I’m planning a 5-minute inspiration talk there – based entirely on my new slip box.

In addition, I would like to offer a “Zettelkasten Starter” session with Andreas Trebing. Andreas brings years of experience, I bring the beginner’s perspective. Together we will cover the entire learning curve.

My Question To You

What experiences have you had with the Zettelkasten method – or what has stopped you from getting started so far?

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

I will send bi-monthly insights, reflections and invitations to special events around coaching, peer learning and community building.

It is time to live and learn in all its colors.

A little secret is waiting for you… if you take the first two steps, of course. Please sign up and confirm your registration – and get a first taste of what’s to come.

Let’s stay connected!

The post Zettelkasten Learning Journey – 6 Weeks of Experience & Insights first appeared on Flow Discovery.

Experiences from Tempelhof: A learning journey towards community

Felix Harling — Mon, 19 May 2025 13:28:02 +0000

Why we traveled to Tempelhof

As a Moral Ambition learning circle, we ask ourselves: Where are solutions to the most pressing problems already being worked on today? It was already clear during the first session of our learning journey that we would meet in Tempelhof, because our learning circle member Stefanie – one of the long-time residents of this community – had sparked our curiosity. Tempelhof: a place where community life, sustainable practices and social change are lived side by side.

And so we Learning Circle members arrived on a sunny May Sunday, eager to see what awaited us: Lars and Willi from the Stuttgart area, Christian from the Bamberg area and Silke and I from the Heidelberg area.

Tempelhof: A place with impact

A huge thank you goes to Stefanie, who organized the day for us and gave us unique insights into the community. For example, an exchange with founding member Wolfgang Sechser, who explained the mix of luck and shared vision that led to the project in “Swabian Siberia”. 2009-11 was a time of upheaval – banking crisis, Fukushima, change of government in Baden-Württemberg. It all started with a simple Google search: “buy village”. And the first hit was Tempelhof.

The first forty residents have now grown to over 150 who share common values (Vision & Werte – in German). The community is based on a legal structure with a foundation, cooperative and association (Struktur & Selbst-Organisation – in German) and a strong self-organization with decision-making structures, forums for cultivating social interaction and defined processes and procedures. “Everyday life as an exercise”, as Wolfgang beautifully put it.

The community has an impact on its surroundings: 350 people have settled in the region because they work in Tempelhof, take their children to school or feel connected. Over 10,000 overnight stays in the seminar and guest house show the openness and reach of this place.

What touched me in Tempelhof

A place to just be
The space in the apartments is limited to 20 m² per adult. The space outside the living areas is huge. The community therefore offers plenty of space for shared activities and simply being. The “village square” acts as a haven of peace, and the “village house” offers meals for all residents every day.

A place of relationships
The community has specifically created spaces for exchange and decision-making that allow relationships to grow on different levels and also resolve conflicts: Relationships with oneself, relationships with each other in manifold forms and relationships between organizations. Ultimately, the relationship between people and nature is also a central building block of the community – with a focus on organic farming.

A place of creation
The community was founded and shaped by entrepreneurs. Transforming an abandoned estate with a history as an educational institution and home for the disabled into a multi-generational eco-social project that is self-sustaining in 15 years – that is pure creative energy.

A place of learning
The community is not only a place to live, but also a place of education and offers scope for experimentation – such as the seminars on offer, the Earth Ship settlement (in German) or the Flow Valley educational campus (in German) for young future designers. Yes, the community as a whole is a laboratory for the future.

Impressions Tempelhof Community

What I took from the circle

Part of our agenda in Tempelhof was also the fifth session of our learning journey with the pertinent title “Unfold and use your network”. Each of us made a request to the others, which was intended to tap into the network of the other participants. In this way, we fed each other with ideas and contacts.

I took the following request with me: The help I would like to ask the group for is to connect me with people who are implementing effective measures to combat loneliness – be it psychologists, techies or marketing professionals or projects & organizations.

Previously, we had also decided as a learning circle to meet monthly after week 8 – the official end of the learning journey. While we were already strongly connected virtually before the meeting in Tempelhof, this bond and the desire to support each other has been strengthened by the hours spent together in the community – the true “Tempelhof momentum”.

The next session 6 is “Take time for self-reflection” – an invitation to a retreat with myself based on the ideas, thoughts and contacts I have gathered on the learning journey so far.

And Christian has also shared a personal experience report from Tempelhof on his LinkedIn profile: highly recommended (in German)!

And you? Invitation to reflect

If you have read this far, I invite you to end your reading with a short self-reflection:

How would you like to live – if your values would be visible?
Which community has inspired you recently?

You are welcome to share your thoughts with me or publish them as a comment.

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

I will send bi-monthly insights, reflections and invitations to special events around coaching, peer learning and community building.

It is time to live and learn in all its colors.

A little secret is waiting for you… if you take the first two steps, of course. Please sign up and confirm your registration – and get a first taste of what’s to come.

Let’s stay connected!

The post Experiences from Tempelhof: A learning journey towards community first appeared on Flow Discovery.

Together against loneliness: is this my new mission?

Felix Harling — Tue, 13 May 2025 09:11:17 +0000

Loneliness affects us all – directly or indirectly. What is often dismissed as an individual destiny turns out, on closer inspection, to be a global challenge with serious consequences for our health, our society and our well-being.

In this article, you will find out why loneliness is one of the most underestimated problems of our time and what approaches there are to counter loneliness.

Moral Ambition: Choosing Problems That Matter

Moral Ambition is about working on a problem that is serious, underestimated and can be solved. The learning circle guide offers a series of global problems that have these characteristics.

An important question is: Do I have the talent and passion to make a meaningful contribution to solving this problem?

From Ikigai To My Mission: "CoCoCo"

In our last learning circle meeting, we discussed our ikigai – the intersection between our own strengths, passion, social needs and opportunities for rewards. Silke added that “ reward” doesn’t just have to be monetary, but can also come from inspiration and appreciation.

For me, this gave rise to my mission: “Creating places of connection and togetherness.” Terms such as co-mmunity, co-creation, co-aching and co-housing characterize this image – summarized in my wake-up call: CoCoCo.

But where is my impact the greatest? Perhaps precisely where community is lacking: in feeling lonely.

What Is Loneliness?

Loneliness occurs when desired social contacts deviate from actual social contacts. It is not simply being alone, but a painful lack of connection.

Loneliness: A Neglected Global Problem

Initial research – see sources at the end of the article – showed me that loneliness is a serious global issue. The WHO is working to put it on the agenda as a priority. According to a report by the U.S. Surgeon General Advisory, more people worldwide suffer from chronic loneliness than from diabetes.

For a long time, loneliness was considered an individual destiny or a taboo subject. However, it affects people of all ages and is increasingly being recognized as a structural problem. The UK established the world’s first Ministry for Loneliness in 2018, while Germany followed suit in 2022 with the Loneliness Competence Network and a national strategy.

Loneliness As a Serious Health Problem

One in four adults experience unwanted social isolation. According to the PM Report, loneliness has a serious impact on health and life expectancy – comparable to the consumption of 15 cigarettes a day (WHO).

Professor Anton Bucher explains that loneliness causes stress, reduces sleep quality and hinders healthy lifestyles. Interestingly, it is not older people who are particularly affected, but teenagers and young adults.

Solutions to Combat Loneliness

Interestingly, “lonely” in German originally meant “to be united”. It has only been associated with social deprivation since the 18th century. In his book “Loneliness – Pain and Blessing”, Anton Bucher describes that there is no single strategy for reducing loneliness (Bucher, page 96).

He distinguishes between the following types of intervention:

Social inclusion: Building friendships, shared leisure activities
Improving social skills: Training in social behavior
Shifting mindsets: e.g. challenging beliefs like “nobody likes me” through mindfulness, meditation, learning journeys
Therapeutic approaches: Important as loneliness is 50% genetically linked and associated with personal characteristics
Technology-based interventions: Use of robots or AI

Insight

My initial research confirms this: Loneliness is serious, underestimated and solvable. All three criteria of Moral Ambition are fulfilled.

And of course – as Bucher also explains – there is also the blessing side of being alone, as I experienced during my workation in Valencia.

That is why I would like to continue this journey. In German, there are just three letters between loneliness (“Einsamkeit”) and togetherness (“Gemeinsamkeit”): GEM.

I want to embark on a journey and look for people who have already found “GEMs” in order to turn loneliness into togetherness again.

Who should I talk to next?

Feel free to share your ideas in the comments.

Sources

Bucher, Anton A. (2024): Einsamkeit – Qual und Segen. Psychologie eines Gegenwarts-Phänomens. Springer.

Kompetenznetz Einsamkeit (2025): Website https://kompetenznetz-einsamkeit.de/, last accessed on April 27, 2025.

PM Report (2024): WHO: Einsamkeit als globale Priorität.
https://pm-report.de/gesundheitswesen/2024/who-einsamkeit-als-globale-prioritaet.html, last accessed on April 27, 2025.

U.S. Surgeon General Advisory (2023): Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf, last accessed on April 27, 2025.

WHO (2023): Commission on Social Connection, https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection, last accessed on April 27, 2025.

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

I will send bi-monthly insights, reflections and invitations to special events around coaching, peer learning and community building.

It is time to live and learn in all its colors.

A little secret is waiting for you… if you take the first two steps, of course. Please sign up and confirm your registration – and get a first taste of what’s to come.

Let’s stay connected!

The post Together against loneliness: is this my new mission? first appeared on Flow Discovery.

7 Perspectives on 111 Days Early Retirement

Felix Harling — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:08:33 +0000

A personal look back - and ahead

I have officially been in “early retirement” for 111 days. Two words that sound more like stagnation – but it was anything but. I started walking, doubting, creating, reflecting.

This text is not a success story. It is an invitation to reflect. I share seven perspectives on this time – very personal, and yet perhaps also a useful mirror for you.

Whether you are in a transitional phase yourself, accompanying people who are facing a change or simply looking for new inspiration,
I hope you find something here that touches, encourages or inspires you.

1. Perspective "How Are You?"

The typical question from neighbors or acquaintances. The usual answer? “Just fine!” or “It’s going well!”
On the surface, I’m surprised at what I’ve already achieved: Website updated, first offer launched, first newsletter sent out.
But when I look deeper, I start to feel uneasy:

Am I using my time properly?
Where are the customers?
Will my own business really take off?

Fortunately, the exchange with coaching peers and in the Moral Ambition Circle helps me to see more clearly. Moreover, clearer about what I really want to work towards in the near future.

The change from the “silver cage” to freedom is both liberating and challenging. New questions arise. However, I am not questioning the decision itself. More on that in a moment.

2. Perspective "What If?"

What would have happened if I had stayed – if I hadn’t signed the contract?

One check of my former inbox is enough: my wonderful team was shattered by a reorg. I wouldn’t have known where I’d end up.
And the corporate theater? Not a single day that I miss it.

3. Perspective "The Gift"

I am grateful. For a fair offer from my employer – not everyone gets a silver handshake like that.

Grateful that I live in a democracy. I am happy to defend this privilege.

And: every new day really is a new gift. I am free to decide what I fill my time with. Just today, in a research interview, I heard the beautiful word “vogelfrei (free like a bird)” as a metaphor for this new phase of life.

I feed my curiosity. Ignite a desire for the future. Thank you to the Ministry of Curiosity and Future Spirit for the new ambassador role.

4. Perspective "January 1st"

New Year’s night. Fireworks with the neighbors. Toasting the new year.

My motto for 2025: I am a buoyant ancestor.

I want more spontaneity. Explore cities. Experience live events. Interactions that honor my values.

“Nurturing connections” – my theme for this year – has developed well.

I have realized: I’d rather make a difference for 100 people than collect 10,000 followers. Because: who will hold my hand on my final bed? I want to be there for the people who are really important to me.

What I have neglected: my connection with nature – and with my camera.

5. Perspective "14 juillet"

How will I look back on the second 111 days in 111 days?
I’ve brushed up on my Spanish. Gathered new impressions on the Mediterranean.

The time with my wife was particularly valuable – because: When a partner’s life changes radically, the relationship dynamic changes too. This is particularly important because we are making an important decision about the future home of our lives.

My learning curve is steep: through co-organizing the lernOS Convention 2025 in Nuremberg, through my work in the Zettelkasten learning circle.

In the Moral Ambition Circle, I am gaining clarity about my “calling”.

I am delighted to have three new coaching clients. And about the collaboration with inspiring coaches who have made the launch of two new offers possible.

6. Perspective "Affection - Aversion"

In the coaching masterclass on saboteurs, I broke patterns and gained practical insights.

What attracts me?

Getting into action. Designing newsletters. Visualizing content. Learning together. Inspiring encounters. Defending freedom and democracy. Conduct research into learning journeys. Exploring housing projects. Snow-covered mountains. Vacation planning.

What repels me?

Anti-democracy. Backward-looking politics. Rich people without attitude. Piles of paper in standing files.

7. Perspective"The Bird"

And what does the bird see from above?

A carpet is being created. The shape is not yet clear. New colors are added. Many threads are still open. Some parts are half-finished. And as a designer, I am weaving with others, opening up, experimenting.

Bottom Line 111 Days Early Retirement

I am very much looking forward to the journey of the next 111 days, and I take the following self-affirming belief with me:
“A wiser part of me deeply knows that I should follow whatever truly resonates with me!”

How have you been in your first 111 days of the year?

Which other perspective would interest you?
Feel free to share your suggestion!

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

I will send bi-monthly insights, reflections and invitations to special events around coaching, peer learning and community building.

It is time to live and learn in all its colors.

A little secret is waiting for you… if you take the first two steps, of course. Please sign up and confirm your registration – and get a first taste of what’s to come.

Let’s stay connected!

The post 7 Perspectives on 111 Days Early Retirement first appeared on Flow Discovery.

My Moral Ambition Journey

Felix Harling — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 08:50:51 +0000

From the book to flow

In his latest book Moral Ambition, Rutger Bregman addresses the greatest challenges of our time.

He has been writing books and articles for over ten years, including “Human kind“, with the aim of getting people to change their way of doing things.

But he has realized: Even bestsellers are put on the shelf after being read. Attention alone is no longer enough. The real challenge is to get content and people into motion.

What is Moral Ambition?

“Moral Ambition” is a book title that is irritating. Moral ambition means using your talents not just for personal success, but for something that really matters: For significant, neglected and solvable problems.

The subtitle of the book makes it clear what it’s about: how to stop wasting your talent and create something that really matters.

Ask yourself:

How impactfully (“ambition”) am I using my talents?
How idealistically (“moral”) do I use my talents?

Moral Ambition Peer Learning - Learning in community

With the School for Moral Ambition, Rutger Bregman uses the power of peer learning to drive real change. The aim is to empower people to apply their talents to significant global challenges – beyond status and comfort zones.

Our society is transformable – and today it is more important than ever to be radical realists. With an ambitious vision and concrete steps, we can change the world.

My learning journey with the TalentExperts circle

“We” – in my case that’s Lars, Silke, Christian, Stefanie, Willi and I – together form the ‘TalentExperts’ circle. We have currently arrived at station two of our learning journey. Five more stations await us.

Methodologically, this learning journey is very well structured: Each station brings new impulses, exchange formats and networking tasks. The exchange with people I didn’t know before is particularly exciting – it completely changes the dynamic. Right from the start, we talk about personal wishes and patterns of thought and behavior.

Inspiration through role models: Alexander Kornelsen

I got to know Alexander Kornelsen through a networking assignment in week two. Together with his wife Anni, he is the founder and CEO of Mission to Marsh, a non-profit company that works to protect wetlands around the world.

Thank you for the inspiring conversation about moral ambition, simple and challenging steps, daily rhythms and role models, dear Alex!

For me, Alex is a real role model because

he has found his mission,
he lives and works with moral ambition,
he is co-creative and builds on his network,
he has found a clear rhythm in life,
and he is full of energy.

Movie Trailer "Mission to Marsh"

What happens next?

I’m looking forward to Station Three at the School for Moral Ambition – and to discovering even more deeply how I can put my talents to a meaningful use.

And you? Become part of a Moral Ambition Circle!

And this is how it works:

Check the information on the Moral Ambition page
Sign up and create a profile
Search for a suitable Circle

Flow Discovery News

I will send bi-monthly insights, reflections and invitations to special events around coaching, peer learning and community building.

A little secret is waiting for you… if you take the first two steps, of course. Please sign up and confirm your registration – and get a first taste of what’s to come.

Let’s stay connected!

The post My Moral Ambition Journey first appeared on Flow Discovery.

Camp for Curiosity and Future Spirit

Felix Harling — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 08:02:39 +0000

I started a very special barcamp in Bamberg with curiosity and a passion for the future. The Ministry of Curiosity & Zukunftslust (“Future Spirit”) invited me – and over 50 participants experienced two days full of inspiration, changes of perspective and encounters on March 21 and 22. I was inspired, held my own session – and spun a lot of future ideas.

What you can expect in this post:

Insight into the barcamp of the Ministry of Curiosity & Zukunftslust
Interactive Walking the Future through Bamberg
Experience reports on storytelling, reality, moral ambition & more
Inspiration for everyone who wants to actively shape the future

Camp Day 1 - Experience curiosity in Bamberg

Welcome and Warm-up

The ambassadors of the Ministry of Curiosity & Zukunftslust are glowing pink.

At the end of November – the darkest time of the year – Tobias Leisgang (Cantina Newsletter – in German) and Christian Kaiser (#christianlernt Newsletter – in German) gave the first light signal. I spontaneously signed up because I am magically attracted by curiosity and future spirit. And I returned last Saturday delighted.

Big praise to the organizing team: Bianca Leisgang, Anna Keiderling, Annika Rupprecht, as well as Tobias and Christian. The Hotel Bergschlösschen location with a view of Bamberg was great, as was the Einhornskeller, where the camp idea was born. Host Alex embodies pure Franconian hospitality.

"Walking the Future": A city trip into the future

The game “Walking the Future” by Randy Lubin (podcast) was adapted by Tobias Leisgang as a trip into the future for Bamberg. Everyone chose a topic – I decided on “Affordable housing”.

The city tour led us through five stations to the Einhornskeller, each station five years further into the future.

Follow the stations in the timeline below.

I have documented them for my team and topic with year / station / #hashtag of the year / headline of the year.

2025
2030
2035
2040
2045

Hotel
#FundingProgramStart
Offices are converted into living space. New residential companies are created.
Aufseesianum
#PlayfulLearning
Students design spaces.
Dominikanerkloster
#StrengthsPlaces
Communal living and new hospitality concepts.
Lange Straße 32
#OldWhiteMenOnTheWayToMars
New forms of living are becoming established.
Rosengarten
#CoCreation
Everyone gets involved - credits for co-creation.

An interim conclusion: the journey into the future was a wonderful way for the team of eight participants to exchange ideas and change perspectives; places have a strong power to inspire. This was a completely different way of exploring a city and aroused curiosity for day 2.

Camp Day 2 - Unleashing the future

The ministry & the manifesto

In his welcoming address, Patrick Rammertsorfer, co-founder of the Ministry of Curiosity and Zukunftslust (switch to English), explains how easy it is to become an ambassador – the first step is the manifesto (switch to English). First-time signatories such as Wolf Lotter, Ali Mahlodji and over 900 others show the diversity of the movement.

Impulses & Sessions

Harald Schirmer, newly appointed ambassador, talks about “confidence” and courage. His message: What if you dared?

He was inspired by Kristian Gründling, among others, who as a filmmaker often asks himself the “What if…” question, e.g. what if people had free access to further education (film “Work in Progress” – in German).

Session – Storytelling for futures: With Jennifer Fritz we learn about Pixar’s Story Spine model, combined with Story Cubes & Cards. In turn, we will develop the story that someone at the table has started by rolling dice or drawing cards. Together we spin future stories full of fantasy and laughter.

Session – Questioning reality: With Robert Hofmann, we discuss self-efficacy, truth vs. reality and how contexts shape our reality.

One conclusion of our conversation is that it is worth engaging with those who think differently. It is important to cultivate a culture of debate that supports

finding a higher common goal or
to discover what we all have in common.

Session – Perfectionism and shaping the future with Ivo Feuerbach: I made a note of three points from the half session with Ivo:

Many companies tout “Excellence in Technology”, few tout “Excellence in Humans”.
Moving from maladaptive perfectionism towards adaptive perfectionism is easy, the path to non-perfectionism is challenging.
Experiments or an “artist attitude” support the path to non-perfectionism.

Session – Getting to know Moral Ambition: In my own session, I introduce elements from the Moral Ambition Peer Learning Circle, such as the Moral Ambition Matrix – a tool for self-assessment between idealism & ambition. Thanks to impulses, 3-way conversations & wonderful participants, real depth is created. Olaf Keser-Wagner gave everyone the following closing question: “What question will I take away from the session and with whom will I share it next week?”.

Many thanks to Ines Kaerleber for documenting my session and briefly presenting it in the final gallery walk! And to Christian for sharing the illustrative examples from the book “Moral Ambition”.

Become part of a Moral Ambition Circle

And this is how it works:

Check the information on the Moral Ambition page
Sign up and create a profile
Search for a suitable Circle

My conclusion: trust breeds confidence

I put my trust in Tobias and Christian – and was rewarded with encounters, ideas, courage and new perspectives. It was more than just a bar camp. It was a burst of courage.

Flow Discovery News

I will send bi-monthly insights, reflections and invitations to special events around coaching, peer learning and community building.

A little secret is waiting for you… if you take the first two steps, of course. Please sign up and confirm your registration – and get a first taste of what’s to come.

Let’s stay connected!

The post Camp for Curiosity and Future Spirit first appeared on Flow Discovery.

Beyond LinkedIn: Nurturing Connections

Felix Harling — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:16:18 +0000

Nurturing connections is my mission.

Over the years, I’ve learned, grown, and built meaningful relationships—especially on LinkedIn.

I’m incredibly grateful for the inspiring people I’ve met during these first weeks of my new adventure. Your openness, curiosity, and support mean the world to me: Aga, Alejandro, Amira, Anja, Anne, Birgit, Catherine, Christian, Dennis, Elke, Eve, Hans, Hubertus, Irina, Jörg, Kidist, Lars, Michel, Navid, Nicole, Oliver, Petra, Remo, Reyhan, Sascha, Silke, Stefanie, Torsten, Varinka, Willi, Wolfgang, Yevgen and more.

But I want to do more.

I want to create, share, and manage content and data—independently and collaboratively. These past few weeks have made one thing clear: while large platforms offer convenience, they also create dependencies. That’s why I’m expanding my focus beyond LinkedIn.

Stay Connected—On Your Terms

Twice a month, I’ll be sharing insights, personal reflections, and invitations to special events on coaching, peer learning, and community building.

And here’s a little secret—there’s something special waiting for you. But only if you take the first step.

Looking forward to continuing this journey together!

#Coaching #PeerLearning #CommunityBuilding #Networking #NewBeginnings

The post Beyond LinkedIn: Nurturing Connections first appeared on Flow Discovery.

“AI-Powered Coaching: The Secret Behind ABC Company’s Transformation!”

Felix Harling — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 06:05:43 +0000

Does this sound familiar? The LinkedIn feed is overflowing with headlines like these.

But here’s the catch: what’s often marketed as “AI-powered coaching” is, in reality, more like AI-powered mentoring or AI-powered training.

Take a recent example: I attended a webinar hosted by an “AI-powered coaching company.” They proudly shared a case study about making personal coaching accessible to most employees. But some quotes in the conversation between the L&D manager and the AI CEO made me pause:

“It only takes five minutes—get a quick tip!”
“AI coach doesn’t ask executives too many questions”
“Help me solve this problem—average session length is six to eight minutes.”

Would any HR professional describe these brief interactions as effective coaching? I doubt it.

To top it off, they claimed that customizing their AI system to fit the company required just five hours. It made me wonder: should they have asked their AI “coach” about the limits of AI-powered coaching?

Coaching is 100% Human

Here’s the reality: authentic coaching thrives on what makes us uniquely human:

Connection
Empathy
Emotions
Lived experiences
Intuition
Cultural context
Presence

While AI can’t replicate these qualities, it can enhance the coaching process in meaningful ways.

AI as a Partner, Not a Replacement

A great example comes from a webinar hosted by Solutions Academy. They showcased an AI solution as a learning partner for coaches, helping identify patterns in conversations and suggesting improvements based on specific ICF PCC markers. This doesn’t replace the depth and insight of an experienced supervisor. However, it addresses a need of coaches for self-review and continuous improvement.

The Takeaway

AI-powered coaching can be a powerful ally, offering structure, data, and insights—but let’s not confuse that with the transformative depth of human coaching.

#CoachingExcellence #HumanConnection #AIinHR #LeadershipDevelopment #ContinuousImprovement

Have you explored AI tools for your coaching practice? Share your experience!

The post “AI-Powered Coaching: The Secret Behind ABC Company’s Transformation!” first appeared on Flow Discovery.

Am I Coaching the Whole Person or Just a Problem?

Felix Harling — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 05:09:00 +0000

Ask 100 people what “coaching” means, and you’ll get 100 different answers. I encounter this every time I start with a new coachee. That’s why establishing a strong alliance from the outset is essential, offering clear expectations of what coaching is—and isn’t. Often, coachees come in expecting me to give advice or share tips.

One of our co-active trainers used a powerful visualization for this: imagine a coachee standing in front of a rock, entirely focused on it. Coaching the problem would mean examining the rock and figuring out ways to remove it. In contrast, coaching the whole person means helping coachees grow by tapping into their resources, creativity, emotions, body, mind, and spirit—so they can see the flowers and richness of life beyond the rock. This is about supporting the coachee’s whole self, fully expressed.

During my intermediate co-active coaching training, I realized that the coach I had previously wasn’t coaching me as a whole person. At that time, I was struggling with my manager over my desire for more freedom in leading my team, so I sought out an internal coach. As I’m now a coach I can assess that this internal coach did not coach me as a whole person, but offered mentoring. They didn’t address my emotions, body language, or my life environment—they focused purely on logical ways to tackle the problem.

This personal experience has made me very aware of the importance of really coaching the whole person. So, I struggle to remember a session where I coached the problem myself. There are sessions where I’ve to leave my role as a coach and take over another role. One of my coachees shared their pain and strong emotions about being treated in a way by colleagues that were in my eyes clearly stepping over a red line regarding our code of business conduct. So, I sensed the strong emotions in myself and decided to stop the coaching. We discussed about the best way to handle the topic as part of our company guidelines and to look for specialized support available in our company for these cases.

In these moments, it’s essential to remember that we can press the “Stop Coaching” button. Not all topics or situations can be solved through coaching alone.

How do you set boundaries around what coaching can and cannot address?

#CoActiveCoaching #WholePerson #ProfessionalDevelopment

The post Am I Coaching the Whole Person or Just a Problem? first appeared on Flow Discovery.

ACC Exam Preparation Tips

Felix Harling — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 05:27:38 +0000

“I’m done. No idea if I passed!”

That was my state of mind after the three-hour ICF redentialing Exam. My head felt empty, and my body was tired from sitting for so long, constantly bumping my knee against the computer under the desk. I was incredibly relieved when the Pearson VUE proctor handed me the paper with the word “PASSED” on it.

I’d like to share how I prepared for the ICF Credentialing Exam. Important: ICF has introduced a new exam for Associate Certified Coach (ACC) candidates that is not comparable to my experience as the new exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions.

To be eligible for the ICF credentialing exam, I needed to have:

60+ hours of coaching education
100+ hours of coaching experience
10 hours of mentor coaching with an eligible mentor coach
Successful completion of a performance evaluation

I met these requirements thanks to the 25-week CPCC course—big thanks to the Co-Active Institute for one of the best learning experiences of my life! The CPCC course motivated me to work with around ten coachees in parallel to log those 100 coaching hours within a year.

When signing up for the exam, you can choose to take it online or at a Pearson VUE testing center. I highly recommend the in-person option. I took my exam at the Pearson VUE center in Heilbronn, hosted by Bechtle.

How did I prepare?

The exam presents 81 – the new exam has three less – coaching scenarios in three hours. For each, you need to select both the best and worst actions out of four choices.

The questions are based on the eight ICF Core Competencies. Resources that I found particularly helpful included:

ICF materials on the Code of Ethics and Core Competencies https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/core-competencies
ICF video series on Core Competency 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pxYhGVI2h0
Lyssa DeHart’s video series on Ethical Standards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7rCv1-mPEg
ICF Sample Exam Questions (https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/credentialing-exam-content)
PCC Markers (https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/performance-evaluations/pcc-markers)

Additionally, I took Lyssa DeHart’s “ICE Demystified” course, which was incredibly helpful in understanding why certain actions are considered best or worst. The course even simulates the exam with eight practice questions. It’s important to note that none of the sample questions appear on the actual exam, but they’re structured similarly.

Peer learning is my secret weapon. That’s why I organized a peer exchange session with coaches from the SAP Global Coaching Program.

Finally, I created a one-page A4 “cheat sheet” for exam day. On one side, I listed the key points for choosing the best answer, and on the other side, the points for the worst. Lyssa DeHart recommends the ACCAT model, which she explains and practices in her course (best answer vs. worst answer):

A: Asking and acknowledging vs. Telling, advising, choosing
C: Client-centered vs. Coach-centered
C: Curiosity vs. Checklist approach
A: Awareness of judgments and biases vs. Judging the client, unaware of biases
T: Transparency and responsiveness vs. Lack of transparency and responsiveness

Although no materials are allowed during the exam, you’re given a blank A4 board and a pen. I memorized my cheat sheet and wrote it out as soon as I started the exam. It was my anchor for tackling the tough questions—especially when the two worst options were hard to differentiate.

The exam must be retaken every three years, so I’m always open to hearing your best tips and your experience with the new ACC exam!

What strategies have helped you prepare for your coaching credentials?

#Coaching #ExamPreparation #CredentialingExam #ICFCoreCompetencies

The post ACC Exam Preparation Tips first appeared on Flow Discovery.

Flow Discovery

Zettelkasten Learning Journey – 6 Weeks of Experience & Insights

The Learning Journey

Zettelkasten: The Learning Guide

The lernOS Platform

My Learning Goal

The Learning Circle

Zettelkasten: First Insights

What I Have Realized

My First Slip Box aka Zettelkasten

My Zettelkasten Workflow

Zettelkasten: Next Steps

My Question To You

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

Experiences from Tempelhof: A learning journey towards community

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Tempelhof: A place with impact

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Impressions Tempelhof Community

What I took from the circle

And you? Invitation to reflect

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

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From Ikigai To My Mission: "CoCoCo"

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Loneliness: A Neglected Global Problem

Loneliness As a Serious Health Problem

Solutions to Combat Loneliness

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Sources

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

7 Perspectives on 111 Days Early Retirement

A personal look back - and ahead

1. Perspective "How Are You?"

2. Perspective "What If?"

3. Perspective "The Gift"

4. Perspective "January 1st"

5. Perspective "14 juillet"

6. Perspective "Affection - Aversion"

7. Perspective"The Bird"

Bottom Line 111 Days Early Retirement

My Newsletter: The Dancing Rainbow

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From the book to flow

What is Moral Ambition?

Moral Ambition Peer Learning - Learning in community

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Inspiration through role models: Alexander Kornelsen

Movie Trailer "Mission to Marsh"

What happens next?

And you? Become part of a Moral Ambition Circle!

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Welcome and Warm-up

"Walking the Future": A city trip into the future

Hotel

Aufseesianum

Dominikanerkloster

Lange Straße 32

Rosengarten

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The ministry & the manifesto

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My conclusion: trust breeds confidence

Flow Discovery News

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Stay Connected—On Your Terms

“AI-Powered Coaching: The Secret Behind ABC Company’s Transformation!”

Coaching is 100% Human

AI as a Partner, Not a Replacement

The Takeaway

Am I Coaching the Whole Person or Just a Problem?

ACC Exam Preparation Tips

“I’m done. No idea if I passed!”

How did I prepare?