Are you struggling to have an impact in your work or even life? Are you looking more for a calling than a job or a career? I’ve been there. Here is what i did. 

Puzzled by the educational system, I started to create a challenger university in 2020.

We focus on:

- Building 21st century competencies through challenge-based learning
- Learning with a global community of change-makers 
- Seeing the world as your campus

I can help you by nurturing your entrepreneurial skills, empowering you to make a meaningful impact, ignite your entrepreneurial dreams, and hopefully, contribute to shaping a brighter future for us all. There are three primary ways I can help:

💡 IDENTIFY YOUR MISSION

Defining your purpose and developing your personal mission statement are the foundations of your personal and professional success. 

Check-out a three week challenge here: https://www.tomorrow.university/trial-challenge/mission-identification

😍 BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BOARD AND DREAM TEAM

As a dedicated boundary-spanner, I've cultivated a vast and diverse global network. I believe in the power of collaboration to drive positive change.

Build your Personal Board here: https://www.tomorrow.university/trial-challenge/build-your-dream-team

🎤 BOOK ME AS A SPEAKER OR FACILITATOR

I've had the privilege of delivering 100+ keynote speeches, including engagements with organizations like Deutsche Bank AG, Porsche Holding, and Deutsche Bundesbank. My speaking topics span the realms of Innovation, Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Education. For speaking inquiries, feel free to reach out at press@tomorrow.university.

Constantly looking to create change, new challenges, and growth opportunities — let's connect.

I used to think having a plan meant I had strategy.
I was wrong.

For years, I built plans that looked impressive.
Charts. Timelines. Metrics for everything.

But when someone asked me to explain our strategy?
I'd default to our goals instead.

"We're growing revenue by 40%."

That's not strategy.
That's a target with pressure attached.

Here's what I missed:

Strategy is the choice that shapes everything else.
It's your answer to: Why are we here and how do we win?

Planning is the execution that brings it to life.
It's your answer to: What's next and who owns it?

Real strategy sounds like this:

"We help the people bigger companies ignore by building the only solution that actually fits their reality."

It gives direction & focus.
And lets us say no to the wrong opportunities.

The plan that supports it:

• Talk to the people we're building for.
• Build what they actually need.
• Launch small and learn fast.
• Refine and grow from there.

See the difference?

Strategy is your theory of how to win.
Plans are your roadmap to get there.

When I started with strategy first:

✅ Decisions became clearer
✅ My team moved faster
✅ We stopped wasting resources on the wrong things

When I skipped it:

❌ Everything felt urgent
❌ Priorities shifted constantly
❌ We stayed busy but didn't build anything that lasted

The shift wasn't easy.

I had to stop hiding behind plans.
I had to get clear on why before I jumped to how.

But that's what changed how I lead.

Can you explain your strategy in one sentence?

If not, start there.

(Post inspired by Jeroen Kraaijenbrink)

🤝 Leadership grows better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow Dr. Thomas Funke for more on leading with clarity and building what matters.

Dr. Thomas Funke

University Founder | Professor of Entrepreneurship | Keynote Speaker | Building a University for Impactful Careers and sharing what I learn along the way

I don’t believe in finding your leadership style.
But I believe in developing a range.

Here's the truth: 

There’s no one way to lead.
The best leaders know when to shift.

✅ They read the room.
✅ They read the person.
✅ They read the moment.

And they adapt.

Here are 3 ways to think about it:

💡 When you need to inspire direction
↳ Paint the vision and show where you’re headed.
↳ Give people space to own their work.
↳ Invite input before you decide.

🌱 When you need to grow people
↳ Coach them toward their potential.
↳ Remove the barriers in their way.
↳ Build connection and trust first.

🚀 When you need to drive results
↳ Set the pace and model the standard.
↳ Make fast calls when stakes are high.
↳ Use clear goals and accountability.

The leader who only knows one style gets stuck.
The leader who can move between them?

✅ They meet people where they are.
✅ They match the moment.
✅ They multiply their impact.

My mentor once told me:

“Don’t find your style. Build your range.”

It didn’t fully land at the time.
But now I see how much truth is in that line.

Because leadership isn’t about how you prefer to lead.

It’s about how others need to be led.

🤝 Learning happens better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow 
Dr. Thomas Funke for more insight on when 
to shift styles and why it matters.

Ever read something and felt like it was written 
just for you?
(That’s how I felt reading these...) 

I came across this list and had to share it.

Credit to Colby Kultgen and Jay Yang for putting 
it together.

These 5 stopped me in my tracks:

➡️ Action creates motivation, not the other way around.
➡️ You get 4,000 weeks if you're lucky. Stop waiting.
➡️ If it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive.
➡️ Your worth isn’t tied to your productivity.
➡️ “No” is a complete sentence.

Some felt like a punch.
Others, like a push.

Yet, every one of them is worth reading.

But here’s the part we often miss:

Reading them is easy.
Living them is the work.

I feel lucky to be on the journey I’m on. 
Here’s what I’ve learned:

✅ The right sentence can wake something up in you.
✅ It can name what you’ve been avoiding.
✅ It can hold up a mirror.

But clarity is just the beginning.

Change starts when you choose one truth and act on it.

So, with 2026 kicking off, I challenge you to try this:

1) Pick one sentence from the list.
2) Write it down.
3) Let it shape your decisions for the next 7 days.

One sentence.

Lived fully.

That’s how transformation begins.

Which one hit you the hardest?

🤝 Learning happens better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow 
Dr. Thomas Funke for more insights on making 
2026 your best year yet.

Founder of 1% Better™ | Former accountant, future author | Follow me for the best self-development content on LinkedIn

President for the region NAFTA and EMEA

Gokul Vanniar

Kindness costs nothing.
But its return? Everything.

It builds trust.
Shapes culture.
Creates loyalty.
And turns good teams into great ones.

The kindness that matters most?
The one you show when it’s hardest to give.

The leader people remember isn’t the loudest.
It’s the one who…
✅ Believed in them early.
✅ Stood by them when it was tough.
✅ Saw potential they couldn’t yet see.

Because people forget words.
But they never forget how you made them feel.

Start there:
1️⃣ Listen like it matters.
2️⃣ Say thank you early.
3️⃣ Choose empathy over judgment.

Every interaction leaves a mark.
Make yours one of kindness.

🔁 Repost to remind others.
⭐ Follow Thomas for more on leading with courage and heart.

Positions are temporary. Ranks and titles are limited. But the way you treat people will always be remembered. Dr. Thomas Funke founder of Tomorrow University. 

Keep this in mind for 2026 👇

A fresh start doesn’t require:

❌ A totally new you.
❌ A new city.
❌ A new job.

I get it, big changes feel exciting.

(We’ve all tried to come out of the gate as new, shiny 
versions of ourselves. )

But they rarely stick.

What actually works?

✅ Small shifts.
✅ Intentional choices.
✅ In five key areas of your life.

Here’s how you can restart with clarity and purpose:

🧠 Mindset
↳ Notice the thought that repeats when you feel stuck
↳ Write it down. Ask: is this actually true?
↳ Replace it with one better thought for 7 days

🧭 Purpose
↳ Write what you want your life to stand for
↳ Name what still feels worth your time
↳ Choose one word to guide your next season

⚙️ Work
↳ Define what “done” looks like before you start
↳ Find the task that creates the most progress
↳ Finish it fully before improving it

🤝 Relationships
↳ List the people who shape your decisions
↳ Spot the conversation you’ve been avoiding
↳ Have one honest chat this week

🍃 Environment
↳ Notice where you lose focus each day
↳ Remove one thing that distracts you
↳ Add one thing that brings calm

You don’t need to be new.
You just need a clear next step in 5 key areas. 

Pick:

✔️One area.
✔️One action.
✔️One week.

That’s how you create real change without the overhaul.

🤝 Learning happens better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow 
Dr. Thomas Funke for more ways to choose small shifts 
over big overhauls in 2026.

I've watched brilliant leaders struggle to inspire.
Not because their vision was weak.
Because their story wasn't clear.

(Credit to Desiree Gruber for this brilliant breakdown.)

It happens more than you'd think:

Proposals that should get approved but don't.
Teams that can't execute what seems obvious.
Leaders with strong ideas who can't get buy-in.

The gap isn't in the thinking.
It's in how you frame it.

6 Storytelling Frameworks That Move People:

1. The Hero's Journey
→ Position your customer or team as the hero facing a challenge
→ You become the guide who helps them transform

2. The Golden Circle
→ Start with why your work matters before explaining what you do
→ People connect with purpose first, products second

3. Pixar's Framework
→ Show how things were, what changed, and what's now possible
→ This structure makes complex change feel simple and memorable

4. Three-Act Structure
→ Setup the problem, reveal the conflict, then deliver resolution
→ Our brains naturally follow this rhythm in every story we trust

5. ABT (And, But, Therefore)
→ State the context, introduce what shifted, then show what happens next
→ Three beats that turn confusion into clarity

6. The Origin Story
→ Share the problem that started your mission
→ Connect your past struggle to the change you're creating now

The magic isn't in picking one.
It's in knowing which framework fits which moment.

Storytelling isn't a soft skill.
It's a leadership skill.

It's how you close deals, inspire teams, and build movements.

🤝 Leadership grows better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow Dr. Thomas Funke for more on leading with purpose and communicating with impact.

One skill that will literally change your life?
Taking full ownership of it.

For years, I thought success came from chasing 
bigger goals.

❌ New me.
❌ New plans.
❌ New habits.

But real change didn’t happen when I added more.
It happened when I took control of: 

✅ My standards.
✅ My energy.
✅ My time.

I started treating my life the way a CEO treats their 
business. With:

• Vision. 
• Discipline. 
• The courage to make hard calls.

Want to lead your life like that?

Start here:

1. Define your vision.
↳ Pick a date five years from now.
↳ Describe your ideal day from start to finish.

2. Audit your reality.
↳ Rate the core areas of your life from 1–10.
↳ Circle the ones you’ve been avoiding.

3. Set your standards.
↳ Write 3 behaviors you’ll commit to daily.
↳ Eliminate 3 you’ll no longer tolerate.

4. Build your board of directors.
↳ Choose 3–5 people ahead of you in life or work.
↳ Stay connected and ask better questions.

5. Schedule what matters.
↳ Block time weekly for what moves you forward.
↳ Protect it like your most important meeting.

6. Invest in your growth.
↳ Learn for 30 minutes a day—no skipping.
↳ Apply one new idea every week.

7. Decide quickly.
↳ Set deadlines for every decision.
↳ Progress beats perfection, every time.

8. Protect your energy.
↳ Track what drains you for 7 days.
↳ Cut or delegate your top 3 energy leaks.

9. Review weekly.
↳ Block 15 minutes every Sunday.
↳ Ask: What worked? What didn’t?

10. Lead by example.
↳ Keep one small promise to yourself today.
↳ Stack those wins until they change who you are.

I'm sorry to say this, but... 

No one’s coming to build the life you want.
That’s on you.

And that’s a privilege.
Because it means it’s all in your hands.

Good luck. 
You got this. 

🤝 Learning happens better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow 
Dr. Thomas Funke for more weekly insights 
on ownership, progress, and purpose-driven living.

If everything changed tomorrow… 
Would you trust yourself to figure it out?

I didn’t.
Not at first.

I used to cram for every challenge.

Flashcards. 
2am coffees. 
Panic disguised as preparation.

I passed the tests.

But I walked in terrified.

Because I hadn’t learned how to think. 
I had only learned how to remember.

Years later, I made a shift.

I stopped chasing certainty.
I started building self-trust.

Because real confidence isn’t about knowing everything.

It’s about trusting that you can find a way. 
Even when you don’t.

Here’s how to build that kind of confidence:

1. Focus on principles, not just plans
↳ Plans break. Principles guide you through uncertainty.

2. Trust your past problem-solving
↳ You’ve figured things out before. You will again.

3. Get comfortable not knowing
↳ Curiosity is more powerful than having the answer.

4. Move anyway
↳ Clarity comes from action, not waiting.

5. Surround yourself with learners
↳ They help you grow, not perform.

The most confident people I know aren’t confident 
because they always know what to do.

They’re confident because they trust themselves to figure it out.

Use these 5 actions, and you can too.

🤝 Learning happens better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow 
Dr. Thomas Funke for more on leading with self-trust 
and clarity under pressure.

The uncomfortable truth about your comfort zone:
The longer you stay, the harder it is to leave.

I know this because I stayed too long.

From the outside, everything looked fine.
On the inside, I felt stuck.
I was overthinking.
Waiting for the “right moment.”
Calling fear “being sensible.”

Here’s what I learned the hard way:
Comfort protects your present
while quietly stealing your future.

And the longer you wait,
the further growth starts to feel.

So if you’re feeling tension right now, good.
That’s not a problem.
That’s a signal.

Here’s what helped me move again:

✅ Shrink the leap
→ Courage doesn’t need to be big. Just real.

✅ Stay a little longer
→ Growth starts where discomfort begins.

✅ Reflect forward
→ Ask: What did I learn?
→ Then: What would a braver version of me try next?

You won’t grow by staying where it’s safe.
You grow by stepping out.

And that first step?
That’s where impact begins.

👉 What’s one small, courageous move you could take today?

🤝 Learning happens better together.

🔂 Repost to help others move beyond comfort.

🌟 Follow Thomas for more reflections on growth, courage, and purposeful leadership.

For years, I chased titles and big opportunities.
But something has changed…

I used to tell myself I was building a career.
But I realized that what I was really building was a cage.

Thank you, Erica Williams Simon, for the reminder:
Your worth isn’t your work.
Your purpose is.

Finding mine gave me clarity, peace,
and a quiet kind of power.

If you’re feeling stuck or drained, ask yourself:
💭 What do I want to fight for in my work?
💭 What value won’t I compromise on?
💭 What impact would I chase even if no one noticed?

When you’re rooted in purpose, you stop asking,
“Am I doing enough?”

And start asking,
“Is this aligned with what matters most?”

That’s where real transformation begins. ✨

👉 What helps you stay grounded in your purpose?

🔂 Repost to help others redefine success.

⭐ Follow Thomas for leadership, more reflections on purpose and growth.

One leadership skill I wish I’d learned earlier?
Self-awareness.

Most of us move through our days slightly disconnected from what we actually feel.
“I’m okay” ➡️ when we’re anxious.
“I’m fine” ➡️ when we’re insecure.
“I’m mad” ➡️ when we’re really disappointed.

That’s like trying to lead with a fogged-up compass.
Because if you don’t know what’s really going on inside,
you can’t take clear action on the outside.

Unrecognized emotions don’t disappear.
They quietly drive your decisions.
And limit the impact you’re here to make.
That’s why emotional clarity is a leadership advantage.

Here’s a simple reset that’s helped me:
✅ Pause ➡️ even a few seconds creates space.
✅ Name it precisely ➡️ not “stressed,” but pressured, overcommitted, uncertain.
✅ Write it down ➡️ clarity often starts on paper.
✅ Ask what it’s pointing to ➡️ a boundary, a value, a pattern.
✅ Take one small action ➡️ something that honors what’s true right now.

Emotional clarity isn’t indulgent.
It’s practical.
It sharpens decisions and it improves presence.

👉 What’s one emotion you’ve been overlooking lately?

🔂 Repost to support more conscious leadership.
⭐ Follow Thomas for more reflections on leading with clarity, purpose, and insight.

If you want to win in the AI era, read this:

Human skills decide the future.

While technology gets better every day,

our ability to lead ourselves, others, and future organisations must evolve too.

The real challenge of the AI era isn’t technological.

It’s human 💛

That’s why we’re launching five new Master’s programmes in Applied Psychology this Thursday.

Built as career accelerators, designed for people who want to stay effective, relevant, and human at work.

All programmes are state-recognized, fully remote, part-time - built to fit around work and life.

You can choose between:

✅ Self-Leadership & Longevity

For sustainable high performance and long careers.

✅ People Development & Coaching

For leaders, mentors, and people developers.

✅ Organizational Psychology & New Work

For modern leadership in hybrid organisations.

✅ Human-Centered AI & Technology

For designing tech with empathy and impact.

✅ Systemic Transformation & Change

For those driving real, lasting change.

Because the future doesn’t belong to those who master technology, it belongs to those who understand people.

📣 First intake starts in March, application ends on February 20. 

💭 What kind of human skills do you believe matter most in the AI era?

👇 Explore the new programmes, link in the comments.

🤝 Learning happens better together.

🔁 Repost this to help others rethink the future of human skills.

💜 Follow Dr. Thomas Funke for more reflections on leadership, growth, and the human side of innovation.

Impact Master in Applied Psychology

Blame tests your leadership.
Praise tests your ego.
How you respond shapes who they become.

Real leadership shows up in two moments:

When there’s blame to take.
And credit to give away.

In those moments, your team learns what leadership
really looks like.

Not from what you say.
From what you do.

Here’s what I’ve seen over and over...

The leader who protects their image:

❌ Leads with ego disguised as confidence
❌ Speaks last when support is needed
❌ Hides when hard questions come
❌ Downplays others’ contributions
❌ Blames the team to stay clean
❌ Claims credit they didn’t earn

They may hold authority.
But they crush trust, fast.

The leader who protects their people:

✅ Steps back when things go right
✅ Owns the outcome, good or bad
✅ Spotlights others when they shine
✅ Shields the team in tough moments
✅ Steps forward when things go wrong
✅ Leads with humility that inspires loyalty

They don’t need the spotlight.

They earn something far more valuable. 
Belief.

My mentor once told me:

"Leadership is the willingness to carry the weight when 
things go wrong.

And the discipline to share the spotlight when they 
go right." 

That’s what builds trust.

Not words.
Not titles.

But the choice to lead with responsibility, especially 
when it’s not easy.

🤝 Learning happens better together.

♻️ Repost this to help others, and follow 
Dr. Thomas Funke for more on courageous, 
character-first leadership.

What if “I can’t” isn’t a fact but a choice?

For a long time, I treated “I can’t” as truth.

I can’t speak up confidently.
I can’t take on that role.
I can’t build something this ambitious.

I really thought I was being realistic.
But, I was actually choosing limitation.

Because every time you say “I can’t,”
you stop before you even start.

What changed everything for me was a simple shift:
From “I can’t” to “I’ll learn.”

That shift does something powerful.
Your brain stops shutting doors
and starts looking for pathways.

Learning creates momentum.
And this momentum builds the confidence you need.

Here’s what helped me make it stick:
✅ Catch the sentence and rewrite it: “How do I learn this?”
✅ Pause before saying no.
✅ Pick one uncomfortable skill and practice it consistently.

The distance between “I can’t” and “I can”
is almost always learning.
And choosing to learn is choosing to grow.

👉 What’s one “I can’t” you could turn into “I’ll learn” this week?

🤝 Learning happens better together.

🔂  Repost to help others shift their mindset. 

🌟 Follow Thomas for more reflections on growth, learning, and leadership.

75% of people limit their careers because of fear.
Not because they lack talent.
But because they fear judgment.

The quiet questions:
What will they think?
What if I fail?
What if I look foolish?

Fear of judgment rarely stops us outright.
It convinces us to wait.
To stay smaller than we could be.

Here’s what changed my perspective:
Research shows that replacing
“I am nervous” with “I am excited”
can improve performance by up to 20%.
Same body reaction.
Different meaning.

Fear isn’t always a warning.
Sometimes it’s just energy, waiting for a clear direction.

A few shifts that helped me move anyway:
✅ Choose progress over perfection.
✅ Question the inner critic.
✅ Lead with intention, not approval.

Fear won't disappear.
But it will stop making the decisions for you.

👉 Where in your work are you waiting for permission instead of moving forward?

🔂  Repost to help others move beyond fear.

🌟 Follow Thomas for more reflections on growth, courage, and leadership.

If you care deeply about your work but
you feel unsure where the world is heading, read this.

Over the past months,
I’ve had many honest conversations with people in our community.

Different paths.
Same feeling.
A wish to do work that arises from a deeper purpose.

And at the same time, a quiet question:
Am I really prepared for what’s coming next?

Because the world isn’t slowing down.
There are new technologies,
new expectations of conscious leadership,
and new responsibilities when it comes to 
impact, ethics, and decision-making.

There is tension.

And it’s exactly why we’ve been working behind 
the scenes at Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences.

Today, we’re opening the next chapter:
👉 Six new programs → from Impact MBAs to a Global Impact Executive MBA.

Different formats.
Different career stages.

One shared intention:
To help future leaders stay grounded, adapt, and lead responsibly
without losing sight of the present moment.

If this resonates with you, 
I’ve shared the full program overview in the comments.

I’m genuinely excited about what’s coming,
and deeply grateful to everyone whose stories 
helped shape this next state of being. 💜

👉 How does your career feel right now? 👇

🔂 Repost to share this with someone who’s thinking about what comes next.

⭐ Follow Thomas for more reflections on purposeful growth and leadership.

The future needs leaders who care. 💜

Building something from scratch doesn’t test your idea.
It tests your nervous system.

When you start something new, 
you think you’re creating a product, 
a company, or a vision.

In reality, you’re creating a mirror.
The energy you bring into it is what it becomes.

Your doubts show up.
Your habits get exposed.
Your limits become visible.
And that’s the uncomfortable part of it.

Because the real reward isn’t the outcome.
It’s the person you have to become to survive the challenge.

Expanding your comfort zone isn’t a one-time leap.
It’s a daily practice.
Letting go of who you were.
Making room for who the work demands you to be next.

Here’s what no one tells you:
The hardest part isn’t the logistics.
It’s managing your inner state while the outside world feels chaotic.
When progress is slow.
When certainty disappears.
When you don’t yet have proof that it will work.

That’s where real leadership is formed.
Not in control.
But in self-regulation.

Not in having all the answers.
But in staying grounded while learning your way forward.
If building feels harder than you expected, you’re probably doing it right.

👉 What has building something taught you about yourself so far?

🔂 Repost to support someone who’s in the middle of building. 

🌟 Follow Thomas for more reflections on growth, leadership, and the inner work behind real impact.

“Quiet people have the loudest minds.”
Stephen Hawking

Half of the people on your team are likely introverts.
Yet most workplaces are designed for the opposite.

Constant interruptions.
Unexpected meetings.
Crowded spaces.
Fast, public feedback.
No wonder so many great ideas stay unspoken.

This is why the work by Dr. Christian Poensgen resonates so much with me.

Introverts don’t want to disappear.
They want the right conditions to contribute.
High-EQ leaders understand this. 

They:
1️⃣ Invite input, instead of waiting for it.
2️⃣ Allow thinking time before speaking.
3️⃣ Create space, not noise.

Silence isn’t a lack of ideas.
Often, it’s where the best thinking happens.

When quiet people feel safe to speak,
teams don’t just get louder, they get smarter.

👉 What’s one small change you could make to include them on your team?

🔂 Repost if this resonates.
🌟 Follow Thomas for more reflections on leadership and human-centered work.

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