BIOGRAPHY
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Tom Meyers was born in Antwerp, Belgium (1970). After training as a chef, he travelled the world and worked as a waiter and sommelier in hotels and on Cunard’s flagship the ‘Queen Elizabeth 2’.
At 29 he started his own business, a gourmet deli – which failed and led him into an existential crisis, wanting to give up on life. Three questions saved his life, gave him a sense of purpose and helped him become the person he was born to be. Today, Tom is an osteopath with a private practice in Brussels, a forward thinker, keynote speaker, author and the founder of ‘Reaset’, a novel body-mind and educational approach to manifesting your best future ‘stress-resilient’ self today. |
About the book
In “Futurize Yourself” I tell the story, how three questions saved my life eighteen years ago, when I was twenty-nine. What happened and why did I need saving? How is it possible that three questions can save someone? For that you need to read the book.
But why is this important? Important enough to write a whole book about it, you may ask. it is because unknowingly I went through a process that is more significant today then it has ever been. The search for meaning and purpose.
But why is this important? Important enough to write a whole book about it, you may ask. it is because unknowingly I went through a process that is more significant today then it has ever been. The search for meaning and purpose.
"We are living at a critical time in human history. A time where new emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics and machine learning are reshaping our world with a speed, scope and complexity unlike anything humankind has experienced before."
I never thought about this fast-changing world it was just something that was. Even further from my mind was that I would ever write about it. However, while writing chapter 3 of my book, I was literally stopped in my tracks by this YouTube video by futurist Gerd Leonhard.
I never thought about this fast-changing world it was just something that was. Even further from my mind was that I would ever write about it. However, while writing chapter 3 of my book, I was literally stopped in my tracks by this YouTube video by futurist Gerd Leonhard.
In his video, Gerd Leonhard addresses the exponential changes our society is experiencing due to technology. In brief, he explains: “Business as usual is dead. Increasingly, science fiction is becoming science fact. Exponential technologies are rapidly changing our lives and societies, every day, everywhere. We will need different skills, and we will need to get much better at driving change – or we will be driven by it.”
Was purpose and vision, the main content of my book, still relevant in this fast changing world? Was it still meaningful to share the process of how to find one’s purpose and create a vision for your life, in view of the digital transformation our society is going through? I wasn't so sure at first and went re-searching the question.
In my search I stumbled upon articles like: "When Robots Take All the Work, What'll Be Left for Us to Do?" "How To Be Human in the Age of A.I.," "The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation?" and "Will life be worth living in a world without work? Technological unemployment and the meaning of life."
However, it was Gerd Leonhard's own book Technology vs. Humanity - with which he wants to accelerate the debate on how to ensure, guide, harness and control scientific and technological developments so that they fulfil their primary purpose, which should be serving humanity and human flourishing - that made me realise that finding your purpose is best gift you can give yourself. In this fast-changing world, identifying your gifts, visualizing your future and creating a life with purpose is a pro-active way to be better prepared, more adaptable and resilient for the changes to come, whatever they might be.
People with a purpose in life also…
- live longer and lead healthier and happier lives
- are more likely to have increased immune functioning, more energy, and are more optimistic and resilient
- have higher self-esteem
- are less fazed by the level of interaction they receive on their Facebook posts
- cope better with stress and are more resilient
- can deal better with physical pain and discomfort
- have a healthier brain, exhibit better cognitive function and are less likely to develop Alzheimer's in later life
- create a better buffer against life circumstances that often lead to mental health problems.
Empowered with the insights gained I looked back at my own journey and was even more thankful for it. I looked forward and smiled because in that moment I was grateful of the magic I was experiencing of living my purpose and finished the book.
Be good to you, always
Tom
In 2017, I was invited to give a talk at a "Fear & Fail" event in Brussels, Belgium. It was the first time I talked openly about one of the most difficult periods of my life the one that transformed me forever.
My story
Podcast
Listen to my interview with Jeffrey Baumgartner where I talked about mid-life change.
I've been a waiter, sommelier on a cruise ship and deli owner. But was very unhappy and lost, that was until a coach asked me three simple questions that changed my life. Today, Today I'm an osteopath, body-centred stress expert, speaker and author of "Futurize Yourself."
Listen to the interview to learn what those questions were and the impact they had on me as well as my advice to if you want to Futurize Yourself.
I've been a waiter, sommelier on a cruise ship and deli owner. But was very unhappy and lost, that was until a coach asked me three simple questions that changed my life. Today, Today I'm an osteopath, body-centred stress expert, speaker and author of "Futurize Yourself."
Listen to the interview to learn what those questions were and the impact they had on me as well as my advice to if you want to Futurize Yourself.
