Today we celebrate International Women’s Day and we use the opportunity to bring a voice to inspiring women in our community: Nomin is our Aspirer in the Spotlight this month. She is Mongolia’s first internationally certified career and professional development coach, a pioneer in a new industry in her native country. She is part of the Professionals 2018 generation and she happily remembers her Aspire experience.
“It allowed me to meet like-minded young thinkers and entrepreneurs from Europe and beyond. Moreover, it gave me the opportunity to learn from Ivy League professors and business leaders about a wide range of topics and through a variety of formats. Furthermore, it allowed me to make new connections, develop my skills and engage with an international community of supportive individuals.”
Nomin is an International Coach Federation certified career and executive coach who just graduated from the University of Warwick with a master’s in Career Development and Coaching Studies as a Chevening Scholar. She splits her time between Moscow, Russia, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. She works with CEOs and managers from a variety of multinational companies to help them grow professionally and achieve their goals. We appreciate her taking the time to inspire and motivate future generations by answering our questions.
Of course, beginnings are difficult and we wanted to know the tips & tricks of never giving up. Her one piece of advice?
“It is so important to reach out to new people, even if doing so is outside of your comfort zone. When you’re first starting out, there’s so much to learn and speaking with people who spent the time to accumulate experience is the best way to understand a new industry or a career path. I strongly recommend making a habit out of scheduling time each week to meet people from whom you can learn new things. But you should also take time afterwards to reflect on what these conversations mean to you. Remember that you’re not trying to copy someone else’s life.”
Thus, success comes with big responsibilities, and we were genuinely curious to learn more about her non-negotiables and what are the most important values in order always to be on top, without facing burnout.
“For me, personal growth is non-negotiable. Regardless of the demands of your schedule and outside circumstances, be sure to make time for what really matters to you. For me, it’s reading and learning new skills.
Connected with this is the need to prioritize your time and to develop the confidence and ability to say ‘no’ when necessary. Very often, I observe people—especially those at the start of their careers—agreeing to do whatever is asked of them, regardless of the impact that it will have on their mental health and well-being. To prevent stress and burnout, it’s important to be able to speak up when something is too much.”
Over the course of our professional and personal lives, we face difficult times and sometimes decisions might look harder to make. For Nomin, telling the story of a personal struggle was a moment when she took a risk and became vulnerable in front of a big audience.
“The hardest decision I ever had to make was whether to share my story about a personal health struggle at the largest TEDx event in Mongolia. I wasn’t sure about how all the thousands of people in the audience and watching online would view me if shared my moments of vulnerability. In the end, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made: afterwards, hundreds of people reached out to me with their own experiences. They told me about how hearing my story helped them to fell less alone with their struggles, and encouraged them to press on.”
But success is just the tip of the iceberg, they say. Everyone has that one time when giving up seems an option.
“When I was younger, I went through a period during which I experienced constant vertigo and a loss of balance for months at a time. I later learned from doctors that this condition is called Ménière’s Disease. At the time, I felt stuck: I was unable to study, or to even leave the house. I felt that all my dreams were shattered, and that I wasn’t going to achieve anything.
But I made the decision to move forward, starting with small steps. Even amid my attacks, I would try to study or do my daily tasks. I focused on how tough a person I was becoming, instead of how weak I felt at the time. Day by day, I was able to reach my goals, despite the challenges that I was facing.”
And this decision lead her in getting involved in a variety of activities and networking events. So eventually, in 2018 to Aspire YP.
“I strongly recommend Aspire to anyone who wants to connect with the next generation of global leaders in the idyllic setting of the Transylvanian mountains. For me, the programme’s emphasis on female leadership was especially important, as I was able to meet many other inspiring young women who are passionate about driving the future agenda in their chosen fields, whether in business or public leadership.”
That one book that has influenced her the most…
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. “The book is about the power of the small but consistent daily habits that seem inconsequential on the surface, but over time yield the most meaningful results. I’ve taken the book’s lessons to heart, and as a result have created a series of routines for myself that have improved every aspect of my life.”
Favorite quote:
‘Fail fast, fail often.’
John Krumboltz