30 years of wisdom

Jacky De Forté

Life is a journey of growth, challenges, and learning. For 30 years, I’ve explored what it means to live with intention, adapt to change, and break free from limitations.Here, we discuss personal growth, the future of work, AI’s impact, the flaws in our education system, real human connection in a digital world, and the importance of health.Success isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about mindset. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve spent decades asking questions. Now, I want to share that wisdom and build a global community where we learn together.Join me and let’s grow!

Episodes

  1. How Strong Teams Drive Business Change | Barbara Joshua

    JAN 21

    How Strong Teams Drive Business Change | Barbara Joshua

    How Strong Teams Drive Business Change | Barbara Joshua What if the biggest forces shaping your leadership, your decisions, and your business aren’t happening on the surface — but beneath it? In this episode of 30 Years of Wisdom, I sit down with Barbara Joshua, a performance and business transformation expert, to explore the invisible patterns that drive human behavior inside leadership, organizations, and personal growth. Barbara has spent years working at the intersection of strategy, psychology, and transformation, helping leaders and companies move beyond survival mode into conscious, sustainable performance. This conversation goes deeper than frameworks and theories — we talk about what really happens when power, fear, identity, and subconscious patterns shape the way people lead, follow, and build. Together, we explore:  Why high performers often get stuck in invisible behavioral loops How leadership is shaped by subconscious survival patterns The difference between control and true strategic authority What transformation actually looks like inside organizations and human systems How awareness changes the way we make decisions, build teams, and create impact This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and anyone building something meaningful — and realizing that real growth doesn’t start with better tactics, but with deeper awareness. 🎙 About My Guest Barbara Joshua is a performance and business transformation specialist working across leadership development, organizational change, and strategic human performance. Through her work with Joshua Consulting and UPN Change, she helps leaders and organizations navigate complexity, power dynamics, and sustainable transformation in a rapidly changing world. 📌 Connect with Barbara Joshua 🔗 Website: https://joshua-consulting.eu/ 🔗 UPN Change: https://www.upnchange.com/ 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarajoshua-performance-business-transformation/ Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Support the show Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    1 hr
  2. What every Leader Needs to Face to Truly Transform Organisations

    12/29/2025

    What every Leader Needs to Face to Truly Transform Organisations

    True organisational transformation doesn’t start with strategy, KPIs or performance metrics. It starts with awareness. In this episode of 30 Years of Wisdom, I’m joined by Dr Arokia Antonysamy — award-winning psychiatrist, senior executive and transformational leader — for a conversation that goes far beyond leadership styles and management techniques. This is a conversation about the part of leadership most people avoid looking at:  the dark side. The unconscious patterns, blind spots and inherited behaviours that quietly shape how leaders show up — and how, when left unexamined, they can slowly erode trust, creativity and psychological safety.  Or, when brought into awareness, become a powerful source of transformation. Drawing from over 20 years of experience as a psychiatrist, board-level leader and executive coach, Arokia shares real-life examples of how highly driven leaders — CEOs, managers, entrepreneurs — often don’t lose people because they expect too much, but because they don’t realise how their behaviour is experienced by others. We talk about: Why every leader has a “dark side” — and why that matters more at the topHow subconscious patterns influence leadership behaviour without us noticingWhy awareness, not authority, is the real leadership leverHow unaddressed blind spots can quietly destroy teams and culturesWhat happens when leaders learn to read the room, not just the numbersThis episode isn’t about blame.  It’s about responsibility.  And about the courage it takes to look inward — especially when you lead others. If you are a CEO, a manager, an entrepreneur, or anyone who leads people, this conversation will invite you to pause and ask one powerful question: What is my dark side — and how is it impacting the people around me? Coaching & Mentorship Arokia Antonysamy LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/arokia-antonysamy-b6701127/ Arokia also speaks openly about the importance of coaching and mentorship at every stage of leadership. She shares insights from working with her own coach, John Lee — internationally known speaker and coach — whose work focuses on values, purpose, identity and the deeper “why” behind leadership and success. Books mentioned in this episode 📘 Good to Great — Jim Collins A foundational leadership book exploring why only a small number of organisations truly make the leap from good to exceptional.  📘 The Diary of a CEO — Steven Bartlett Araw, honest reflections on leadership, growth and self-awareness.  📘 Zero Limits — Joe Vitale & Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len A deep exploration of the subconsciou Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    56 min
  3. From Moroccan Orphan to Belgian Model. "Gay, Adopted & Muslim - This Is His Story"

    10/03/2025

    From Moroccan Orphan to Belgian Model. "Gay, Adopted & Muslim - This Is His Story"

    From Morocco to Belgium: How Taha Laarissi turned pain into purpose. Meet Taha Laarissi. Born in Morocco on May 13, 2000 (or a day earlier or later) by unknown parents. Adopted and around the age of one came to Belgian parents with Moroccan and Algerian roots who couldn't have children. Discovered the truth at 16. This 25-year-old model's journey proves that your biggest struggles can become your greatest strengths. What we dive into: Finding those adoption documents by accident in March 2016 - "everything collapsed, it was silenced, it was black" How his parents reacted when he told them he knew The anger phase during university and how therapy changed everything Writing a letter to come out to his parents because he's "more a writing person than a talks person" His father's initial struggle and their eventual healing Why modeling became his safe space and therapy How rejection taught him "you don't have to take it too personal" His advice to other adoptees: "Get to know yourself." This isn't another feel-good story. It's raw truth about identity, family, and finding yourself when everything feels uncertain. The real message: Stop waiting for permission to be yourself. Your authenticity is your superpower. Credits: Photography: Lennart Knab (our shared photographer for 30 Years of Wisdom) Website: https://www.storytellermediastudio.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennartknab/?hl=en  Subscribe for conversations that actually matter. Share if someone you know needs to hear this. About Taha's Modeling Career: Currently, Taha is building his runway presence across Europe, with upcoming fashion shows in Amsterdam and Brussels, and will be walking at Paris Fashion Week in September. His modeling journey began as more than just a career ambition. It became his safe space and therapy during his most challenging years.  Modeling was a significant aspect of his development, which he really enjoyed. And it was like a safe space, a therapy," he explains. For bookings and collaborations, Taha can be reached through his Instagram, LinkedIn, or email. He's also expanding into styling work, having discovered a passion for the creative direction side of fashion. His unique look - what some called "too feminine" in his youth- has become his greatest professional asset, proving his philosophy that you can "turn the most negative part that you hear about yourself into your best skill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taha.laarissi/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taha-laarissi-05668111a/ E-mail: taha.laarissi@gmail.com  Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    49 min
  4. How to Stop Procrastination - For Start-Ups & Entrepreneurs

    08/22/2025

    How to Stop Procrastination - For Start-Ups & Entrepreneurs

    Stop losing money to procrastination. Here's how successful entrepreneurs break the delay cycle and take action. Every day you procrastinate costs you opportunities, confidence, and a competitive advantage. While you're "planning," your competitors are executing and winning. What you'll discover: The hidden costs of procrastination are costing your business Why your brain sabotages important projects (and how to override it) The 2-minute rule that eliminates overwhelm How to design your environment for instant action Systems that make starting easier than avoiding Why perfectionism kills profits and how to break free For entrepreneurs ready to: ✓ Launch that delayed project finally ✓ Stop overthinking and start executing ✓ Build momentum that compounds daily ✓ Turn ideas into income faster ✓ Create systems that prevent future delays The difference between successful entrepreneurs and dreamers? Successful ones start before they're ready and adjust along the way. Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Start building your empire today. Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    42 min
  5. How to Say No Without Guilt: 6 Boundary Tools That Actually Work

    08/17/2025

    How to Say No Without Guilt: 6 Boundary Tools That Actually Work

    STOP saying yes when you mean no! The average person says "yes" to 3 things per day, but they actually want to say "no" to. That's over 1,000 unwanted commitments per year that drain your energy and kill your productivity. I used to be that person - working double the hours I charged, answering work calls at 9 PM, and feeling guilty for wanting evenings with my family. Sound familiar? Quick heads up: Small audio hiccups around 13-15 minutes - bear with me! 6 Boundary Tools That Actually Work: • The Pause Method - 5 seconds that save hours of resentment • The Gentle No - Decline without burning bridges • Boundary Scripts - What to say when people push back • Energy Mapping - Protect your peak performance hours • Digital Boundaries - Taming phone, email & WhatsApp addiction • Weekly Boundary Audit - Fine-tune your limits every Sunday The Science Behind Boundary Guilt: Your amygdala literally treats saying "no" like physical danger. It thinks you'll get kicked out of the tribe! But every time you say "no" and survive (which you always do), you're rewiring that ancient brain circuit. Key Insight: The most generous thing you can do for others is show them what healthy boundaries look like. Because chances are, they need to learn this too. Whether you're an entrepreneur scaling your business, a team leader preventing burnout, or just tired of feeling drained, boundaries aren't just personal wellness; they're productivity multipliers. Tool 1: The Pause Method Tool 2: The Gentle No Tool 3: Boundary Scripts Tool 4: Energy Mapping Tool 5: The Pushback Protocol Tool 6: Weekly Boundary Audit When you would like to access The 6 Boundary Tools Cheat Sheet, send an email to: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com and we will send it to you for free! With gratitude,   Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    30 min
  6. Mastering Your Intuition - Should You Trust Your Gut Feeling?

    08/06/2025

    Mastering Your Intuition - Should You Trust Your Gut Feeling?

    Do you ever get that feeling in your gut that something's off, but you can't explain why?  You're not imagining it - your intuition is real, and it's trying to guide you. In this episode of 30 Years of Wisdom, I share raw, personal stories where ignoring my gut cost me relationships, money, and peace of mind — and how learning to trust that subtle whisper changed everything. IMPORTANT: Intuition isn't a "women’s thing." Some of the most intuitive people I know are men - successful entrepreneurs who "read the room," athletes who know exactly when to make their move, and negotiators who can sense when someone's bluffing. Men just tend to call it "gut instinct" or "following their hunches" instead of intuition. We explore: ·       What intuition really is (beyond new-age fluff) ·       The difference between fear and inner knowing ·       Why your gut might be smarter than your brain ·       How to strengthen your intuitive muscle in a noisy world ·       And the #1 thing that blocks your inner wisdom (spoiler: ego) 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone who's ever second-guessed themselves, overthinks decisions, or wants to develop deeper self-trust. Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    31 min
  7. A Difficult Conversation - But One We Can’t Avoid -  AI Is Already Raising Our Kids!

    07/29/2025

    A Difficult Conversation - But One We Can’t Avoid - AI Is Already Raising Our Kids!

    Please help me make this message go viral. Not for attention. Not for ego. Just for impact. But because this conversation needs to reach every parent, teacher, school director, policymaker, and leader who still thinks “AI is something for later.” Mo Gawdat’s warning and his book Scary Smart won’t reach them via the algorithm, but YOU can.  🔁 Share. 📲 Forward. Our kids’ and our future depends on what we do now. This is not just a podcast — it’s a WAKE-UP CALL. For you, the parent, the teacher, the school director, the policymaker, the adult who gives a damn about the future of our kids… and your own. This message doesn’t come from theory or headlines. It comes from countless hours of reading and listening to podcast after podcast, while I was recovering from multiple surgeries over the past two years. In that quiet time, I watched the world shift — slowly, but drastically. And I realized something that might hit close to home: You probably have no idea what’s really coming our way with AI. Not because you don’t care, but because you’re overwhelmed, busy, and not seeing these conversations in your feed. The social media algorithms don’t show you this stuff because you're not looking for it.  You’re not being warned. And worse,  no one is warning the people around you either. That’s what makes this episode different. It’s not just content. It’s a call to wake up. A call for awareness — and for collective courage. In this episode, I speak from the gut — not from fear, but from fierce love.  Inspired by Scary Smart by Mo Gawdat, I bring forward the urgent, overlooked truth: Most parents and schools are NOT prepared for what AI is already doing to our kids. While countries like China, Estonia, and Portugal are integrating AI into education, many others — like Belgium — are asleep at the wheel. And it’s our children who’ll pay the price. 🔍 What you’ll hear in this episode: • The real impact of AI on kids, families, and classrooms • Why kids are turning to ChatGPT at 2AM instead of their parents • How some schools across the world are preparing — and how we’re falling behind • Why ignorance, not AI, is the real enemy • What Scary Smart from Mo Gawdat teaches us about raising AI — and our own kids • What needs to change today, and how you can be part of it "How we treat AI today is how AI will treat us tomorrow." — Mo Gawdat, author of Scary Smart Huge thanks to Mo Gawdat for inspiring me for almost two years. 📚 More About Mo Gawdat & Scary Smart Website: https://www.mogawdat.com Buy the book:  https://www.mogawdat.com/scary-smart Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    23 min
  8. 74 Job Applications, 30 Rejections: The Brutal Reality of Today's Job Market

    07/24/2025

    74 Job Applications, 30 Rejections: The Brutal Reality of Today's Job Market

    In this raw and honest conversation, I sit down with my dear friend Jelle Sophie, who shares his emotional journey through 1.5 months of intense job searching. After being let go from his HR coordinator position, Jelle applied to 74 jobs and faced the harsh reality that many of us know too well. UPDATE: Just three weeks after this interview, Jelle landed his DREAM JOB! 🎉 This conversation captures the exact mindset shift that made it possible. What You'll Discover: • The psychological impact of constant rejection and how to bounce back • Why 30+ companies never even bothered to reply (and what this says    about them) • The exact moment Jelle hit rock bottom - and how he climbed out • Practical strategies for maintaining sanity during job searches • Why networking and LinkedIn connections changed everything • The surprising job offer that came from helping someone he once had to reject The Hard Truths We Discuss: • How panic makes you apply for ANY job (and why that's dangerous) • The disrespect of HR professionals who ghost candidates • Why hiring managers often hire copies of themselves • The fear-driven job market we're all navigating • Building resilience when you feel completely out of control Jelle's vulnerability in sharing his lowest moments - including the day he received two rejections and completely broke down - offers hope to anyone feeling defeated by today's challenging employment landscape. His success just weeks later proves that sometimes stepping back and regaining perspective is exactly what's needed. Whether you're currently job hunting, supporting someone who is, or working in HR, this conversation will shift your perspective on what it takes to survive and thrive in an uncertain job market. Connect with Jelle Sophie:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jellesophie/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiritist_jelle/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCjFmIEJ3oMcbcx7ufR0BHEw Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    31 min
  9. Why do people NOT do what they know they should?

    07/16/2025

    Why do people NOT do what they know they should?

    This question has driven my entire life journey – and it might be the key to unlocking yours, too. After 30 years of searching for answers, walking on fire at a Tony Robbins event, surviving 5 surgeries, and breaking free from 15 years of following the crowd, I'm finally ready to share what I've learned. In this episode:       The real reason we sabotage ourselves      How being an "outsider" became my superpower      My life-changing Tony Robbins moment      Why walking on fire taught me fear is just an illusion🌟 This isn't just another self-help podcast. We're building a community for people who are tired of following the pack. Who wants real conversations about AI, health, education, and what it means to be human in a rapidly changing world? Subscribe and join our growing community of wisdom seekers. Give us a few months – see if this space feels right for you. Tony Robbins actively encourages people to share their transformation stories. Thank you, @tonyrobbins, for helping me in my transformation. Photography: Lennart Knab - capturing the beauty in everyone! In collaboration with Lennart, an international photographer who works regularly in New York and beyond. A perfect match since his gift for "bringing out the beauty in everyone" aligns with our mission of helping people find their authentic voice. Picture this: dramatic lighting that captures hard-won wisdom, close-ups that reveal transformation, environmental shots with books and stages that tell the story of growth. The before/after narrative – not just a physical change, but the shift from follower to leader, from silent to speaking truth. Your lens doesn't just capture faces, Lennart, it captures the moment when people remember who they are. From Antwerp to New York, you're bringing that transformative vision to every shoot. You can follow Lennart on:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennartknab/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennartknab/ Website: https://www.storytellermediastudio.com/Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    26 min
  10. How a student project birthed a whole brand!

    07/16/2025

    How a student project birthed a whole brand!

    Welcome to the very first episode of 30 Years of Wisdom, where real conversations meet life experience. In this debut episode, you'll meet the brilliant creative minds behind the branding of this entire podcast project. It all started with a simple idea during the pandemic… and evolved into something far greater, thanks to renowned graphic designer Andrea Paolini and five talented design students who turned my story into a visual identity.  Andrea not only believed in the project — he brought it into the classroom, where five young women took the challenge and ran with it. Together, we created the name, and they the logo, the colors, and the entire feel of *30 Years of Wisdom*.  In this conversation, Andrea shares how the idea was born, the students reflect on the process, and they even challenge me with deep life questions that I answer from the heart, with three decades of real-life experience.  🎙️ Topics in this episode: - The power of collaboration - Turning an idea into a brand - Wisdom passed between generations - Answering the questions no one dares to ask Meet the faces behind the vision. Feel the energy. And start the journey with us. Emma, Febe, Mirthe, Nora & Soetkin. You can follow them on  Instagram:  Soetkin: https://www.instagram.com/soetkin.leenders/?hl=en Emma: https://www.instagram.com/emmapoesen/?hl=en Mirthe: https://www.instagram.com/mirthetips/ Febe: https://www.instagram.com/febeleenen?igsh=d3ZwcGVtbzBldmZl&utm_source=qr TikTok: Nora: https://www.tiktok.com/@noranotermans?_t=ZG-8xrKYHjlFbt&_r=1 You can look at Andrea Paolini's work or contact him: https://densityconcepts.be/    Inspired? Send me your thoughts or questions — I’d love to hear from you. Like, comment, and subscribe if you're ready to grow with us. #30YearsOfWisdom With gratitude, Jacky – Founder, 30 Years of Wisdom Subscribe to out YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@30yearsofwisdom Website: https: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/ E-mail: hello@30yearsofwisdom.com Newsletter: https://www.30yearsofwisdom.com/contact/contact-us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/30yearsofwisdomwithJacky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/30yearsofwisdom/

    38 min

About

Life is a journey of growth, challenges, and learning. For 30 years, I’ve explored what it means to live with intention, adapt to change, and break free from limitations.Here, we discuss personal growth, the future of work, AI’s impact, the flaws in our education system, real human connection in a digital world, and the importance of health.Success isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about mindset. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve spent decades asking questions. Now, I want to share that wisdom and build a global community where we learn together.Join me and let’s grow!