Former banker and current business development consultant and stressbuster Nikola Goranovik has set a noble goal in 2016.
What is it that you do?
I work with people, some might say that I am a coach or therapist. Some might say that I am a trainer, business development consultant and mentor.
What inspired you to do what you do?
The premature end of my professional sports career due to an injury pushed me into a new line of work, banking. I found my feet there and within a few years climbed the corporate ladder from the position of data entry operator to the executive committee member of one of the largest European banking groups in central and southern Europe. During this period, I was privileged to meet and learn from some exceptional individuals, and realised that the key to their success was that they really loved what they did. I enjoyed my work a lot but I knew deep down that it wasn’t my true passion. That’s how I decided to leave the world of finance and start doing something that I truly love. I facilitate change, improve performance and inspire people in the same way that I was inspired by others. I’m just paying that back to others.
What can you tell us about yourself?
I am a trainer, coach and therapist, with specific expertise in personal development and performance coaching. I love brisk walks, coffee (I consider myself to be a coffee connoisseur and I am still actively searching for a place that can make a perfect espresso lungo) and volleyball.
Do you have a family?
Yes, I do. It’s very dynamic. I have three children of very different ages with different interests and aspirations in life. Luckily my wife can handle us all.
Have you always lived in Brighton?
I followed my heart and moved to Brighton (Hove, actually) five years ago.
If not where do you come from?
I come from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia (South-East Europe). It’s an amazing city with incredible history and different cultural influences spanning a period of almost two millennia. It is well known for its bars, restaurants, food, clubs, welcoming people.
How do you like Brighton and what do you like about it?
The very first time I came to spend a weekend here, I felt like I had come home. I like the fact that I can walk everywhere and bump into people I know. Brighton is small enough for that, yet at the same time it’s cosmopolitan, exciting and, of course, it has Hove! It has a perfect blend of artistic, holistic, business, academic, out-of-space, off-their-face, interesting people. This is definitely a place you can never get bored in, as there’s always something happening.
How do you celebrate New Years?
Usually I celebrate the arrival of a New Year with my friends and family, fortified with home-made food and good wine.
Have you made a New Years resolution?
Yes, I did. It is quite specific and fun. I would really like to force myself to start swimming in the Atlantic. I swam only once a couple of years ago and it was freezing but I’m determined to do it more often in 2016.
Did you make one last year?
Yes. I decided to reward myself for everything that I did, completed, performed or when I helped someone, etc. Basically, I was rewarding myself for even the smallest achievements. It created a powerful positive spiral of events because there is nothing more rewarding than success. The more accomplished you feel, no matter how insignificant these accomplishments may be on a grand scale, the more motivated and productive you become.
Did you keep it?
I did and I’ll carry on doing it for the years to come. It literally transformed my life.
What is the high light of 2015 to you?
In 2015 we completed a research study with School of Psychology from Sussex University examining the effectiveness of the therapeutic approach I co-created, Rapid Eye Movement induction therapy (REMit).
What would you really like to see happen in 2016?
For the last four years I have been involved in the community stress management programme Hove StressBusters. This project has grown. It now incorporates over 20 wellbeing practitioners and our big plan for 2016 is to establish a similar community group in the Hanover area. Hopefully the new Brighton StressBusters, which will be launched in February, will reach all those people who’d like to gain a better understanding of a variety of stress-related issues, and to learn about different wellbeing approaches so that they can find the ones that work best for them. This is to learn how to reduce stress, improve health, and achieve balance in their personal and professional life.
