112 reasons The Career Change Accelerator will be the best investment of your life

We reckon The Career Change Accelerator is the smartest investment you can make when reinventing your career. But we would say that, right? Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what 112 of our past members thought of the experience…

112. It’s a brilliant interval in any professional’s life, a rare chance to reassess what your values are, and how your life and work support those values. From there it’s a incredibly practical process of helping you identify and go after opportunities that will nurture you. And giving you the tools and skills to land those opportunities, or pursue your ideas. – Katy, February 2019

111. The most enjoyable course you’ll ever do – you’ll forget you even had to pay for it. You’ll leave feeling inspired, motivated and confident about your work AND life choices. You’ll have the tools and structure to take control of whatever change you decide. And you’ll meet some awesome people. – Kay, February 2019

110. A programme that equips you with the tools for real identity change that allows you to make the transition you always wanted to and you get to do that with a great bunch of supportive and like-minded people.Be prepared to challenge yourself in a nurturing environment, surrounded by like-minded people and watch yourself, your confidence and your connections grow. You will plant many seeds in this course, which will continue growing long after the 12 weeks. – Sumaera, February 2019

109. It will help you see that you have options, and it will help you explore what those options are, and give you the environment you need to sustain that exploration over the 12 weeks – not just an evening when you’re particularly sick of your job. Plus, it will put you in touch with a bunch of people who are feeling the same way as you, who are both moral support and a good network. Also, the leaders give a shit, they’re not trying to con you [because I think that’s sometimes a worry with personal change programmes] – Joe, February 2019

108. A life changing experience that will help you feel more in control of your future and develop your interests and curiosities. A must do course for anyone wanting to adapt to the reality of work going forward which will require adaptability, flexibility and most likely not just a straight line career. A way to develop resilience and self-belief. An introduction to a whole new community of people who think differently and are inspiring. – Emily, February 2019

107. The Accelerator program is a one of kind course that creates a powerful supportive community from day one. You are challenged in more ways that you can imagine as you dig deep into who you are and what matters most. You leave with a new found confidence and skillset for life and a community that wont let you fail (at least not permanently). – Emma, February 2019

106. I am so glad I stumbled across the career change accelerator. It was not just about changing your career it is about changing the way you think and approach work and life so you can be open to a wider range of opportunities that you may not have even recognised before – extremely powerful stuff. – Sarah, February 2019

105. It’s part group therapy, part self awareness development, part confidence improver, part future world training and part kick up the ass call to action! Its also a very open, patient, inspiring process that provides empathy, support, confidence and practical assistance in dealing with some fairly big questions about what makes you happy, and how to do more of it. – Chris, February 2019

104. A life course, a way to find your passions, to discover stuff you didnt know about yourself, not just another stupid self help book, something which drives action – whether you like it or not! If you don’t know where to begin, or you have tried and failed this course is for you, and it will help! I will guarantee it! – Felicity, February 2019

103. The world of work is changing and we all need to adapt. Good career advice in school is no longer available or is no longer relevant so this is the best way to ensure you make a success of your skills and can be really sure the career you want is actually what you will enjoy. – Iffet, February 2019

102. The Accelerator is a great way to learn about yourself, your values and start testing out what would make you happier at work. It’s more than a course; it’s a community. This is probably the most important aspect the accelerator. – Keren, September 2018

101. A personal trainer for your life! Who won’t take stuck for an answer. – Ros, September 2018

100. I went into it feeling pigeonholed in my career and that I’d missed the career-change boat at the age of 31, whilst my friends all continued to climb up up their respective ladders. Throughout the course, this perspective somewhat reversed; by building a network related linking my skills and passions, opportunities for change are opening up, whilst the more I share my experience with friends, the clearer it is that those climbing around us aren’t on the ladder they’d hoped for either. – Chris, September 2018

99. A great way to get you unstuck, test new ideas, discover some of your talents and have an amazing and inspiring supporting group. – Avrillia, September 2018

98. Just do it, you can only gain from signing up. It is a personal journey and you will get out what you put in. If you trust the process and do the work you will feel more confident with greater clarity and direction about what is next in your career. Being surrounded by like-minded people is truly invaluable and you become part of a strong confident tribe who will support you in any way. – Ali, September 2018

97. Similar to learning the basics of a new sport from a professional athlete, the accelerator breaks down the rules and context of the game at the same time. The wholistic and contextualozed approach allows you to prioritize how you want to engage the professional world around you and forces agency back into your mind. Whether you like it or not, you will leave realizing both that you can do more and that it is your responsibility to make it happen. – Eddie, September 2018

96. Amazing! They will come away with so much more than just a few ideas of what direction they will go in. They’ll learn practical skills as well as drill down into where they might go next. And of course there’s the Tribe – which is an incredible network to help you through the whole thing! – Bryony, September 2018

95. About 50% on considering the big questions in life and work, 50% on testing ideas. A great mix of understanding yourself and then understanding how to align your career to your values! Invaluable. – Nikhil, September 2018

94. It’s a course that’ll change your mindset and give you the toolkit on how to approach a career change while building a network/being with like-minded people. – Antje, September 2018 

93. It helps you get to the core of who you are and want to be! – Asmah, September 2018

92. The best investment you can make if you feel stuck in your career. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone included. It was one of my main highlights of 2018. – Claire, September 2018

91. I have just completed the Career Accelerator Course (May 2018 intake). As I see many others have already done, I cannot recommend this “course” enough (not sure what to call it actually because it is so much more than a course) ! I tend to be skeptical about this type of things but I was pleasantly surprised across the board. The dedication of the facilitators is incredible, the value addition of what you learn is immense and the tribe that you build around you is priceless. What is more, you will gain a great mindset that you can use not only for career changes but for any change in life… this course is the best gift you can possibly give yourself if you wanna make a real step ahead in your professional life and beyond! – Beatrice, August 2018

90. Best decision I’ve ever made. I graduated from the May 2018 intake for the Career Accelerator intake and suffice to say, this has opened my eyes to the world of opportunities I can have with my career. I feel excited, alive and have all the tools to tackle my transition – plus the community you gain. Oh my gosh. I just can’t put this course into words. You’ll learn more in this 10 weeks than boring university lectures and everything is just sooo practical. You’ll go away not just with theory but with tangible results. Cannot say enough about this – if you have any questions at all speak with anyone that has done the course – and you’ll see why you need this! – Kit, July 2018

89. Like everyone on the Career Change Accelerator I was feeling stuck before I signed up and it was getting me down. I was lacking the motivation needed to make changes. The course energised me, introduced me to the latest online tools, opened my eyes to many inspiring books and Ted Talks and of course connected me to a great bunch of people from the class leaders to my class mates. It didn’t necessarily lead me to quit my job but it thought me a way to reframe my situation and a new approach to solving problems, Design Thinking. I would highly recommend anyone to do this course and the earlier in your career the better. Worth every penny. – Mark, April 2018

88. I went into the experience feeling drained and stuck, ready to quit my job and run away. I’ve left the career accelerator course feeling absolutely energized and positive about the future, ready to tackle whatever it may bring! I have learnt so many tools to to get stuff done and have made many new friends, and we all support each other on the path to a more fulfilling career. It’s a brilliant network creation and I would recommend this to anyone who is stuck in their career, but actually also to people who feel like they need to reflect and understand their own ideals and values better – and how to live by them! – Andrea, April 2018

87. We spend so much of our lives at work, yet it’s a rare thing to have chance to reflect deeply on what work actually means to us with others. Escape the City provides that opportunity, over ten weeks, and in the company of a supportive group of new friends who are on the same journey. So often when we want to make a change in our careers and lives we realise something’s wrong with our present but we don’t necessarily know why, or how to move things forward without it seeming uncomfortably risky – and so often we then get stuck.

The Career Accelerator is special, you really get to test out your career dreams and it has a strong bias not just for reflection but for putting curiosities into practical action. Put your heart into it – and it will stretch you – and your mindset and world view will shift, and along with it your sense of the possible. You will gain so much, not just from the feedback and warmth you receive from your group, but also the satisfaction from helping others and realising that however stuck or even lost you may feel in yourself, you have so much that you can give back, and that will energise you.

Your biggest challenge will not be lack of possibility, but how you manage your time and energy to go all out for all the exciting things you can do. And most of all you will be inspired, encouraged, supported and even moved by the extraordinary team who put this programme together. I cannot recommend it highly enough. – Michael, April 2018

86. The Career Change Accelerator was part practical careers advice, part group therapy and part life coaching. I have come away with a clear process of how to continually move towards a life where I am happy with what I do to make money and how that sits within the rest of my life.

I have made lots of great friends, lots of useful contacts, have a set of tools to effectively move from interests, curiosities, ideas to practical actions that are more towards something tangible. More than any of this, I have a completely refreshed view of what I am able to achieve and what paths are acceptable when trying to achieve that. – Patrick, April 2018

85.  Some thoughts I had before deciding to do it:

Am I actually ready to admit – out loud – I’m feeling lost / stuck

I’m not the right person for this kind of thing

I’m going to be the odd one out

Everyone else will have the right answers for why they are there 

I could just watch lots of you tube videos to help me

I could just read all the books to help me

I could do this by myself 

I don’t need to go on a course

I can’t do it

It’s not the right time

Yes, I could have watched the you tube videos / read the books / done it myself – but why hadn’t I yet? It’s not the right time – but when would have been the right time? I’m not the right person / I’m going to be the odd one out / everyone else will have the right answers – if I was searching for something like this, it was likely that those other people were too, and so there was also a good possibility they were having the same thoughts as I was. I still wasn’t sure if I was ready to admit – out loud – that I was feeling lost / stuck – especially to a whole bunch of strangers – but I realised nothing was going to change, unless I made an effort to do something about it, and by signing up for the course – this was my first step towards trying to do ‘something’.

I could have said, no thank you – not for me. I could have waited until I felt the time was right. I could have let the self-limiting beliefs take over. I could have not done anything.

But if I had done that, I wouldn’t have met the amazing people that I did on the course – who I now count as friends. I wouldn’t have gained the courage, insight, knowledge, self-belief, momentum I have now. I wouldn’t have done anything differently from Feb to April, and therefore, I’m pretty sure – nothing much would have changed. There’s no pressure to reach an enlightened epiphany at the end of the 10 weeks, there’s no pressure to leave your job, there’s no pressure to have changed in any way at all. Everyone is on their own journey, but for me personally – so much has changed, and it’s all been for the better, and I couldn’t have / wouldn’t have been able to have done it without doing this course. 

If you have any doubts about doing this course, ask yourself – as I asked myself – how do you see the next 3 months of your life and what will you actually be doing to change it for the better / get out of your stuck-ness / progress in the way you would like. If you feel you will look back and wish you should have just done the course, then I hope by reading this, it helps you get closer to a decision.

(P.S. Do it…) – Alisa, April 2018

84. I’ve just completed the CCA. All I can really say is that if, having read the course description you feel this might be exactly what you are looking for if only its as good as it sounds, then you’re in luck because it is absolutely as good as it sounds! For me personally it exceeded every possible expectation and I was not alone in feeling that way.

To list some of the great things:

-its a full, proper, creatively and intelligently designed curriculum; 

-the facilitators are not only awesome facilitators, they have personal experience of all of this, they have written the course themselves, they put in a huge amount of time in outside the actual course – in short they really, really care about making this a positive experience.

-the community aspect really enhances the course and you end up with new friends

-you learn practical stuff, like designing an awesome CV

-you learn stuff about yourself (lots of coaching tools used)

-you learn not only what conversations you should be having, but HOW to have the conversations, which words etc – this is practical and helpful.

In short, I can’t recommend highly enough, best course I have ever experienced, by some distance. Do it do it. – Rachel, April 2018

83. I did the career change accelerator course and it was totally worth it. It was an amazing experience over 10 weeks, you learn so much about yourself, others, careers, life in general and much more. I can totally recommend this to everyone even if you are not (yet) seriously thinking about making a change in your career. – SH, April 2018

82. Escape the City is the most worthy, not only career but life changing program. You can count on having an amazing team of coaches, always inspiring and friendly and a safe and caring space where you’ll get to share and receive massive support. It was an amazing journey of self-discovery that gave me the strength and tools to push myself into a new career path. I seriously recommend it to anyone who’s feeling a bit lost and in need of a renewd confidence boost. – Sofia, April 2018

81. It’s been an experience and a group of people that have given me more confidence in myself and the belief that I am more than a cog in a big corporate machine. I feel more confident that I can make the changes that I need to make and I am fairly certain I’ll be able to spot the potential to be hooked back into what I’m doing now. It’s also meant getting to know a group of people who are in the same place as me, who have broadly the same beliefs and values as me and who ‘get it’ – and, above all, who I know I can rely on for support if I need it. – Alex, Nov 2016

80. It’s been a hugely empowering experience – really getting under the skin of some of my deeply held beliefs about myself and giving me new reserves of confidence and optimism. It’s gone far deeper than I imagined it could in changing my outlook towards my career – and that couldn’t have happened without the strong support and connection to fellow Escapees. – Sarah, Nov 2016

79. It has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me besides getting married of course! To be surrounded by people who are positive, kind, enthusiastic and supportive – doesn’t get much better! – Christopher, Nov 2016

78. The opportunity to look within and think about what I would like from a “career” and from “life”. And to understand better what might make Monday mornings easier. – Vai, Nov 2016

77. So much. The combination of internal reflection and knowing yourself, learning to take action and having a supportive group of amazing people has been a powerful combination for me. I mentioned in my open mic that prior to programme, I thought I was bad at introspection; but not think it’s just because I was scared of the outcomes. That’s not the case any more.

Previously, I looked at “what do I do with my life” as this one massive thing, which makes it incredibly intimidating to tackle. I’ve learnt to break this down into smaller pieces, using a number of frameworks we’ve been taught, and take small steps towards these. Finally, whenever I waiver, there is a whole group of new friends to help me (and helping them also provides me with confidence that I can do things). No doubt so much more I can’t express adequately too….. Nov 2016

76. Escape Tribe has given me hope. That the future can be bright when people come together and unite behind a common cause (to do something more meaningful), even if that cause looks differently to each one of us. Escape Tribe has meant looking within in myself – a damn scary task – and coming to terms with what was inside. Escape Tribe meant giving myself permission to think about what I wanted out of my life, rather than what others would want from me.

Escape Tribe meant allowing myself to be me in front of other people, with all my baggage from the past, scars and struggles as well as my deepest beliefs and hopes for the future. Escape Tribe meant finding out how beautiful human connection can be between strangers if we let our guards down. Escape Tribe has meant finding brothers and sisters that I didn’t think I could find again. Escape Tribe has meant learning how to lead, experiencing first hand what being a great coach means (that means you, Sophie and Mark) and having the hope that I’d be able to provide others with a similar gift in future. – Joey, Nov 2016

75. The Tribe means to me support. I know that these guys are going to cheer me on and help. I know that I can lean on them. Tribe means no judgment, it means honesty and openness. It means connection at a deeper level. – Marta, Nov 2016

74. It’s given me 35 amazing new friends and given me the basis to make the change I needed in my life. –Toby, Nov 2016

73. It means I try to put humanity, humility and service first. Not ideas and ego. –Thomas, Nov 2016

72. It’s meant a great deal to me in terms of how I think about my life in general. 6 months ago I could have told you that I didn’t like my job but that’s about as far as I could have gone. Now I can elaborate on it for hours and bore my friends to tears about it!!! Seriously though it has really made me question why I have chosen particular paths before and has presented a way to consider potential paths in the future. It’s been really great. – Nov 2016

71. It’s has meant so much more than I ever thought it could!

This course is about life, not just about work. I have met 35 wonderful people, who I know pretty well, respect and love: yeah love! Not to mention having been taught by the wonderful Sophie and Mark. I love the way it covered so many things: forced us to open up and work together and give back to each other. – Kuli, Nov 2016

70. It’s been incredible. I have had a massive internal shift. I look at every situation and interaction with a positive mindset. I have made time for myself to manage my energy and I feel positive about the world and my tribe  – Sarah, Nov 2016

69. It has meant that I now know in which direction to look for my next role. Also that I trust my own opinions a lot more and the confidence I have gained through this programme is huge. – Nov 2016

68. It has meant a support system. It has kept me motivated during months where I would have been isolated and demotivated without it. – Fran, Nov 2016

67. A rediscovery of my love for the world and for people. That it is possible to do something better and not just settle. – Andrew, Nov 2016

66. It has given me the confidence to start again and do something creative and purposeful that align with my values, after some horrific work/career experiences. I have also met some amazing people who inspire me, motivate me and support me. – Claudia, Nov 2016

65. It’s been the most deliciously selfish time of my adult life. It’s allowed me the chance to think about what I want in a space I could never have created for myself. It’s given me tools, a network of supporters, a group of friends and a family who will be around for all that comes next.

It’s also been REALLY hard – in terms of time you need to dedicate to it, what it asks of you, the impact on relationships (both good and bad), and has stretched me in ways I didn’t think were possible. Above all – it’s been entirely worth it – my shift has not been huge, but in many ways it’s been so fundamental, that it is giant. – Jacqui, Nov 2016

64. I could not have done this on my own. It gave me a chance to be around other people who what to change careers in a positive and open environment where we could explore our interests. I was pushed out of my comfort zone and feel better because of it. I have never been in such a supportive and positive environment where I could be honest with others and myself without judgement. – Nov 2016

63. 1. Re-establishing my self belief. 2. Meeting a new tribe of supportive like minded people. 3. A new way of thinking and seeing possibilities. It’s been brilliant. – Joe, Nov 2016

62. The other members have been by far the best thing. It’s been amazing having others to talk to who are in the same position, want the same things, to have the safe space to explore who I am and what I want to do in life. – Nov 2016

61. A lot. I really did not know how to approach a change, I had done so many before but for some reason this time was very difficult and I had lost my confidence. The escape gave me tools to search what I really wanted to do rather than just find another job. – Nov 2016

60. It has been amazing, I am genuinely very grateful to be part of such a wonderful organisation/group. It has given me a new perspective on life and hopefully a toolkit to help refocus many aspects of my life. – Richard, Nov 2016

59. It’s has meant everything to me. Reading that question actually made my eyes well up. It has meant absolutely everything to me. I feel more myself right now than I can remember everI feeling. And it feels REALLY good. I feel like no matter what happens next, I’ll be okay. I trust myself, feel energized by what I’ve learned about myself, and that is just so awesome to realize.

I am so glad I found and joined the Escape Tribe. I am so energized and excited for this path I am heading down. I can’t imagine if I had stayed on my old path what that would mean for me. This has been such a game changer and pivotal in my life! Woohoo to that! – Katherine, July 2016

58. Community. I’ve gained a group of new friends who I have connected with so deeply and care so much about in such a short space of time.

It has also been the best opportunity for me to explore exactly who I am. What my strengths are, my values, my must haves. These are the things I wanted to get out of the tribe, and these are exactly the things I have got out of it. – Hunter, July 2016

57. An incredible journey, incredibly hard and beautiful! And such a beautiful group of people! I feel so lucky and happy to had the chance to meet all these people. Since the last Tuesday evening, I feel I can count on my tribe whenever I will need them. I felt a great connection with everyone and this last day and the little cards everyone wrote, this is the most beautiful gift i received in a very long time 

It helps me to take a few step toward a more fulfilling life, I feel I have the capacities to do it now, that I am not alone feeling this way.

And I learn a lot about me, i have been put in front of my fears and blockers. Even if don’t know how to manage them yet, they are more clear to me and it will help me in this path of transition. I hope it will help me to not tail off and go to the end of my wish in quitting my actual job and find a job with a positive impact on people and the society. – Fanny, July 2016

56. (The programme) has meant so much to me. It has given me a community that has allowed me to truly believe that there is another way and it is possible to follow the path less travelled by. It has freed me from the shackles of a job that, whilst I didn’t hate, was not right for me and was slowly grinding me down and making me miserable. It has given me a real core grounding in who I am and what I stand for, and has allowed me to be comfortable with who I am and what I have to offer and to know that that is enough. – Will, July 2016

55. It’s been a far greater personal journey than I imagined, which I’m glad for. It took me further than I thought it could and that’s a success to me. It’s meant re-connecting to people. I’ve known for a while that I’ve cut myself off from a lot of social interaction and this reminded me why it’s fun to be with people. That’s the main thing. On that front, it’s meant a great deal. – Claire, July 2016

54. I gained a lot of clarity and purpose through course. The whole experience means a whole lot, as I’ve built a toolkit for defining a future on my terms. – July 2016

53. It was an experiment in waking myself up – working with different people than I would usually connect with, challenging my thinking. – July 2016

52.

1. Education to view the world of work in a different way. I have taken the ‘portfolio career’ phrase to heart as my ambition for 3-5 years time from now (and possibly a lot sooner!)

2. A space to be more introspective and to remind me to be so each and every day

3. Building relationships with people with different skillsets, views and ambitions and gaining positivity and inspiration from their goals and perspective.

4. A change in the way I view relationships with friends, family and my wife. A reason to ask more meaningful questions and have better conversations. – July 2016

51. It’s given me the space to focus on my career change and in that way has legitimised the whole process for me. It’s meant new ideas, new people, and being able to be honest with myself in an open and supportive environment. It’s also meant new friends which is the thing I least expected. – July 2016

50. It’s been a trip that has been both internal and collective. The communication between my learnings from the collective and the internal has opened up so many GOOD things.

Having committed to the process, I have clarified what is important to me, have felt and given love to you wonderful new people, I feel the charge of hope and optimism that feeling connected with like minded others has re-ignited. I feel awake. Maybe with some glimpses of flourish! The Tribe has woken me up to shining…I was on a path of diminishing and self critical smallness (relatively). It has taught me that I need to be reminded and to continue to learn. – Jenny, July 2016

49. It has provided a steady constant through a huge time of self-awareness and growth. I have loved looking forward to every Tuesday to see a Tribe of like-minded people that I want to support and see flourish. Escape Tribe is what saved my sanity in the overwhelming city of London. It as given me the hope / confidence to make the next move (post-London) into uncertainty. – Ben, July 2016

48. The Tribe supported me in this transition, gave me tools, confidence and a community of like minded people who helped become true to myself and my real values. – Andreia, July 2016

47. Different things at different points I think. It’s given me a starting block and a safety net and a group of people on my page always there to catch me. It’s been invaluable and it’s been exhausting. It’s been amazing and stressful. I loved it! – Olivia, July 2016

46. Wow – big question! Without sounding trite, it meant everything. I feel such a fundamental shift in my thinking and way of being. The Tribe was more than about finding another career for me. It helped me to work on some of my own social and emotional skills. I have made friends – good friends. 

I have been vulnerable and I trust people in a way I would not have done before the Tribe. On the career front – the Tribe has made me realise and therefore focus on what is right for me in my heart. I have absolutely no qualms about living corporate life – in fact, if I could do it today, I would do (if someone would pay all of my bills and keep me in the style to which I have become accustomed!) – Christina, July 2016

45. It has meant new friends, new understandings and new opportunities. It’s given me permission to start living again. – Lisa, July 2016

44. The main thing it has forced me to do over the past 3 months is to carve out time to ask myself difficult questions. What do I really like doing? How do I picture my future work? How can I spend time following curiosities? What are my values? it has also been great to meet a diverse group of people all very different with a common goal. – Tanya, July 2016

43. It’s helped me understand myself better. Its helped me feel more confident, clear some blockers and understand the ones that still appear.

It's given me tools for moving forwards and helped me break down what felt like a huge shift into much smaller chunks and make marginal gains which give me energy rather than make me feel overwhelmed. – Ash, July 2016

42. To start with, it was like a reset button on a lot of things for me. It gave me time to explore my inner self and air my concerns in a judgement free environment. It was also a great place to make some great friends; like-minded people who are just truly awesome. Finally, it’s made me recognise the value of authenticity – Sarah, July 2016

41. So much! It was a community within which I could untangle and begin to address so many of the issues I felt were stifling my life. – Lidia, July 2016

40. I’ve had a few years of being quietly bored at work – decent money and at a point where the next rung(s) didn’t feel they’d be more interesting or better paid – incentive to progress had gone and that created a vicious circle. Escape’s been a kick into action, there’s not a single ‘aha’ moment but being surrounded by people in similar positions is tremendously helpful in normalising your feelings, which lets you get on with next steps. – Duncan, July 2016

39. Support, understanding that there are different ways to relate to work, there are different paths. – Maria, July 2016

38. It has been a totally liberating experience. It transcends one particular action, activity or challenge, and I couldn’t put a finger on exactly when the changed happened, but it is the most important thing that could have happened. The most profound. – Pete, July 2016

37. Learning to be kinder to myself, learning to enjoy the process – the journey rather than where I’m headed. I’m happy to have found my tribe. – Sylvia, April 2016

36. Yikes! I’m not sure I have the ability to put it into words!

At times it’s felt like a millstone, but that’s only because it’s been able to shine a light on some well hidden patterns that I’ve been trying to both hide and ignore. The Tribe has been a comfort, a place of safety, a place of security, a place of trust, a place of hope and happiness, and most importantly a place where I’ve known that I am not on my own.

It’s meant that I can delve into some deep recesses and face down my own demons, whilst knowing that I am surrounded by kindness and love. I’ve known that people have my back; they can’t walk my journey for me, but they can offer a light, a compass or a supportive hand whenever it’s been required. The Tribe has given me strength and courage; it’s given me the support to allow me to step into myself and be happy with who I am. The Tribe has encouraged me to spread my wings and be kinder to myself. The Tribe has meant everything to me – in it’s own way, it’s changed my world. It’s given me permission to let love into my life. – Louise, April 2016

35. So much! Difficult to put in words. A thought sprang into my mind yesterday: “I feel richer for the thoughts of all those on the tribe”. The connection to and affection for the group has done a lot for creating a small shift in my head about how I perceive the world- I’m not sure what it is, but intensity and true feeling feels within reach now. The wealth of experiences and stories I heard from others has left me enriched and FEELING more. – April 2016

34. Meeting like minded people. Being held accountable. Having my thinking challenged (gently). – Ashlee, April 2016

33. It has been a lifeline to me, I was in a very dark place at the end of the year and meeting a group of like minded people was a bright light shining down. I have had an incredible experience, meeting what I hope will be some friends for life, and also others who I wouldn’t normally meet but have created some beautiful moments and pushed me to personal growth. – Kate, April 2016

32. A whole bunch of things: a place to be myself, to be vulnerable and brave. I’ve met people that have challenged me, inspired me, terrified me and made me feel loved and unique and special. It’s been good to prove to myself that I can commit to something and that I’m making a positive change rather than complaining about things all the time. – Olivia, April 2016

31. It’s been really eye-opening. The people, the tools, the work, the emotions…….I really feel I have made a big mindset shift. Whilst I haven’t yet “escaped” I have much more awareness and understanding of where I am going wrong and what I should be aiming for.

Above all the tribe is a new network of supporters, champions, people I can learn from, people I can get advice from and people who understand all the complications of getting stuck and trying to get yourself unstuck. It was an amazing experience – I have learnt so much about myself and the kind of person I want to be, not just in my career but in my life. 

I have laughed, cried, done crazy dancing, shared my innermost feelings, meditated, drawn monsters and bonded with a wonderful group of inspiring people. Escape Tribe has brought back some magic into my life. – April 2016

30. The most safe harbour to start sailing from, I have ever experienced. – April 2016

29. At the start of the course I was completely stuck and felt there was no alternative way to what I was doing, no way out. Whereas now I can see all the possibilities and I’m trying to decide which ones I want to explore. The Tribe gave me the tools, the push and the hope (i.e. I’m not on my own doing this, it’s possible and other people are struggling but succeeding!) and opened up my mind big time! – Silvia, April 2016

28. It’s been the most beautiful, supportive atmosphere where people celebrate your successes, don’t judge you when you’re struggling and lift you up every week. The Escape Tribe feels like my family now. I miss it already (can I come back?!?!?!)! – Effie, April 2016

27. Normality, and a chance to learn myself, and more than a little bit of Hope. Also a good kick in the butt. – Meredith, April 2016

26. It has meant a huge amount to me. It has built my confidence and given me the practical tools and the insights around mindset to help me design a life and career that is aligned to who I am and what I want to do. Nuff said! Escape fucking rocks! (sorry… but swear words used sparingly can be good). – Daniel, April 2016

25. Gained a new family with a shared vision and a framework and tools to make a difference. – April 2016

24. It has been the tool to unlock the positive me who wants to approach change head on and take risks. The essence of Tribe is its community, the power of which you can’t really understand until you are in it. Being able to share your experience and know that in some way everyone there gets it in an almost universal way is powerful. 

Knowing that you are not alone is huge for each and everyone on the Tribe. I’m still working on who I am but I feel I have a stronger defined values system and can rely on my gut instincts/intuition more rather than simply following a plan. – Reshma, April 2016

23. It has meant having a tribe of people around me who are on a similar journey of finding meaningful work, allowing me to free myself from the expectations of my usual crowd. A space where my small steps towards a life I’m happy with were celebrated, no matter how small. Accountability to keep finding ways to move forward. Support from like-minded people who understood the downs as much as the ups through that journey, and never judged. – April 2016

22. It’s been a whistle stop tour through career change with passengers all feeling that we want to do something different. The Tribe has been a space where I have been able to make some connections, and get some answers to some questions i have had, also has made me challenge some preconceptions of mine, and become more confident and proud of myself and what I have achieved and a platform to take small steps forward in. – April 2016

21. I am sure this answer will evolve with time but the Tribe has meant simultaneously a new window on the world and my life, the ladder to reach it and the friends helping me put the ladder at the right place and hold it tight whilst I was climbing. – Jerome, April 2016

20. The programme has given me a sense of clarity as to what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. It has also given me confidence, either through increased belief in myself, practical tips and tools, or a combination of the two, to start doing it in both expected and unexpected ways.

The shared sense of unity and purpose from a group of emotionally and spiritually disparate people from a wide range of backgrounds has been a powerful and profound experience to undergo. Life can be hard sometimes and it takes a special setup to allow individuals to open up to their hardships, share and then work on them. Escape facilitates that in a way I haven’t observed before.

Escape gives people freedom: to dream, to believe, to fail and to care for ourselves and others. – Paul, April 2016

19. It has been an incredible journey. I’m still blown away how Esc have created an environment where the tribe can be so open and honest with each other. Working with a group of like minded individuals looking for something more to life has been a very special experience. – Richard, April 2016

18. The tribe was a safe lab to experiment and discover different things about myself through others. It was a great environment to be a part of, always brought me positive energy even when I wasn’t feeling positive. It was also a chance to meet other people and their stories and see alternative ways of living – this was very important because it made me believe in my change and in not having a set path. I met incredible people, it brought me back the faith in mankind and in myself. – Ana, April 2016

17. It has given me the space and time to enable me to focus on what else could be out there beyond the “normal” job. And enabled me to do this with a fantastic group of likeminded people, sharing in our views that there should be something better out there. – April 2016

16. A huge amount – given me great support to make progress in making a change and also given me the time to focus on myself. – Lindsey, April 2016

15. It’s meant sooooo much to me. Its incredible the power of having a group of like minded people who are behind you who also want to change, its taken me from doubt to action. Its helped me become alive again and be confident to be me. Its opened my eyes to infinite choices and possibilities. before I had no idea what I wanted to do, now I have so many things I want to explore and learn about. – Adelaide, April 2016

14. A huge new perspective to change my life and career path. Met amazing individuals. – April 2016

13. It’s been a place where, after a long time, I finally felt I belonged. I was accepted for who I was, and that gave me the strength and courage to start changing the things in my life that were making me unhappy. – Susanna, April 2016

12. Before I left for my career break, I felt completely lost. I was unhappy, dissatisfied and if I’m honest really angry about how I had let myself get to where I was (despite the outward success). I was so far adrift from who I thought of myself as being, that I wasn’t sure I could find my way back.

I did a lot of work before starting tribe on reconnecting to who I am, but Tribe was a focused period of time to really work on who I was, being challenged about what my values where and what I wanted to do and test stuff out. Tribe provided me with the space to do that, with the support and community to help. I’m excited and filled with possibilities now in a way I wasn’t for many years and that is amazing. – Marta, April 2016

11. Life-changer. It’s been many things, from the highlight of my week and a catalyst for a different way of being. It’s introduced me to like-minded people that are now dear friends. I feel part of community. It’s been a lighthouse in a difficult time, always lighting the way. From introspection to taking action, it’s encouraged me to experiment and to be kind to myself. It’s been a real eye-opener. – Abby, April 2016

10. It was the most valuable experience and best thing I could ever have done for myself. The people made it for me! – Elize, April 2016

9. It has helped me not feel alone on the journey, connect with a group of like-minded people, and given me the tools to keep trying. – Jessica, April 2016

8. It’s given me the opportunity to learn even more about myself. I feel like I started the self-development journey a couple of years ago but Esc has given me the chance to take it up a gear (or five!), which I hadn’t thought possible. As I said in my open mic, I still don’t know what it all means but I feel like Esc has almost given me permission to peel back some of the layers and see what might happen. – April 2016

7. It’s given me time and space to get closer to myself again out of a state of numbness and disconnect with myself. It gave me the courage to try out new things, to be more demanding and to let got of seemingly indispensable things and wants. It got me in touch with a bunch of wonderful people out of which I learned to actually deeply love some.

Tribe has given me access to tapping “swarm intelligence” in peer-to-peer consulting within a group of great diversity. It has also taught me methods, exercises and theoretical know-how to become more in control of my own life. – April 2016

6. It’s been the big push I’ve needed for a long time to start taking some steps away from the career treadmill I’ve been stuck on. I’ve had wonderful friends who have pointed this out to me for a long time (Mark St), so it’s been good to show that I am doing something about this. The tribe has helped me take stock of my capabilities and start to see what they could look like commercially and push me towards doing things for myself. The group has been incredible. – Sandra, April 2016

5. A very well supported journey into my values and needs. – April 2016

4. Everything. – Adrian, April 2016

3. The biggest thing for me has been a shift in my perception of work and also what matters to me in a career. It’s also helped me greatly increase my confidence in trying new things that I’ve always been interested in but have never explored. Personally, I’ve also changed for the better in not caring so much about what others think of me and I’m also able to approach life with less anxiety. – April 2016

2. The world. I could feel that it was what I needed, and I wasn’t wrong. It will forever be a point in my life that I look back on. My Dad lent me the money to take part in tribe, as I was waiting on an overdue sum of money which I’d expected 12 months prior, and was being careful (well, I have a new definition of that now.. I was still spending hundreds a month on clothes :S). After the last day I sent him a text which read along the lines of “this experience has put me on a new course in life; one you could see I was meant for and one that will make you proud; because I am honouring myself. I will never be able to thank you enough. – April 2016

1.

-A space and framework to help me to the journey of taking control of my life and do what I want to do, not what I’m supposed to do.

-A group of people with a similar mindset to talk to and support each other.

-A guide to a deep introspection to set the base for what I want my future to look like, combined with a set of tools to take those findings to action step by step.

-A life changing experience, a weekly inspiration and motivation boost and a network of amazing people to go through my journey with. – Maria, April 2016

Want to stop thinking and start doing?