You never know which training might change your life.
This is the story of one that changed my mindset and the choices I made after.

It was September 2023.
I sat in a sunny room in Lille, thinking it was just another corporate session.
Next to me, a group of colleagues from all over the world.
Total strangers, we had never met before.

Honestly, I wasn’t ready for how that training began.

Within 15 minutes, the trainer had created a surprisingly safe space. People started sharing personal life stories.
Some were funny. Some were deep. A few were heartbreaking.
I noticed tears in some eyes.

I thought, “What’s going on here? Come on, people! We barely know each other.”

That was the start of a training on Personal Values and Purpose.
It is designed to help people look inward, understand personal values, and reflect on what truly matters.

The next three days were intense.

We worked a lot in pairs.
I found myself telling stories I’d never shared before, not even with my family. With a complete stranger.
And he opened up to me too.
The trainer pushed us to go deeper. To speak, to feel, to really listen.
And from time to time, something clicked in the process.
Then we took that new clarity and turned it into an action plan.

It’s a well-known training at Decathlon, and I’d heard all kinds of feedback — from “It’s total nonsense” to “This might change your life.”
But no one felt neutral.

And what struck me most was this: some people decide to leave the company after this training, and the company is aware of it.

I mean, seriously!?! My company is paying for flights, hotel, food, and professional coaches… so I can explore my inner world? And then I might quit the company? Is this actually happening? That sounded wild to me.

But later, I realised — it’s not just good for people. It’s also smart for businesses to invest in people’s clarity of values. If they stay — great. Their values align.
But if not, and they leave — better for both sides.

As for me, it didn’t make me want to quit the company right after the training.
But I connected a lot of dots about myself. And it was the moment I realized: corporate life isn’t my final stop…

Most importantly, it left me with one uncomfortable thought — I don’t know myself well enough. And I need to keep digging.

What if the best thing a company can give you… is that uncomfortable thought? And the courage to follow it.

Thanks, Decathlon

All photos from that training: