Unlock your potential with a smile

BY MARC RODAN

Every Tuesday, we put one KREW Member in the Spotlight. This week it’s our forever-positive and energetic self-leadership coach Costa Belien!

Full name: Costa Belien 
Business name: Costa Belien
Currently lives in: Antwerp, Belgium
Grew up in: Antwerp, Belgium
Entrepreneur since: Early 2019

Who is Costa? Someone who believes in human potential! I believe in possibilities, that you can grow into whatever you want to be good at. That you can become the best version of yourself. I honestly believe that as humans, fulfilment is super simple and we overcomplicate things like crazy. It’s about connecting and doing something that’s important to you. It’s about becoming better at what matters.

Other ways of describing me are a big smile, enthusiastic, empathic, non-judging, understanding and seeing the best in others. I like being active, being in nature and living in a healthy body. I love to cook, to eat, to share happiness and to connect with friends and family. I’m basically an essentialist. I love the basics in life, done to a level that makes it into art. Everything doesn’t have to be crazy: when you’re with friends, be with friends and go all-in on that. I say: let’s make life into the best trip ever and become the best people we can be. 

Fun fact: I’m on first-name terms with my local “gelato guy”. Seriously, this guy makes gelato into art. So if you ever find yourself in Antwerp, visit Milanese Gelato and say that Costa sent you. He’ll give you extra big scoops.

What is your biggest superpower? My empathy and ability to understand where other people are coming from.

What can be your kryptonite? My bed in the morning and staying under the sheets when it’s kind of cold. I honestly think that in life, and in entrepreneurship, that is my biggest battle.

“My biggest battle is my bed in the morning and staying under the sheets when it’s kind of cold.”

Just so we can refer them to you: who are your typical clients? My typical clients are people who are consciously trying to create a better version of themselves. This could be personally or professionally. People who are already into self-development, going after what they want. People who already know a bit about who they are and what’s important to them, like the entrepreneurs in KREW! I bring them to the next level in going after their best self and creating their best and most fulfilling future.

Which products and/or services do you offer? I offer three main things. The first is a premium Masterclass on setting goals that you want to achieve: going from vague goals, or goals you’ve had for a while that don’t stick… and translating them into a very clear set of actions, backed by a true understanding of your motivations. In this Masterclass I basically help you find a personalised  answer to the question: “What can I do on a daily basis to move me to my desired outcome?”. 

The next thing I offer is the Personal Power Program: a long-term mentorship program and community, where I teach you the self-leadership skills that you need, to create the results that you want. A lot of people know they want something, but they don’t really know how to manage their energy, their mental state and their emotions. They have no idea how to clarify what’s important, how to go after it. If you look at your body as a machine and know how to manage it, both physically and emotionally, you’re set up for success. And whatever you want is going to appear. This reminds me of one of my favourite quotes: “The next 10 years are going to pass anyway, what is it that you want to achieve?”

Last but not least, I give tailor-made individual coaching and support for people who want to work one-on-one with me to help them become the best they can be.

“Success is not about what you achieve, it’s about who you become.”

What does success look like to you? “Success is not about what you achieve, it’s about who you become.” That’s one of my own quotes actually, and also one of my favourites. I think we all have our unique reasons for being here, with our own set of experiences, desires and strengths. Success to me means that you grow into your destiny. Like, you don’t run from it, but you understand who you are and what’s important to you.  You see yourself making progress to that ideal. To just be the full you and be very good at it. That’s success.

Sure, I would still like to have the boat, the house in Italy, the toys and the luxuries. But if I didn’t earn it by developing myself, it would just feel empty. I would rather be a fully developed and conscious vagabond, than a rich man trapped in his own mental prisons.

One of the things I teach in my Personal Power Program is this concept of ‘Five for Life’. When you’re ninety and you’re sitting in your favourite chair looking back on your life, thinking about these five things should bring a sense of: “OK, I focused on what’s really important for me”. My Five for Life is: spirituality (understanding who we are in a larger sense), health (taking care of my body, because my body is taking care of me), relationships (healthy, happy and mutually beneficial relationships in which you help each other grow), joy (not making things too difficult or strict, but enjoying the small things like eating a gelato or being in nature) and the mission I’m on with my business: to help people grow into fulfilment and make them believe in reaching their full potential. So just progressing on my Five for Life, that’s success to me.

What is your favourite way to celebrate achievements? Orangettes: candied orange peels wrapped in dark Belgian chocolate. I’ll have them at the end of a difficult week, when I reach a milestone or when I’m proud of my progress  in living my Five for Life.

^ Costa’s response when asked about his major challenge.

What is a major challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur and how have you overcome it? I think the biggest challenge of being an entrepreneur is being at it solo and overthinking or doubting basically every decision. The KREW Mastermind I have together with Marc and Brendy helps me overcome these challenges. I now have sparring partners, people I can talk to about this stuff. It’s great to get feedback, advice and a different point of view. It offers me a lot of perspective. 

What do you love to do when you’re not working? To cook, to be in nature and to play board games (Scrabble and Carcassonne particularly). I used to hate reading – I’m a bit dyslexic, school was tough – but now I love getting more knowledge through business and self-development books.

Who is your superhero (fictional or real)? Robin Sharma. He describes himself as a Humanitarian and Leadership Missionary. I know about him through Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory. The way he was talking was so humble and yet so inspiring that I immediately bought the book he was promoting: The 5AM Club. 

Why is he my superhero? Because this guy has such a deep belief in human potential and such a way of speaking in a hopeful manner that he makes you want to go for your greatness. That’s just what I love. His story is similar to mine as well: he was in a job that he didn’t feel was right for him. He decided to make his own move and go all in on what he was feeling, that resonates with me. And when I look at his business at the moment, man, he’s doing big things. 

Which book has made a major impact on you? One book really isn’t enough. I’ll give you my top 3 list instead. Starting with the first one by Dale Carnegie: How to Win Friends and Influence People. My grandfather gave this book to me when I was 14. It was my first personal development book and made a huge impact on me. I was just so inspired by the idea that you could develop yourself to be better placed in handling everyday situations.

The second is, of course, The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma. It’s a book that inspires belief in yourself and to step into your potential. It has some practical tips that you can implement as well if you’re a bit creative on how to do it. It’s very inspiring. The story it’s wrapped up in may feel a little low-quality at times, but the lessons in there are real diamonds. 

And my all time favourite, Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It just touches your soul. If you haven’t read it, read it. It’s written from the perspective of an adult as a plea to keep their inner child alive and to focus on what’s truly important in life. Explained with incredible soul stirring stories.

^ Happy Costa with his favourite gelato.

Which tools do you love to use for your business? Pen and paper! For me, the connection of my mind clarifying itself is so much more direct with pen and paper than with anything digital.

What can KREW Members reach out to you for? To install positive habits that will create personal or business breakthroughs, to get clarity on which decision to take in alignment with what’s right for them personally. And just for a chat: to share personal experiences and stories… what excites you, basically. I get excited when other people share what gets them  excited. 

Where can we best find your business and you online? You can find me via my website, my Instagram and on LinkedIn.

Anything else that you’d like us to know about you? I just really want everybody on KREW to know that I massively respect and support their choice to go after it. I applaud people that break out of their own cages and decide to go for what feels right inside. I think everybody in KREW made that decision. So keep it up, shine your light. Stay great. 

Thanks for reading the weekly KREW Spotlight! Don’t hesitate to reach out to Costa and start a new meaningful connection or collaboration.

Marc Rodan is the Founder of KREW and Chief Editor of KREW Stories. In 2015 he started his first business as the tallest (mini) pancake baker in Sweden. Since then, he has travelled the world to start businesses in both branding and online education. Marc loves penguins, UFOs and anything blue and orange, always makes up songs while doing the dishes and dreams of one day living in a tree house as big as Jake and Finn’s. Connect with him on LinkedIn.