“Things are going to be hard, but that’s what makes them worth doing.”
Before joining CatZero, Oliver Winter was struggling with his confidence and self-esteem. He felt stuck and was finding it increasingly difficult to see where his future was heading.
After applying for every job he could find without success, Oliver began to question himself.
“I was angry and annoyed that I couldn’t get any of them, wondering if I was the problem.”
Finding confidence at sea
Stepping away from his usual environment and spending time at sea gave Oliver the opportunity to challenge himself in ways he hadn’t expected.
Being aboard the yacht pushed him outside his comfort zone and showed him that he was capable of doing difficult and sometimes frightening things.
“Being at sea gave me confidence that I can do some very challenging and scary things.”
The experience also gave Oliver the chance to take on a leadership role, helping him develop his skills and confidence as a leader.
Building mental resilience
One of the biggest things Oliver took from the programme was a stronger sense of mental resilience.
For him, resilience meant learning not to give up when something didn’t work the first time.
“Trying over and over again until I got it right despite not getting it the first few times.”
That mindset became an important part of his experience with CatZero and something he could take with him beyond the programme.
A different way of looking at challenges
The experience reinforced something Oliver already believed: that the things worth achieving aren’t always easy.
“Things are going to be hard but that’s what makes them worth doing.”
CatZero gave Oliver the opportunity to put that philosophy into practice and, importantly, prove it to himself.
The experience helped him build confidence and showed him that he could thrive outside the environments he was used to.
A new chapter
After completing the programme, Oliver secured full-time employment, marking a significant shift in his life. But the changes went beyond employment.
“The programme had given me the confidence to be able to thrive in a different environment than I was used to.”
Oliver says his relationship with himself has never been better, and his self-image continues to improve every day.
Once CatZero, always CatZero
Looking back, Oliver describes CatZero as much more than a programme.
“CatZero is a fantastic community of people that will support you in whatever you’re striving to accomplish or will point you in the right direction.”
And even when the programme comes to an end, Oliver says the connection doesn’t disappear.
“After the program is finished you never truly leave.”
Oliver’s story is a reminder that progress doesn’t always begin with knowing exactly where you’re going. Sometimes, it starts with taking a chance, stepping outside your comfort zone and discovering that you’re capable of more than you thought.
For Oliver, that first step helped him move from feeling stuck to building confidence, resilience and a future he could see himself thriving in.
