Tim Van Dijck

Mentor with an energetic and inspiring style, focused on strengthening self-leadership and the growth of others.

Combines an analytical mind with a people-oriented, creative approach.

Transition from an operational role to strategic leadership, supported by international experience and academic deepening.

Extensive experience in maritime and public sectors, with insight into complex stakeholder environments.

Challenges people to redefine their potential, with attention to both direction and rhythm.

“You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

That quote by Jim Carrey has always stayed with me. I have made choices that seemed illogical to some: from engineer to manager, from an operational role in the private sector to strategy within government. But time and again, I chose what resonated with me: change and growth, in myself and in others.

In my free time, I look for space: literally, by running or traveling. But also figuratively: in books, music, conversations. I am drawn to people who look at things differently, who dare to deviate. One of my heroes is Barack Obama: for his calm determination and his ability to combine vision with empathy.

I myself have had the privilege of encountering mentors along the way, sometimes through formal trajectories, but often at exactly the right moments. They taught me to trust my intuition while at the same time testing my ideas against reality.

What would I say to my younger self? Don’t let yourself be distracted too quickly by expectations. Stay true to what gives you energy, even when the path is uncertain. Because the alternative—certainty without fulfillment—is rarely worth it.

Mentorship, to me, is not a role but a form of shared leadership. According to the 70-20-10 rule, we learn primarily by doing, but that 20%—learning from and with others—is often the tipping point. As a mentor, that is exactly where I want to be: as a sounding board, a challenger, and a source of support. An opportunity to help give direction to others, while continuing to grow myself.