Introduction: The Man Who Disappeared for a Decade
What does it take to not just set a goal, but to achieve it with unwavering certainty? How can we cultivate the kind of resilience that allows us to rebuild our lives from crisis, not once, but multiple times?
In a world saturated with fleeting motivation and quick fixes, the story of Yubim Kogan stands as a powerful testament to profound, purpose-driven self-improvement. A five-time immigrant, an Olympic-level athlete, a bestselling author, and the founder of a humanitarian organization, Yubim recently reemerged after a decade away, rebuilding from a personal and professional crisis.
His journey offers more than just inspiration; it provides a tangible playbook for anyone seeking to become a high achiever. In a revealing interview on Luxury Unplugged with host Neeti Keswani, Yubim distilled a lifetime of experience into powerful, actionable principles. This blog post delves deep into those lessons, exploring the champion mindset that drives high performance, the art of visualization, and the day-to-day discipline of goal setting that can turn your biggest dreams into your lived reality.
If you are ready to move beyond chasing "flashy things" and start building a life of genuine fulfillment and achievement, read on. The wisdom here is your first step.
Part 1: The Foundation - Your "Why" Must Be Your Own
Before any talk of tactics or strategies, Yubim Kogan emphasizes a non-negotiable foundation: internal motivation. In an age of social media comparison, this is the cornerstone of authentic self-improvement.
The Danger of External Validation
Yubim points out a critical challenge for modern high achievers: the constant distraction and "hijacking" of our attention by what others are doing and possessing. The chase for "flashy goals" dictated by societal norms is a recipe for burnout and dissatisfaction.
"I have never spent an extended period of time doing something for somebody else... Chasing some flashy goal or dream was never important to me."
This is a profound shift in perspective. True, lasting drive doesn't come from wanting to appear successful; it comes from a deep, personal connection to the goal itself.
The Power of Intrinsic Motivation
Yubim’s accomplishments—immigrating to new countries, competing at an Olympic level, writing a bestselling book—were all pursued because he wanted to. They came from the inside. This internal "why" is what fuels the resilience needed for the inevitable difficulties.
"If you love the dream that you're going after, you have a very high probability of achieving it... it's a completely different game."
When you love the process and the dream itself, the hard work feels less like a burden and more like a passionate pursuit. This intrinsic motivation is the bedrock upon which all high performance is built. It’s the first and most crucial step in any effective self-improvement plan. For anyone engaged in goal setting, this is the question you must answer first: "Is this my dream, or someone else's?"
Part 2: The Champion Mindset - Visualization and Unwavering Certainty
What separates those who dream from those who achieve? According to Yubim Kogan, it’s a specific mental framework—a champion mindset rooted in absolute certainty. This is where the concept of visualization moves from a buzzword to a critical tool for high performance.
Be in the Movie, Don't Just Watch It
Yubim’s approach to visualization is not passive; it's active and immersive. He doesn't just imagine success; he inhabits it.
"You see yourself there. It's not imagination of the process; you are there... You're not watching a movie; you are in that movie. And the longer you live in that movie, then it becomes reality. It just takes time."
For Yubim, becoming an Olympian wasn't a future hope; it was a present-day reality in his mind. He consistently visualized himself walking through the Olympic tunnel—the final passage every athlete takes before being officially recognized as an Olympian. In his mind, he was always on the other side of that tunnel. This powerful form of visualization creates a neurological blueprint for success, priming your mind and body to act in alignment with that reality.
The "No Going Back" Decision
This level of visualization leads to what Yubim calls the "100% certainty." This is the core of the champion mindset for any high achiever.
"The difference with people who make it is that they never go back. That faith, that 100% certainty that 'I am there,' is always there."
He acknowledges that there will be obstacles—injuries, setbacks, and pauses. But these are merely "puddles to step over," not reasons to abandon the dream. This unwavering commitment is what allows for extraordinary resilience. It’s the decision that you will "do whatever it takes," making your goal setting an unshakable commitment rather than a tentative experiment.
Part 3: The Engine - Resilience as a Series of Small Steps
A powerful vision and unwavering certainty set the direction, but resilience is the engine that gets you there. Yubim Kogan offers a brilliantly practical definition of resilience that demystifies this often-intimidating concept.
Resilience is Not a Feeling, It's a Focus
Yubim reframes resilience not as something you embrace, but as something you become through action.
"I think it's not exactly embracing resilience, it's becoming resilient. You make that decision that you're going to get through whatever comes your way."
His method for navigating overwhelming challenges is deceptively simple: focus on the next step.
"No matter how big the task is, if you focus on the next step, the next logical, most important step that you have to take, that's how you get through difficult things."
When you look at the entire "mountain" you have to climb, doubt and fear can paralyze you. But anyone can take one small step. This philosophy is essential for high achievers who often face monumental tasks. By breaking down a large goal setting framework into the "next logical step," you build resilience through consistent, manageable action.
The Power of the "Quiet Hour" and Your Internal Compass
In times of extreme uncertainty, how do you know what the "next step" is? Yubim shares a powerful personal practice: connecting with his internal compass.
He describes having two compasses: one in his head (logic, fear, doubt) and one in his heart (intuition, purpose). During his daily "quiet hour" at 4:00 a.m., he sits in silence to determine which compass is guiding him.
"If it comes from this compass [the heart], I just take the next step... Sometimes getting started is just getting out of bed and making a phone call or sending an email. Do one thing and do it right now."
This practice ensures that your steps are aligned with your core purpose, fueling authentic self-improvement rather than reactive scrambling. It’s a vital strategy for maintaining resilience when the path ahead is unclear.
Part 4: The Application - Lessons from an Immigrant and Humanitarian
Yubim Kogan’s principles weren’t developed in a vacuum; they were forged in the fires of real-world challenges—from being a five-time immigrant to leading during a war.
The Immigrant's Advantage: Grit and Realistic Expectations
Yubim offers a sobering but empowering perspective for immigrants and anyone starting from behind. He states that as an immigrant, you must accept that you have to "travel some distance just to be on the playing field."
"If you come from another country, it will be a lot of work to just become equal. After that, you can play and try to win... just expect that it will take a lot of work."
This mindset reframes the struggle not as a disadvantage, but as a necessary part of the journey. It builds a unique form of resilience and realistic goal setting, preparing you for the long haul required for high achievement.
Purpose-Driven Success: The Ultimate Metric
Perhaps the most profound evolution of a high achiever is shifting from personal success to service-driven impact. After his financial career and bestselling author status, Yubim’s mission now is humanitarian work with wounded defenders through his organization.
His metric for success is beautifully simple and powerful: "If I saved one life, I saved the whole world."
He shares the story of Valeik, a 23-year-old soldier with one leg whose deteriorating health threatened to paralyze him. Yubim’s metric became getting Valeik the urgent physical therapy he needed within a specific, life-saving timeframe.
"When these men and women come back after defending our freedom... I feel this gratitude and obligation to fulfill the promise that society makes... So, when I take care of one, two, three people, that is my metric."
This is goal setting at its most profound. It’s a powerful reminder that the ultimate self-improvement is often about how we improve the lives of others. This purpose-driven focus provides a depth of motivation that fuels a new level of resilience and high performance.
Part 5: Your Action Plan - Inculcating High-Performance Nuggets Daily
How can you, as an aspiring high achiever, start applying these principles today? Here is a distilled action plan based on Yubim Kogan’s wisdom.
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Define Your Internally-Motivated Goal: Before anything else, ask yourself: "Is this goal truly mine? Do I love the dream itself, or just the idea of the outcome?" Your journey of self-improvement must be built on this honest foundation.
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Practice Immersive Visualization: Don’t just wish for your goal. Spend 5-10 minutes each day living it in your mind. Be in the movie. Feel what it feels like to have already achieved it. This is not daydreaming; it is active visualization that rewires your brain for success.
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Make the "No Going Back" Decision: Declare your commitment to yourself. Write it down. This isn't about being rigid, but about having a core certainty that you will find a way, no matter the obstacles. This is the bedrock of resilience.
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Identify and Execute the Next Step: When you feel overwhelmed, stop looking at the mountain. Look at the very next step. What is one single action you can take right now? Send the email, make the call, do the first five minutes of work. This is the practical engine of goal setting.
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Celebrate Small Wins: As Neeti Keswani highlighted, celebrate checking off those little boxes. Acknowledging progress, no matter how small, builds positive momentum and reinforces the habits of a high achiever.
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Find Your "Quiet Hour": Create space for silence to connect with your internal compass. Listen to your heart over the noise of your fears. This will ensure your steps are aligned with your purpose, making your self-improvement journey authentic and sustainable.
Conclusion: The Journey from Movie to Reality
Yubim Kogan’s story is a masterclass in turning adversity into advantage and dreams into reality. The principles he shared with Neeti Keswani—internal motivation, immersive visualization, step-by-step resilience, and purpose-driven action—provide a reliable map for anyone seeking to elevate their life.
The path of a high achiever is not easy. It requires the courage to define your own dreams, the discipline to see them as already real, and the resilience to take one step after another, especially when the finish line seems distant. But as Yubim’s life proves, this is how we keep the most important promises—to ourselves and to others.
It just takes time. But if you start today and take that first step, you are already on your way. The tunnel is ahead, and on the other side, waiting for you to claim it, is the life you’ve already pictured in your mind. Now, go live in that movie.
Luxury Unplugged: A Journey of Resilience with Yubim Kogan
Neeti Keswani: Welcome to another episode of Luxury Unplugged. This week, we again have a self-improvement focus. Today's episode is a powerful journey of resilience, of purpose, and self-improvement. We have with us Yubim Kogan, a five-time immigrant, Olympic-level athlete, best-selling author, and founder of wingforheres.org. After a decade away, rebuilding from crisis, he has returned with profound lessons. Let's hear from him. Let's explore how self-improvement isn't just about growth, but about keeping promises to yourself and others.
Welcome, Yubim.
Yubim Kogan: Thank you, Neeti. It's nice to be here.
Neeti Keswani: Thank you so much for taking some time out for us and for our viewers and helping us understand from your story. What nuggets can we have in our self-improvement journey? How can we learn from your lessons? Right. So, let's get started.
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On Finding Your "Why" and Internal Motivation
Neeti Keswani: Okay. It's a really good question. And I think the main thing that I would like to share with your listeners is that if you want to achieve things that are big, you know, you have to have big goals. They have to come from the inside. I think in today's day and age, it's really difficult to get distracted or, as I say, hijacked by social media and seeing what other people have and what other people do.
But for me, I was fortunate to experience life in many different countries on different continents and I was fortunate to accomplish big goals, but the thing is that I did it all for me. I have never spent an extended period of time doing something for somebody else. In other words, chasing some flashy goal or dream was never important to me. But little things that some people think, "Why would you want to do something like that?" if it came from the inside, I always followed it.
And I found that it's a lot easier to get through difficulties—and we all have difficulties on the way—when the goal is your own. I think when you see somebody's resume, it seems like things have come easily, but big things don't come easily to anyone. Everyone has to work through things; everyone has to be dedicated. And if it's important to you and especially if you love doing it, then it's a completely different game. So I'd say if you love the dream that you're going after, you have a very high probability of achieving it.
Neeti Keswani: That is wonderful, actually.
The Story of Disappearance and Rebuilding
Neeti Keswani: So now, from that, I come to your dream of being an Olympic athlete and your story of getting into so many amazing things that you've been up to—being an immigrant, a leader, a humanitarian. How do you go about it? What was the story that made you disappear for 10 years and now come back?
Yubim Kogan: Okay. So, I think we go back a little bit more than 10 years. I had a financial practice during and before the financial crisis. And my claim to fame is that none of my clients lost money during the financial meltdown of 2008 and 2009. And that came from education. I went to New York University Stern School of Business, and one of my professors taught us to take the annual report, the pretty pictures that are shown, and go to the back and start reading the footnotes.
I found that Citibank had $50 billion in a footnote saying that it was very highly likely they would have to recognize that loss. Knowing how all the financial companies operate, I knew if Citibank has it, then they all have it. So I talked to my clients and we moved money out of the market. It wasn't enough for me. I started a radio show that became so successful that in less than one year, I was on 11 different radio channels in seven states. I saved a lot of people's financial future.
Out of that, I got an offer to contribute to a book with Steve Forbes called "Success Anomics," which became a bestseller. Then, in 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, and my place of birth was in real distress. I was there and I saw a lot of people being scared, not knowing what to do. It was the same thing as 2008, but for a different reason. I had a chance to step up and lead. The way they were looking for somebody to save them, I just could not say no.
So, imagine this: I'm standing on the street, all green lights, no cars. I can go as fast as I can in my career. But I decided to stay. I didn't realize the consequences or how difficult it would be. But the decision was made on the spot. Looking back, it was one of the most difficult times for me. I told all my friends from the Olympics that it was harder than training for the Games.
On Embracing and Building Resilience
Neeti Keswani: So, tell me how embracing resilience has helped you during times of crisis and in your personal transformation.
Yubim Kogan: I think it's not exactly embracing resilience, it's becoming resilient. You make that decision that you're going to get through whatever comes your way. What I found out is that no matter how big the task is, if you focus on the next step, the next logical, most important step, that's how you get through difficult things.
Because if you look at the big picture and see that it's so much bigger than you can deal with, then you start doubting yourself. You become fearful, and that's not resilience. But if you focus all your attention on the task at hand and find the next step, you just keep taking that next step until you get to the end of the proverbial tunnel. So resilience is actually staying focused and taking as many one steps as you need to get to the finish line.
The Champion Mindset: Visualization and Certainty
Neeti Keswani: So, in terms of lessons from high-performance environments like the Olympics, what is the champion mindset you need? What kind of high-performance nugget do you have for our viewers that they should inculcate in their daily practices if they are going to be high achievers?
Yubim Kogan: Okay. If you're going after a big goal, you have to decide that you're going to do whatever it takes. You have to say, "I am going to get there," and in my mind, I was always there. People write books about how you have to look from the end. Well, for me, looking from the end was seeing myself walking through the Olympic tunnel. Everybody goes through the tunnel, and once you come out on the other side, you're an Olympian. I was always there in my mind.
Neeti Keswani: So there was no back and forth in your mind?
Yubim Kogan: Never. No. The difference with people who make it is that they never go back. That faith, that 100% certainty that "I am there," is always there. There are times when you have injuries, you may pause to take a break, but I never gave up that dream. In my mind, I was there already. It was just a matter of time. With any big goal, I am there. Anything that came my way was just an obstacle, a puddle you step over.
Neeti Keswani: So, do you think that visualization and imagining positively really helped you in terms of setting that foot one after another?
Yubim Kogan: I would make it really clear. You see yourself there. It's not imagination of the process; you are there. In our mind, we can imagine anything. So, whatever your goal is, just picture yourself you're there. Start functioning like you're not watching a movie; you are in that movie. And the longer you live in that movie, then it becomes reality. It just takes time. A lot of times people never had the experience to know that between dreaming something and it becoming physical, there is a period of time, and nobody knows what that period is. You have to be okay with that.
Neeti Keswani: To be successful at that level, you need that tenacity to carry on with your goals despite what reality looks like.
Yubim Kogan: Yeah, that's the explanation of "I will do whatever it takes." Exactly.
Lessons from Being an Immigrant and a Humanitarian
Neeti Keswani: Some of the diverse roles you have now are as a humanitarian and an immigrant. What are some of the lessons we could have from that aspect of your life?
Yubim Kogan: Well, I think when you're an immigrant, you need to be really clear that your experience is going to be different. You have to travel some distance just to be on the playing field with other people. If you come from another country, it will be a lot of work to just become equal. After that, you can play and try to win whatever game you're playing. But just expect that it will take a lot of work.
Neeti Keswani: In terms of the service and mission-driven work you're doing now, what are the conventional success metrics that you are going beyond through your organization?
Yubim Kogan: I believe that if I saved one life, I saved the whole world. My metric was the first person who came to us. I'm a paragliding pilot, and the idea was to take him up in the sky. The theory is that if you scare somebody to death, they will forget that they're missing legs. In that moment of fear, you forget all your problems.
The first person who came, a 23-year-old with one leg, was having issues. A physical therapist said his leg was deteriorating and it could paralyze him. My metric was getting him back for therapy within a specific timeframe. He landed last night. Today, we had the first physical therapy session. He will spend here one month, and we will save his leg. So that was my metric, and it's happening right now.
When these men and women come back after defending our freedom, I feel this gratitude and obligation to fulfill the promise that society makes: "You go protect us, and when you come back, we'll take care of you." So, when I take care of one, two, three people, that is my metric. In this case, his name is Valeik, and he started therapy today. It's one of the biggest wins in my life.
Neeti Keswani: Congratulations to you for that. One thing for the listeners: even small wins, you have to celebrate them. Sometimes people are going after big goals, but every little thing, checking off little boxes, that is the metric. Getting things done now, not putting it off, is a big deal.
On Leadership and Taking the Next Step
Neeti Keswani: My last question is, how can leaders apply self-improvement principles in terms of rebuilding and inspiring teams during times of collapse or uncertainty? What do you think about that?
Yubim Kogan: That goes back to taking the next step. When you are so overwhelmed that you don't know, just know that inside of you there is endless power. Some people never find that out. I tell people I have two compasses: one in my head and one in my heart. When our heart speaks, you feel it. But then the compass in your head starts talking, "Oh no, this is a bad idea."
It's really important in times like these to go to your heart. I call it my "quiet hour." I get up at 4:00 a.m., and that's when I sit and feel, "Am I doing the right thing?" If it comes from this compass [the heart], I just take the next step. Sometimes getting started is just getting out of bed and making a phone call or sending an email. Do one thing and do it right now. You don't need a perfect plan. It's okay if you take the wrong step; you'll see it right away and can change. So, moving forward, big steps, little steps. Just keep taking them.
Neeti Keswani: One step at a time. And that's a beautiful nugget right there.
Conclusion
Neeti Keswani: Thank you so much for sharing such a profound story of resilience and a purposeful self-improvement journey, which not only helps you but others as well along the way. It's a true growth story, and we'd like to have you again on the show sometime to understand how your purpose has driven and fueled your transformations.
Yubim Kogan: Neeti, thank you for inviting me and for creating this space. In our day and age, I think it's extremely important. We've been hijacked by chasing flashy things, but to sit down and answer genuine, honest questions in a very safe environment, I really appreciate you doing it.
Neeti Keswani: This has been very valuable for me and for my listeners. That's why I say, please come back again on the show. Thank you so much.
Yubim Kogan: Thank you so much, Neeti. Thank you. Bye.