Stories
What stays with you.
Reflections from leaders who joined a Quest. For the wider thinking behind this work — scientists and researchers on nature, leadership and change — see Perspectives on The Experience page.
Voices from the Quests — named participants
“It was a magical experience – one I wish everyone could have! I discovered a new side of myself up there in the mountains, and I loved meeting her. Months later, we’re still getting to know each other. This experience has inspired me to keep exploring and to try new things – whether small or big, it doesn’t matter. Thank you, Göran, for welcoming me. I've joined several retreats in my life, but you truly are one of a kind. You’re not a leadership guru; you simply are. I would call you a tribal chief, a wise leader of the community. The way you guide is subtle yet powerful, and I felt deeply honoured to be part of your group.”
Kim van der Feltz
Executive Coach & Leadership Advisor
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“A Nature Quest with Göran and Nanna is a wonderful experience. A week of being thrown back on yourself in the middle of the overwhelmingly beautiful Swedish nature is an experience I recommend to everyone as a personal annual check-up.”
Bastiaan Hoogendoorn
Partner at Boer & Croon
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“Five days solo in the Swedish wilderness, no food, no phone, book or watch. What I experienced was not survival, but a deep way of living. I truly felt I was not a visitor in nature, but fully part of it, just like the moss, the rocks, the water, the animals. Part of a nature that functions perfectly, everything in its right place, happening at exactly the right moment. On the mountain, I realized that fear and sorrow come from feeling separated from nature and that this separation only exists in our minds. Here, I felt truly connected. I experienced a profound strength, peace, love for life and clarity, and I could fully surrender to it. This was a transformative experience I still draw on in daily life and in coaching my clients. This nature quest is the real deal. Highly recommended.”
Gideon Mogendorff
Advisor, entrepreneur, Nature based leadership
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“What a magical experience two days alone on an island in the beautiful Archipelago. No phone, no watch, no food. All of the discomfort you expect vanish in the silence and being with the elements. It allowed me to have a soulful encounter with true self, the gratitude for love and life and put all of these into action when coming home. To have experienced it with a group of likeminded souls was priceless!”
Jeroen van Velzen
CEO & Co-founder bij Elevaide
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
“Through the NatureQuest guided by Göran Gennvi, I experienced what it truly means to become one with nature. That deep connection brought clarity, presence, and a heightened awareness that opened the door to new insights—and shifted something fundamental within me. Nearly a year later, the experience continues to nourish me. It helps me see more clearly, feel more connected, and recognize a deeper sense of unity—both within myself and in the world around me. Looking back, I can see just how profoundly the quest changed me. That realization in itself is powerful.”
Laurens van de Vijver
CEO, MyWheels
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“What a fantastic way to reset yourself, while enjoying Stockholm and its archipelago with all its beauty! Best part of the experience? New friends that you share this adventure with to create an everlasting bond! Greatly recommended.”
Marc Schroeder
President International at Lamb Weston
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
“Totally off-grid. No phone, no distractions. Just you, nature and your own thoughts. It’s remarkable what happens when you create that kind of space. You slow down, clear your head and start noticing what’s around you while giving yourself room to reflect and gain perspective. And there was plenty of time for that when I spent 48 hours solo on “my own” island in the Stockholm archipelago this August.
The Nature Quest is designed to help you disconnect, unwind and reflect on questions such as: Who am I becoming? What really matters to me? And where do I want to go from here? I can highly recommend it. And if you do go, make sure you step outside your tent at night and look up at the sky. In that moment, you’ll understand why. Enjoy it. This trip really is a gift to yourself.”
Diederik Breijer
Founder & CEO of United Playgrounds
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
“Without any clear goals, I arrived curious and a little impatient, but returned full of energy and with three crystal-clear insights. It is remarkable what nature, boredom and fasting can do to you—truly magical. In mid-August, I took part in a Nature Quest in the Stockholm archipelago. The setting and the view, accompanied only by the sounds of the sea, the wind and the birds—it hardly gets more beautiful than that. A month later, I can still feel the positive energy, and the insights continue to resonate. I spent two and a half days alone on an island with just five litres of water, six lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. It takes some getting used to at first, but before long, you begin to feel at one with nature. The boredom creates space to reflect more deeply and see things with increasing clarity. And going almost three days without food turned out to be surprisingly manageable. Many thanks to Goran and Martin. I would recommend this experience to anyone!”
Job van der Weijden
Managing Director, DISA Global Solutions
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
“For the first time I spent 48 hours solo... In the Stockholm Archipelago, a place especially close to my heart as my wife and I got married there some years ago! I walked, meditated, practiced Qi Gong, slept, swam, cried, smiled, and reflected. Along the way, dragonflies seemed to guide me, a mink became my recurring friend, and memories of my father surfaced in an unexpectedly moving yet beautiful way. The Stockholm Archipelago worked its quiet magic once again, and I will carry its lessons with me for a long time!”
Noud Duyzings
Member KLM Executive Committee | Chairman Foundation for Natural Leadership
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
Reflections — shared anonymously
“I arrived with a question about my organisation. I left with a completely different question about my life.”
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“The silence initially felt uncomfortable. Eventually I realised how much I had missed it.”
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
“Five days later I understood something that two years of thinking had not resolved.”
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“I stopped trying to make something happen. That was the moment something did.”
Archipelago Quest · Stockholm
“The weather did not care about my agenda. It was oddly liberating.”
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
“What surprised me most was the conversation afterwards with people I had only just met.”
Mountain Quest · Jämtland
References from previous Dutch participants are available on request.
Perspectives
Why time in wild nature matters for leaders.
Not participant stories, but the voices of researchers whose work explains what happens when people step away and spend time alone in wild nature.
“After some time in Nature, the petty stuff starts to fall away—the worries and the pent-upness, and you drop into a deeper place. A place that is truly you—your essence. This is a place where you can view the world with detachment, where your true feelings come to the fore, where what matters in life and what is really important to do become clear. Nature makes this happen naturally. And when you come out you are renewed. Fresh, at peace, full of vigor, and ready for life.”
W. Brian Arthur — ‘Abstract’
Economist and complexity scientist at the Santa Fe Institute. A pioneer of complexity economics, his work on increasing returns, technology evolution and innovation has shaped how leaders think about strategy in Silicon Valley. He has worked with Steve Jobs and Google’s Eric Schmidt, among others, and writes on how new technologies reorganise economies and societies.
“There is a significant risk that the current pro-environmental efforts embedded in the prevailing paradigm (shallow ecology) will not be sufficient to solve the increasing number, severity and urgency of environmental/societal challenges — at least they appear to be unable to solve the problems in time. Through literature review and case studies, as thesis author I have gained insights how humans having direct nature experiences — by reconnecting with nature — seem to have positive impacts upon individuals and societies at a deeper level, which can lead to more pro-environmental consciousness and behavior.”
Jyri Rantanen — MSc thesis, Nature connection as catalyst for change
Author of the 2009 Lund University MSc thesis Reconnecting with Nature and Pro-environmental Consciousness & Behavior. A certified nature & wilderness guide, permaculture practitioner and international humanitarian leader, Rantanen studies how direct nature connection can catalyse personal change and, in turn, more resilient societies.
What people discover
Perspective
Seeing your life and leadership from further away.
Clarity
Distinguishing what is urgent from what is important.
Connection
With yourself, others and the larger living system we are part of.
Courage
Meeting discomfort instead of immediately avoiding it.
Intuition
Rediscovering forms of knowing beyond analytical thinking.
Direction
Returning with a clearer sense of what deserves your attention.
Every Quest is different. Nature decides much of the curriculum.