Hello,
Have you ever known exactly what you needed to do, yet still struggled to take that next step?
Maybe it was a career change, a difficult conversation, a personal challenge, or an opportunity that required you to step outside your comfort zone.
You understood the situation. You considered your options. You knew something needed to change.
But knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things.
It's something I've spent much of my professional life trying to understand.
My name is Ermay Duran, and for more than 30 years, I've worked in international basketball, professional scouting, player development, and human performance.
I'm also the founder of Ubuntu Basketball, where much of my work focuses on helping people adapt, make decisions, and perform under pressure.
But some of the most meaningful lessons I've learned have come from experiences far removed from the basketball court.
Growing up across different countries taught me how to adapt to unfamiliar environments.
My professional career taught me that preparation doesn't always remove uncertainty.
And at one point, I turned down an attractive career opportunity because, despite how good it looked on paper, it didn't align with what mattered to me.
Those experiences reinforced something I believe deeply: personal growth isn't simply about feeling motivated. It's about understanding yourself well enough to make meaningful decisions and follow through.
That's why I've created NEXT WITHIN.
What makes Next Within different?
Next Within is an independent digital publishing project dedicated to making personal development more practical, accessible, and affordable.
I'm not interested in creating another collection of motivational quotes or promising that a positive mindset will solve every problem.
Instead, Next Within brings together:
Real-life experiences, including uncertainty, difficult decisions, setbacks, and personal change.
Practical reflection exercises that encourage you to examine your own circumstances.
A simple five-step framework: Notice → Explore → Adapt → Act → Reflect.
Affordable digital workbooks designed to help you apply what you've learned in everyday life.
The idea is to move beyond simply reading advice and start putting your own thinking into action.
Introducing our first publication: The Confidence Reset
Launching Monday, November 9, 2026.
The Confidence Reset is a 36-page digital workbook exploring how we respond to uncertainty, question our decisions, develop self-trust, and take meaningful action even when we don't feel completely ready.
Inside, you'll find real-life reflections, guided exercises, a seven-day practical journey, and a 14-day continuation tracker.
And because I believe useful personal-development resources should be accessible, the workbook will be available for just €4.95.
Explore The Confidence Reset on Zylvie:
https://zylvie.com/nextwithin/p/the-confidence-reset
This is just the beginning.
Over the coming months, I plan to develop a collection of practical workbooks exploring confidence, focus, resilience, decision-making, and the challenges we encounter in everyday life.
I'd also love to invite you to follow Next Within as the project grows.
Instagram — Next Within:
https://www.instagram.com/readnextwithin/
LinkedIn — Next Within:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/next-within/
And if you'd like to learn more about the experiences behind the project:
My personal LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ermayduran/
Ubuntu Basketball:
https://ubuntu.basketball/
I've spent much of my life helping people develop through sport.
Next Within is my opportunity to take those lessons beyond basketball and make them useful to anyone navigating their own next chapter.
Thank you for taking the time to discover what I'm building.
Warm regards,
Ermay Duran
Founder — Next Within
Founder & Head Coach — Ubuntu Basketball
Amsterdam, Netherlands
NEXT WITHIN
Make your next move meaningful.
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