Hello,
There's a question I've returned to repeatedly throughout my professional life:
Why do people sometimes struggle to act on something they already understand?
Someone can recognize an opportunity, prepare thoroughly, and know what needs to happen next—yet still hesitate when the moment arrives.
I've encountered this throughout my years in professional basketball, coaching, international scouting, and human performance development.
And increasingly, I've come to appreciate that the question extends far beyond sport.
It applies to career transitions, personal decisions, leadership, setbacks, and the uncertainty that accompanies meaningful change.
My name is Ermay Duran. I'm the founder of Ubuntu Basketball, an Amsterdam-based player development and coaching initiative.
After more than 30 years working across different cultures and performance environments, I've started exploring how to share some of those experiences with a much broader audience.
That led me to create Next Within.
Next Within is an independent digital publishing project focused on confidence, purposeful decision-making, adaptability, and personal growth.
Its philosophy is simple:
We don't always need more motivation. Sometimes we need better ways to understand our circumstances and act on what matters.
I've recently published the first workbook:
THE CONFIDENCE RESET
A 36-page digital resource designed to help readers explore uncertainty, reflect on decisions, and develop practical ways to take meaningful action.
It includes:
A five-step approach: Notice → Explore → Adapt → Act → Reflect
Real-life experiences and reflection questions
A guided seven-day development journey
A 14-day continuation tracker
The workbook is available for €4.95.
Explore The Confidence Reset:
https://zylvie.com/nextwithin/p/the-confidence-reset
If your interests or professional work involve helping people navigate confidence, change, or personal development, I hope you'll find something worthwhile in it.
I'd also welcome thoughtful feedback. I'm interested in learning how these ideas resonate with people working in different fields.
If you'd like to know more about my background or the projects behind this work:
My personal LinkedIn profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ermayduran/
Ubuntu Basketball — Founder & Head Coach:
https://ubuntu.basketball/
Next Within — LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/next-within/
Thank you for taking a moment to read this introduction.
Whatever your next challenge may be, I hope you approach it with curiosity, awareness, and purpose.
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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