A 71-year-old Kenilworth resident has used experiences in her own life to formulate a workbook that is aimed at motivating, encouraging and guiding individuals, groups and companies to reach their full potential.
Linda Dirmeik’s book, Attimo, focuses on a programme called, “Aim for what you want”, developed and nurtured from Ms Dirmeik’s own life experiences and research. “Negative reinforcements about who we are and what we can do – from the home, school or work environment – add layers of negativity, which seep into our attitude and approach to life,” she said.
The 45-page programme, which has 10 modules, creates a reality around five key areas of life, which are: one’s social circle, one’s family, one’s physical being, one’s ethical being and one’s career or education. “The purpose is to capitalise on one’s strengths and turn weak points into strengths, thereby realising more of one’s potential,” Ms Dirmeik said.
It was in 1979 when the journey started for Ms Dirmeik, when at the age of 35, with three children, she was forced to become the bread-winner. She experienced a “life-altering” moment, after joining the World Books Encyclopedia as a salesperson and distinguishing herself as the top salesperson.
In 1985, she joined Mannie Edelstein Training Consultants in Cape Town and started at the Durban branch that same year. Three years later, she joined Success Motivation International, committing herself to sales and training in the corporate market.
It was in 1991, when Ms Dirmeik decided to write her own programme in self-development and this gave rise to Attimo, also known as “AIM”. “The AIM programme has evolved over the past 15 years, adapting to situations confronted by the youth in today’s modern, changing world,” Ms Dirmeik said.
Over the past 15 years, the programme had been tested and proven to be successful in many parts of the country, as well as Canada, Australia, the United States, Israel and Korea.
Ms Dirmeik said her programme was designed to aid youth and adults from the previously disadvantaged community, helping them reach their full potential, hinting that she already has plans to do a follow-up programme, specifically aimed at entrepreneurs.
The programme continues to train other women to be part of the team and Ms Dirmeik has also done voluntary tutoring at The Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) . During her time there, she also started extramural activities such as beading, assisting in the making and marketing of the product. “The (AIM) programme has proven, over 26 years, to improve the lives of thousands of people since its inception in 1991. It is our opinion that the same knowledge can be imparted via facilitators in the townships to rural women and learners,” Ms Dirmeik said.
A stand-out moment for Ms Dirmeik was assisting a young man from Khayelitsha, an ex-student, after having lost both parents in a taxi accident. The initiative helped place him with a travel agency and four years later, the man is still employed with the company, and growing in his field very day, Ms Dirmeik said.
“Every person who participates in the ‘Aim for what you want’ programme will never be the same,” she added, encouraging parents and educators to explore some new life management skills for the people whose lives they influence.
“Creating this reality is a powerful mechanism towards change, growth and unlocking our potential,” Ms Dirmeik said.
For more information about the programme, email Ms Dirmeik at linda@a-i-m.co.za
