The Normal 40 Podcast

This episode is different from the usual Normal 40 conversations.This is a confession.In this episode, Lon pulls back the curtain on a realization that caught him off guard while writing his second book, The Gap. As he mapped the patterns of thousands of conversations with high performers stuck on the backside of their success curve, he discovered something uncomfortable:The same pattern he was writing about in others… was alive in him.A quiet form of avoidance.Not the avoidance of hard things.The avoidance of the easy things that matter most.The emails you delay.The conversations you postpone.The follow-ups that turn into silence.And when you avoid them long enough, you hit your ceiling.This recording comes directly from The Insider, Normal 40’s private community where members wrestle with the work in real time. It’s messy, honest, and unscripted — the kind of conversation most people only have behind closed doors.Lon shares the pattern he uncovered in himself, the childhood moment that wired it in, and how confronting it forced him to rethink how Normal 40 will grow from here.It’s not comfortable.But it might be exactly the conversation you needed to hear.IN THIS EPISODE--The difference between courage and honesty--How superpowers often carry a matching weakness--Why the work of transformation is deeply personal and often embarrassing--The dangerous moment when success starts to flatline--The hidden cost of protecting your image instead of facing the truth--Why checklists and productivity systems won’t fix the real problemKEY TAKEAWAYS→ The things you avoid are rarely the hardest things — they’re the ones that matter most.→ Your greatest strength often carries the seed of your greatest limitation.→ Awareness without honesty doesn’t create change.→ Freedom requires protecting what matters and letting others carry what they do best.→ If the realization isn’t uncomfortable, you probably haven’t found the real problem yet.→The hardest work in transformation isn’t external. It’s internal.WHAT’S NEXTIf this episode resonated with you, it’s not by accident.The conversations happening inside The Insider are exactly like this — honest, uncomfortable, and focused on moving forward.It’s not just a community.It’s a culture.A place where people show up honestly, challenge one another, do the work, and help one another move toward the next chapter of their lives.👉 Join The Insider here: https://normal40.circle.so/checkout/join-the-insider Because the thing you’re avoiding right now?That’s probably the doorway to what’s next.Let’s be up to something. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most of us don’t think about death.Not really.We think about promotions.College tuition.Quarterly numbers.The next vacation.The next deal.But we don’t think about how it ends.In this episode, Lon sits down with Dr. Josh Russell, an ER physician who moved into palliative care, and the conversation goes exactly where most people avoid going.Death.Not in a morbid way.In a clarifying way.Josh has lived on both sides of medicine.In the ER, he fought to save lives.In palliative care, he helps people finish them.And somewhere between those two callings, he realized something we all quietly know: If you don’t prepare for how you want to die, the system will decide for you.This is not a conversation about fear.It’s about agency.It’s about the difference between being kept alive… and living on purpose.It’s about what happens when the default setting of medicine collides with the reality that everything that begins ends.And it’s about why the conversations we avoid — with our spouses, our kids, our doctors — are often the most loving conversations we’ll ever have.IN THIS EPISODE->Why the “Denial of Death” is the default human setting->What actually happens if you do nothing to prepare for the end of your life->The quiet violence of aggressive medical intervention->Why palliative care is not about giving up — but about choosing well->The difference between hope and honesty->What most families wish they had talked about sooner->Why stopping “the insanity” can be the most compassionate act of allTHE REAL QUESTIONIf something happens tomorrow… Would the people you love know what you want?Or would they be forced to guess?And if you’re honest — are you living today in a way that would let you finish well?Because here’s the uncomfortable truth:We prepare more carefully for retirement than we do for death. And one of those is guaranteed.WHAT JOSH MAKES CLEARDeath is not the enemy.Avoidance is.The goal is not to control the ending.The goal is to face it honestly enough that the time before it matters more.When you stop pretending you’re immortal, something changes.You start caring less about being right.Less about ego.Less about status.You start caring more about people.About presence.About unfinished conversations.About legacy.WHAT’S NEXT?You don’t need a terminal diagnosis to start thinking clearly.Have the conversation. Write the directive. Tell the people you love what matters. And then live like it matters.If this conversation stirred something in you — good. That’s the point.You can find Dr. Josh Russell at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-russell-md/ thefocusedexam.comAnd if you’re ready to stop drifting and start living intentionally, join us inside the Normal 40 community.  You can find everything related to Normal 40 here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

There are moments that rearrange your priorities without asking permission.They don’t feel profound when they arrive.They feel urgent.Final.Unavoidable.For Dave Sanderson, that moment came on January 15, 2009, when the words “Brace for impact” cut through the cabin of US Airways Flight 1549.What followed was the Miracle on the Hudson. What came after was something far harder to navigate.In this episode, Lon sits down with Dave for a deep, unhurried conversation that goes far beyond the crash itself. This is not a disaster story. It’s a story about identity, responsibility, regret, and the quiet decisions that shape the rest of your life long after the headlines fade.Dave takes us back to second grade, to small-town values, to injuries that ended dreams, to mentors who saw something in him before he saw it in himself. He shares how a life built on achievement, travel, and significance slowly pulled him away from what mattered most—and how a single moment forced him to confront the cost of that drift.The crash didn’t just threaten his life. It stripped away every illusion about what was important.What followed was a choice:Would this be something that happened to him…or something he would use for others?Dave chose service.And nothing has been the same since.KEY TAKEAWAYS-->Every life has a “brace for impact” moment. Most just aren’t as visible.-->Success can quietly pull you away from the people you’re doing it for.-->You don’t get to choose what happens to you, but you always choose the response.-->Your story becomes powerful when you stop protecting it and start sharing it.-->What you’ve learned isn’t meant to die with you; pass it on.WHAT’S NEXTIf this episode stayed with you longer than you expected, that’s not an accident.You may not be in a plane that’s going down—but you might be ignoring the voice in your head that’s been warning you something needs to change.You don’t have to wait for catastrophe to choose differently.Learn more about Dave’s work, books, and speaking here:  https://davesandersonspeaks.comAnd as always, you can find everything related to Normal 40 here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinYour life doesn’t change all at once.It changes the moment you decide what matters. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most of us think we’re high performers because we get things done.We solve problems. We chase answers. We check the boxes.But what if the thing holding you back isn’t the hard stuff?What if it’s the easy stuff you keep avoiding?In this episode, Adam and Lon kick off 2026 with a candid, unfiltered conversation about avoidance, self-sabotage, and the surprising anxiety that shows up when you’re avoiding what should be the most energizing part of your life.Lon shares a personal realization he hasn’t talked about publicly before: how avoiding the easy things, not the hard ones, created anxiety and capped his growth, even while everything looked “successful” on the outside. And why finally naming that pattern changed everything.This conversation isn’t about productivity.It’s about self-work.The kind you can’t delegate.The kind that’s embarrassing to admit.The kind that unlocks what’s next.IN THIS EPISODE:--Why avoiding the easy things is often more dangerous than avoiding the hard ones--The two types of avoidance and how to tell which one is costing you--How self-awareness without acceptance becomes self-sabotage--Why elite performers struggle to ask for help even when they need it most--The four-step path: awareness → acknowledgment → acceptance → permission--How avoidance quietly becomes the ceiling on your life and work--How Lon now measures progress not by success, but by anxiety reductionKEY TAKEAWAYS:->Avoidance is a limiter. Wherever you avoid, that’s your ceiling.->If something is giving you anxiety, it’s asking to be addressed, not ignored.->Self-work is internal work. Lists won’t fix what you’re avoiding.->You don’t get to be two people. The strength and the struggle come together.->Asking for help isn’t weakness - it’s leadership.WHAT’S NEXT:If this episode stirred something in you, that’s not an accident.You’re probably avoiding something you already know you need to face.A conversation.A decision.A truth about yourself.You don’t have to do it alone.If you want to go deeper:1. Join the Insider — a community built on “never alone”2. Book a free Ramble3. Read The Trade4. Subscribe to The InevitableYou can find it all here:  https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinFollow Adam Eaton here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-eaton-21646a4/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most people don’t avoid change because they’re afraid of action.They avoid it because they’re afraid of the questions.The ones that surface late at night.The ones you don’t ask at work.The ones you don’t bring home.The ones that quietly shape your future whether you acknowledge them or not.This week’s episode of the Normal 40 Podcast is different by design.It’s a live Q&A recorded inside The Speakeasy — a private, unlisted LinkedIn community where high performers show up to ask the questions they can’t safely ask anywhere else.What emerged wasn’t advice.It wasn’t a plan.It was a pattern.Every question landed in one of four buckets we all face eventually:1. Purpose.2. Risk.3. Relationships.4. Legacy.Questions like:* “I like my job… but I know I’m capable of more. Now what?”* “How do I speak up when honesty feels professionally dangerous?”* “I’m successful on paper. Why doesn’t it feel like my best work?”* “How do I finish well?”This episode isn’t about quitting your job.It’s about finding your voice before you need to.We talk about why most “risk” is really just uncertainty, how clarity actually forms (hint: not through thinking harder), and why community is a must-have if you want your next chapter to work.If you feel like you’re standing at a line you can see, and feel, but haven’t crossed yet, this conversation will land.🎧 Listen to Episode #80:The Questions That Change Everything: Purpose, Risk, Relationships, and Legacy[Podcast link]And if you want access to the room where these conversations happen live:👉 Join The Speakeasy here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12553961/Your life can look very different in a year.But only if you start.—Lon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

The first time Keith Pochick joined this podcast, he had just walked away from medicine and into a classroom full of eighth graders. His story hit home because it was raw; a man in mid-leap, hoping he wasn’t crazy for wanting a simpler, more joyful, more human life.Two years later, Keith sits down with Lon to talk about what life actually feels like on the other side of his trade. And what he describes is something most high achievers haven’t felt in years: ease, presence, and the spark he now calls the soul tickle — that unmistakable, physical sensation of doing work that touches your life at the deepest level.Keith also shares the story behind his new book, Tickled Soul, and why he felt compelled,  almost obligated, to write it. What started as a legacy gift for his children became something much bigger: a declaration of what he believes, who he is, and how he hopes others will rediscover the parts of themselves they’ve forgotten.This episode is an honest look at what it means to start over, stay the course, and finally feel like yourself again.What to Expect-Why Keith walked away from medicine and why he hasn’t looked back-What it really feels like on the other side of a big life trade-How burnout quietly rewrites your identity-What middle school students taught him that medical training never could-The spiritual experience behind Tickled Soul—and the legacy it creates-The unexpected freedom of being fully present againKey Takeaways:-->The Trade only looks reckless to people who’ve ignored their own restlessness.-->Money can’t buy meaning, but presence can.-->You don’t have to be burned out to want something better.-->Legacy is what people will remember when your voice is no longer in the room.-->If you want to live differently, you have to slow down long enough to feel what’s missing.📘 About the Book: Tickled SoulIn his debut book, Keith shares a thoughtful memoir about what happens when the life you built no longer feels like the life you’re meant to keep. What begins as a quiet “what if” becomes a full‑scale reinvention—from seasoned ER physician to middle‑school science teacher.Through stories of faith, purpose, motivation, and meaning, Keith explores the beliefs and inner philosophy that made such a radical midlife transition not only possible, but necessary.It’s a wake‑up call for anyone sitting in the status quo, wondering if there’s more to life than the role they’ve been playing.Order the book directly from the publisher here:Tickled Soul (hardcover)Tickled Soul (softcover)What’s Next?If you’re feeling the restlessness Keith once felt,  that quiet knowing that your current life isn’t your forever life,  this episode is your invitation to stop ignoring it.  If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinLearn more about Keith Pochick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpochick/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most people go into medicine to help people.But somewhere along the way, the system swallows that dream.Long hours. Broken processes. Pressure to perform, not to care.But not Chris Cannell.Chris is a PA, endurance athlete, husband, father of three, and president of a national nonprofit in legal medicine. But more than that, he’s a man who kept chasing the spark that started it all: a sister’s cancer diagnosis, a team on the field, and a deep belief that medicine could still feel human.In this episode, Chris joins Lon for a conversation about reinvention, restlessness, and building something better for patients, providers, and the families caught in between.Together, they talk about what happens when you hit the ceiling of your success, when your ambition gets mislabeled as discontent, and how the right partner, the right mission, and the right moment can give you permission to lead from your gift.This isn’t just a conversation about medicine.It’s about meaning.It’s about movement.And it’s about creating the future you’ve been quietly craving.What to Expect:--How a childhood cancer diagnosis shaped Chris’s calling--What football, medicine, and leadership taught him about purpose--The role his wife Stacy played in giving him permission to change--What most high-performers get wrong about reinvention--Why he’s creating a new model for healthcare through community--What it really means to be great at something—and why most people won’t say it out loudKey Takeaways:-> Restlessness isn’t a flaw, it’s a clue.-->Permission doesn’t mean control.-->If you want to build something that lasts, build it with people who care.-->You don’t have to know how it ends. You just have to know what matters now.-->Your best work is still in front of you, if you’re willing to believe it.About Chris CannellDr. Chris Cannell is a doctoral-trained Physician Associate with 22+ years of clinical experience in emergency medicine, orthopedics, critical care, and internal medicine. But what makes Chris stand out isn’t just his credentials, it’s his mission.He’s a nationally recognized voice on healthcare quality, patient safety, and medical risk, and a powerful advocate for restoring purpose and humanity to the people who deliver care.Chris has led clinical teams, shaped national policy conversations, and built bridges between medicine, law, and education. He serves as the President of PAs in Legal Medicine, sits on multiple boards, teaches across leading PA programs, and works as a respected consultant in medical-legal risk, healthcare innovation, and clinician leadership.But beyond the titles, Chris is a builder of people. A connector. A father. A runner. A relentless advocate for the providers who’ve given everything to healthcare and are ready to build something better.Dr. Chris has an upcoming masterclass training as a medical legal, educational, and healthcare consultant. More details here: https://www.theapcconsultant.com/healthcare-disruptors You can connect with Chris here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-apc-consultant/ What's NextIf you’ve ever wanted to try something different—but talked yourself out of it—this is your sign to explore the path you haven’t yet taken.If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most people meet their doctor in an exam room. I met mine at the edge of a breaking point she didn’t even know she’d been carrying for years.Dr. Jill Kruse grew up wanting to save lives for one simple reason: she didn’t want to lose her mother. She entered medicine the way so many elite performers do — head down, high achieving, fueled by good intentions and impossible standards. She pushed. She excelled. She endured.And then life stopped asking politely.Call every other night. A newborn and a toddler at home. A tiny rural town held together by two doctors, two PAs, and a pager that never slept.She kept giving.The job kept taking.And one day, her husband said the quiet part out loud:“You’re killing yourself slowly.”That’s the moment every physician fears.That’s the moment every high performer recognizes.And that’s the moment this conversation turns from résumé to truth.This episode is about what happens when the life you fought to build becomes the life that’s quietly breaking you. It’s about the courage to walk away from a calling without abandoning the purpose underneath it. It’s about burnout, identity, the stigma of asking for help, and the freedom that shows up when you finally decide the cost of staying is higher than the cost of change.But more than anything, it’s about this:The heart feeds itself first — and you need to start doing the same.Dr. Kruse’s story isn’t about quitting medicine.It’s about choosing herself.And it’s a roadmap for any elite performer who has forgotten that they’re allowed to do the same.IN THIS EPISODE:--What really pushes a physician to the edge (it’s not what you think)--The truth about burnout inside medicine — the part nobody talks about--Why high achievers wait too long to ask for help--What happens when you realize a career won’t love you back--How to reclaim identity without burning your life down--The power of coaching when counseling feels risky--The heart-first lesson every elite performer needs to hearKEY TAKEAWAYS:->Burnout isn’t failure. It’s the body calling for honesty.->You can love your work and still decide it’s costing you too much.->Courage isn’t leaving. Courage is telling the truth.->The life you want won’t appear while you’re drowning in the life you’ve outgrown.->You deserve the same care you give everyone else.WHAT’S NEXT?If Jill’s story hits close to home (if you’re hiding the same exhaustion behind the same smile), this is your invitation to stop doing this alone.Join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinLearn more about Dr. Jill Kruse here: http://www.flight-time-medical.com/https://www.prairiedoc.org/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

What if the version of you you're trying to fix… isn’t broken?What if the problem isn’t your motivation, your discipline, or your job…But the story you’ve been telling yourself to survive it?In this episode, Lon sits down with Dr. Fredric Mau, a board-certified hypnotherapist and licensed mental health counselor who left a corporate career and stepped into one of the most unexpected and effective roles in human transformation.Together, they explore the difference between talking about change and actually experiencing it.They talk about emotion vs. cognition, trauma vs. strategy, and what it really means to engage the quiet part of your brain that’s been holding on to the weight, the fear, and the shame for far too long.If you’ve ever said, “I know what to do, I just can’t seem to do it..." this episode is for you.In This Episode:--What hypnotherapy actually is (and isn’t)--Why your problem isn’t laziness but limbic--The emotional truth behind avoidance, drinking, overeating, and stagnation--How trauma and stress get stored in the body--Why most people stay stuck in old roles for too long--What changes when you stop telling the same story and start feeling something newKey Takeaways:->You’re not stuck because you’re weak. You’re stuck because you’re human.->Hypnotherapy isn’t about control. It’s about letting go.->Most people don’t need more insight. They need a new pattern.->Your limbic system has been solving problems long before your resume did.->Change doesn’t feel like a decision. It feels like relief.What’s Next?If you’ve ever wanted to try something different, but talked yourself out of it, this is your sign to explore the path you haven’t yet taken.If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinLearn more about Dr. Frederic Mau here: https://watermarkcolumbia.com/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

We spend decades chasing success—with our heads down and our priorities out of balance. Until one day… you look in the mirror, or see a photo of yourself, and something doesn’t match. Your body starts telling the truth your mind has been trying to outrun.You’re tired more than you used to be.You sleep but you’re not rested.You’re not proud of how you look, and if you’re honest, you’re not proud of how you feel either.In this episode, Lon sits down with men’s health coach Luke DePron, founder of The Fit Men Project, for a raw conversation about what it looks like to take your power back, physically, mentally, and emotionally.They talk about the high-achieving men who show up late to the game, burned out, bloated, and frustrated, and how simple, sustainable habits (not extremes) are the secret to reclaiming energy, confidence, and control.In This Episode:->What high-performers get wrong about fitness, health, and sustainable change->Why starting slow might be the fastest way to change your life->The real reason men drink after work (and how to break the cycle)->Why success often comes with weight gain and how to reverse it->Why most people overshoot and burn out—and what to do instead->Why walking is the most underrated exercise you’re not doing->How to think about nutrition like a strategy, not a punishment->The truth behind crash diets, keto, and 75 Hard and why most guys quitKey Takeaways:--Health isn’t about perfection. It’s about ownership.--You don’t need a complete overhaul. You need a new rhythm.--Don’t wait for a diagnosis, a photo, or a scare to wake you up.--The most powerful thing you can do today is start.What’s Next?If you’re tired of feeling sluggish, frustrated, or disappointed in the mirror this is your sign to do something about it. If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinFollow Luke DePron here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitmenproject/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most of us do exactly what we were told to do: we work hard, climb the ladder, check the boxes, and live the life we set out to build. From the outside, it looks like success. But inside, many of us wrestle with the same silent question: “Is this it?”In this conversation with Justin on Grody and Unprofessional, I go back to the beginning of my story—the moment I realized I had everything I thought I wanted, yet felt empty inside. We talk about:Why I call myself a dude from the internet and why people trust me with the things they’ve never said out loud to anyone else.The four-year arc from “Is this it?” to “My work here is done”—and how I finally had the courage to make The Trade.The guilt and shame that comes from “having so much but feeling so little”—and why you’re not broken if you feel this way.The 753 Rambles I’ve had with people at the edge of change, and the patterns that show up in every one of those conversations.What leaders really want: not more money, but freedom, purpose, and a voice that sounds like their own.Why “never lose your art” might be the most important advice you’ll ever hear.This isn’t theory—it’s real life. And if you’ve ever looked around and wondered if you were meant for more, this episode will help you see that you’re not crazy, you’re not alone, and you’re one decision away from a radically different life.Let’s be up to something.🔁 What’s Next?If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinConnect with Justin McMenamy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcmenamy-59a6087a/Find the Grody & Unprofessional podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grody-unprofessional/id1761211065 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

At some point, your success starts to feel like a trap.You’ve got the title, the money, the corner office—but something’s off.You’re restless. You’re starting to wonder, is this it?And no one around you seems to get it.This episode is for you.Lon and Adam are back to break down Lon’s next book, The Gap—the emotional, spiritual, and practical space between the life you’ve built and the life you know is still out there.They dive deep into the 12 Ascents; the stages every elite provider must go through to move from the lower curve (the life they’ve outgrown) to the upper line (the life they want to build). These all are born from 1,000+ rambles Lon has had with people just like you.What to Expect:--What “The Gap” actually is and how to know if you’re in it--Why most high performers flatline in their 40s (even while making more money)--The real reason success can start to feel suffocating--The hidden cost of someone else’s scorecard--Why “freedom” is usually a mask for “I don’t want this anymore”--The first 4 ascents: how to start, when to stop tolerating, and why clarity only comes through action--Adam’s own journey and why reinvention doesn’t always mean quittingKey Takeaways:->Awareness → Acknowledgment → Acceptance → Permission → Action->There’s a version of you you haven’t met yet, but you can feel them getting closer->You don’t have to quit to start. But you do have to start if you ever hope to quit.->Burn the scorecard they gave you. Write the one that’s yours.->You’re not alone. But you have to get around people who make you believe it.->The most important chapter of your life won’t be written by your boss.🔁 What’s Next?If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinFollow Adam Eaton here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-eaton-21646a4/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

What happens when you’ve built a perfect résumé, then lose everything it stood for?Laverne McKinnon was doing everything right.Climbing fast. Getting promoted every 18 months.She was a powerful voice behind some of the biggest shows on television—including CSI and Criminal Minds.And then, one day, it all ended.No warning. No performance plan. Just a quiet conversation behind closed doors… and a single word that changed everything:Liability.What followed was a collapse of identity, a decade of self-loathing, and a grief she didn’t yet have the words to name.She’d lost her job, her father, and her confidence—all at once.But what she found, years later, was something even more powerful:A second résumé.A deeper calling.And a new kind of freedom she never thought she'd earn.This conversation is one of the most human episodes we’ve ever recorded. We talk about ambition, pressure, identity, and the cost of being the one everyone else counts on, until you no longer count yourself.What to Expect:How losing her job during the height of her success became Laverne’s spiritual awakeningThe difference between being “loyal” and being “obedient”Why grief isn’t just about death but  what happens when identity changesHow codependency shows up in high performersThe moment her life changed forever: “You’re a liability”How one rogue coach (with no certifications) saved her lifeWhy your second résumé is more valuable than your firstKey Takeaways:The people who helped you get here may not be the ones who can help you go nextYou can grieve a job, a dream, or an identity and still begin againThe stories we carry about our past often aren’t trueYour second résumé holds the key to your next chapter—but only if you’re brave enough to read itPermission doesn’t come from your boss, your spouse, or your friends. It comes from you.🔁 What’s Next?If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinSubscribe to Laverne’s Substack – Moonshot Mentor: https://moonshotmentor.substack.com/ Connect with her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavernemckinnon/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

There’s a moment—quiet, invisible—when you stop asking for someone else’s approval… and start listening for your own.That moment is called permission. And in this episode, Lon and Adam unpack what it actually means to give it to yourself, and why it’s often the hardest, most courageous thing you’ll ever do.Lon reveals the real pattern behind over a thousand coaching conversations, and how nearly everyone who reaches out is stuck in the same swirl: aware something is off, acknowledging the discontent, accepting the truth… but waiting for a green light that never comes.They also go deeper into the conversations that happen after you give yourself permission. With your spouse. With your friends. With the voices in your own head. Because the truth is: most of the people you love won’t understand. And some of the people you trust the most may never give you the validation you’re craving.That’s why this episode is more than just about permission. It’s about power. It’s about identity. And it’s about choosing to trust the one vote that actually counts: your own.What to Expect--Why “permission” is the most misunderstood phase of any transformation--The true cost of waiting too long to trust your gut--How to navigate the spiral of awareness → acknowledgment → acceptance → action--The exact words Lon uses in real-life Rambles that help people start moving--What to do when your spouse, friends, or coworkers don’t get it--Why most people don’t need better advice; they need better questionsKey Takeaways:--No one is coming to give you the life you want. You have to permit yourself to go get it.--Permission without action is just frustration.--You don’t need a perfect plan—you need a clear first step.--Your old friends might not understand who you’re becoming. That’s okay. Find the ones who do.--You can trade what you have for something better… even if you don’t know what “better” is yet.What’s Next?If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinFollow Adam Eaton here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-eaton-21646a4/    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Most people open ChatGPT to get answers.Rob Cressy opened it and found a new life.In this episode, Lon sits down with Rob—entrepreneur, creator, and AI enablement coach—to talk about the real power of ChatGPT. Not as a shortcut. Not as a gimmick. But as a tool for clarity, creativity, and reinvention.Rob discovered ChatGPT five days after it launched. And within minutes, he knew: this wasn’t just a tool—it was a turning point.Together, Rob and Lon unpack what it means to “think into the AI,” why curiosity matters more than technical skill, and how your next chapter might start with a single prompt. What to Expect--Rob’s journey from sports media to high-performance coach and to AI enablement leader--Why ChatGPT “felt like using the internet for the first time”--How to move from searching to creating with AI--Practical starting points: how to build a 7-day ChatGPT habit--Why the best use cases start with your own curiosityHow to integrate AI into your life and career without losing your mind (or job)KEY TAKEAWAYS1. You’re not behind, you’re just asking the wrong questions2. AI doesn’t replace creativity but it unlocks it3. “What am I not asking ChatGPT to do?” ← this mindset alone is worth six figures4. Start small, stay curious, and stack your own momentum5. The opportunity isn’t technical. It’s emotional, creative, and exponentialWhat’s Next?You don’t need a tech background to start.  You just need to show up with curiosity.Try Rob’s 7-day Challenge → 3 prompts a day. Any topic. For 7 days.– Confess something you’ve been avoiding.– Confront it in ChatGPT.– Create your way forward.You don’t need permission to start—just a better question.Links & Resources:Follow Lon on Substack: https://normal40.substack.com/ Book a Free Ramble with Lon: normal40.com (Click “Talk to Lon”)Grab Lon’s book—The Trade: AmazonGet the 14 Questions That Changed My Life: normal40.comFollow Lon on LinkedIn: @LonStroschein🔗 Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein Connect with Rob Cressy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcressy Website: https://robcressy.ai/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

At some point, every man has to ask:What’s this life I’ve built actually doing to me?In this episode, Lon sits down with Tait Arend—fundraiser, leadership coach, and Co-host of the Bridging Connections podcast, for one of the most honest conversations we’ve ever had. Together, they unpack what happens when you’ve done everything right, checked all the boxes, built the image… and still feel like something’s missing.This is not a conversation about brokenness.It’s a conversation about awakening.From a childhood accident that changed his face, and his path, to founding a movement that helps men step out of image and into intimacy, Tait opens up about the five emotional dead ends high-performing men face silently:1. Cynicism2. Isolation3. Numbing4. Disorientation, and 5. Powerlessness.They talk about what’s beneath the mask.And what happens when you finally take it off.This episode will challenge you and confront you to name the things you’ve been afraid to admit. And in the process, it might also give you your next move.KEY TAKEAWAYS--The five emotional dead ends men face (and how to break out of them)--Why most men go through life with 'olders' and not 'elders'--How image becomes a prison, even when it looks successful--The moment of truth: when your future stops matching your present--Why your ego might be your greatest asset--How to stop waiting, and start doing something that mattersWhat’s Next?You don’t need to burn it all down to begin again.But you do need to be honest about where you are and where you’re headed.Start by asking yourself which of the Five Dead Ends are you stuck in. Then do the one thing most men never do: say it out loud.Follow the movement on Substack if you haven't already. Lon shares his best work over there.Links & Resources:Follow Lon on Substack: https://normal40.substack.com/ Book a Free Ramble with Lon: normal40.com (Click “Talk to Lon”)Grab Lon’s book—The Trade: AmazonGet the 14 Questions That Changed My Life: normal40.comFollow Lon on LinkedIn: @LonStroschein🔗 Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein Connect with Tait here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taitarend/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Some trades don’t make sense—until they do.This is one of them.Keith Pochick was an ER doctor. Twenty years in. Saving lives. Leading teams. Teaching residents. Everything he was trained to do and everything the world told him he should want.Until it stopped working.This conversation started the way most do: a quiet nudge, a LinkedIn post, and a DM sent without a plan. Forty-eight hours later, Keith and I sat down for the first time. No prep, no script. Just two guys who had made The Trade™ and knew the cost.He didn’t leave medicine on a whim. He left over years.One dissection. One advisory meeting. One tug from his future at a time.Until one day he said yes to something that had been whispering for years.Now, he teaches middle school science.And he’s never felt more useful.This isn’t a story about burnout. It’s a story about awakening—when staying felt heavier than leaving,when the “right thing” wasn’t the thing that felt true anymore,and when Keith finally stopped letting guilt steal his curiosity.You’re going to feel this one.And if you’re wondering whether it’s too late to start over...listen to the guy who did it—with no regrets, and no backup plan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

What if the life you built—the job, the title, the salary—wasn’t the life you were meant to live?Lon sits down with Dr. Eric Arzubi, a former Wall Street bond trader who walked away from Morgan Stanley to become a psychiatrist and mental health advocate. But the real story isn’t the résumé.It’s what happened in between.Eric shares his remarkable, winding path. From early success to devastating anxiety. From image management to identity collapse. From the Upper East Side to the mountains of Montana, where he now leads one of the most innovative mental health organizations in the country - Frontier Psychiatry. They talk about high-functioning anxiety, burnout, fatherhood, ego, and the choice to live for impact instead of applause.This is an episode for anyone who has ever wondered if they’re allowed to want more and feared what might happen if they said it out loud. WHAT TO EXPECT:Why Eric left a $400K Wall Street job to start over in medicineThe anxiety spiral that nearly broke him and how he clawed his way backWhat panic feels like for elite performers (and why it’s so often hidden)Why mental health care is still out of reach for too manyThe power of marrying ambition with serviceHow Frontier Psychiatry is transforming rural care across the U.S.KEY TAKEAWAYS:You can wear the costume of success and still feel completely lost inside it.The pursuit of “brand” won’t protect you from burnout.Sometimes, you don’t need a new job. You need a new identity.Anxiety doesn’t make you weak. Ignoring it does.You don’t need to fix everything. You just need to advocate for yourself.What feels like unraveling might actually be your reassembly.What’s Next?If you’ve been silently struggling, this is your permission slip. Whether you’re chasing clarity, community, or calling, follow the movement on Substack if you haven't already. Lon shares his best work over here.Links & Resources: Follow Lon on Substack: https://normal40.substack.com/ Book a Free Ramble with Lon: normal40.com (Click “Talk to Lon”)Grab Lon’s book—The Trade: AmazonGet the 14 Questions That Changed My Life: normal40.comFollow Lon on LinkedIn: @LonStroschein🔗 Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein Connect with Eric here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drzoobs/ Website: https://frontier.care/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

What if success didn’t satisfy you the way it was supposed to?Lon sits down with Nicholas Whitaker, former Googler, entrepreneur, and founder of the Conscious Lead Collective. Nicholas shares his journey from punk anarchist to Google executive and the unraveling that began in a hotel room in Japan. At the peak of a global career, Nicholas found himself crumbling under the weight of performance, loneliness, and anxiety, living a version of success that felt more like survival. They talk about burnout, reinvention, and the quiet, powerful decision to build community over competition. This is for anyone who feels called to build something more intentional and honest and is brave enough to start.WHAT TO EXPECT:How Nicholas went from punk rock to the boardrooms of Google and why he walked away.The secret cost of “success” and why chasing status eventually leads to burnout.Building the "Conscious Lead Collective" and what it means to lead with awareness.Why collaboration beats competition every time.The power of healing through community, storytelling, and shared purpose.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Reinvention doesn’t start with a résumé. It starts with curiosity.Real leadership is rooted in compassion, not control.You don’t need to “burn it all down,” but you do need to build something that aligns.Your past doesn't define you. If anything, it prepares you.Sometimes the next chapter starts with a layoff and ends with legacy.What’s Next? Whether you’re chasing clarity, community, or calling, this episode is your permission to get started. Follow the movement on Substack if you haven't already. Lon shares his best work over here.Links & Resources:Follow Lon on Substack: https://normal40.substack.com/ Book a Free Ramble with Lon: normal40.com (Click “Talk to Lon”)Grab Lon’s book—The Trade: AmazonGet the 14 Questions That Changed My Life: normal40.comFollow Lon on LinkedIn: @LonStroschein🔗 Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein Connect with Nicholas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaswhitaker/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com

Sometimes it takes a crash, literal and emotional, to finally wake up. For Steve Garraty, it was both.Before the diagnosis, there was the drinking. The parties. The wrecked cars. The spiral most people didn’t see coming, not even him. But then came the mass on his neck. A cancer diagnosis at 18. And suddenly, the path he was speeding down came to a screeching halt.In this episode, Lon sits down with Steve for a deeply personal conversation about the years that led to his diagnosis, and the transformation that followed. Steve doesn’t hold back about the chaos, the consequences, or the grace that found him in the darkest places.This episode isn’t about cancer.It’s about change.And about choosing what you do with the life you get after it all falls apart.Key Takeaways:It’s not a question of if adversity comes. It’s when. And how you use it.Most people avoid their past. Steve turned it into a book that might save someone else.True change rarely comes from comfort.Support doesn’t always come from where you expect. Real growth starts when you stop pretending everything’s fine.Gratitude, empathy, and faith are survival tools for the long game.You don’t need a perfect life to have an impact. You need a truthful one.Your “second resume,” the messy, painful stuff you usually hide, might be the most powerful thing you have to offer.What's NextYou don’t need a diagnosis to decide to change. But you do need to decide.Start by reading Steve Garraty's book Greatfruit now available on Amazon, then ask yourself: What’s in your Second Résumé™… and who might it help? Buy Steve's book "Greatfruit" here: https://a.co/d/7GktD9M 🔗 Connect with Lon and SteveLon Stroschein: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroscheinSteve Garraty:LinkedInFacebookInstagramhttps://stevegarraty.com/  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com