The Gyst Life - A podcast about how to live your best life David Schmeikal

I've been running this podcast now since 2017.It's been a fundamental catalyst in my own journey of self-expression and clarity of purpose. I did not know it was going to happen, I just started because it felt right and because deep down I knew I needed to do something to get what was in my head out. 
The original premise of the show was about uncovering what it takes to live your best life on your terms and how important it is to get your shit together to make that happen.
The trap though is thinking that having your shit together is all that it takes. You can just as easily find meaning and purpose missing, despite doing all the right things in your life.
You can also make amazing things happen even if you don't have it all together.
As I head into the 7th anniversary of the podcast, I am appreciating that it's less about the solo journey of getting your shit together and more about getting together and making cool shit happen. 
And while it's fundamental to do the necessary self work, the real meaningful work happens when you're ready to co-create with others in bigger ways.
 
This episode is for those who are in a moment of reflection on the passage of time of a lived lived and are finding themselves eager to dig in more deeply but unsure of what to do next.
Perhaps it's been a couple years now since you officially retired or you're about to close the final page of a long chapter in your book of life. 
It's an exciting moment, or at least it should be. You have fulfilled on your obligations to society and to the industry you've invested at least a quarter century into. 
60 hour work weeks where the soul focus of you and your peers was getting shit done has been replaced with a new domain to master. 
A new book is ready to be written as of today.
Your own. 
 
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It's time to create a new set of rules to play life by. https://www.davidschmeikal.com/recalibration
 

The Journey of Men is a lonely one, even if we find ourselves surrounded by those we love.
We are expected to carry the weight of life on our shoulders and be the rock everyone around us can lean on. 
I embrace that role whole heartedly.I strive to be the best man I can be for my son, for my daughter and for my wife.
But embracing that role comes with a dark side if we're not careful.I provide strength, direction and assertiveness when neededI also need to balance that with connection, vulnerability and compassion.
But it is not easy.
This last week I met a number of inspiring men through new connections online and in person. I appreciated how easy it was for the ones I did connect with to be able to stand confidently in who we know ourselves to be.  
How easy it was to feel an ease in exploring the areas we typically reserve for much later in a relationship, if ever at all. There was no posturing and no pressure, just presence.
In the past I've had many tell me they could not handle how I show up, that it was uncomfortable to explore deeper conversations with me and why couldn't I just keep it simple. 
I've had a few tell me there was a time when they outright didn't like me because of it and I've had others tell me they tried to avoid me all together.
A part of me knewA part of me ignoredA part of me had no clue
There are those that stuck around and there are those who left. 
While I share frequently over social media, I am still more assertive than I am vulnerable, still more calculated in my sharing than I am fully expressed.
I keep the really deep concerns, stories and struggles to myself for fear of the judgement and the perception it might create of me.
I justify those emotions as unnecessary, insignificant and just unworthy of sharing.
Deep down I know it is not true , but this is always how it went and so would always be how it goes.
However all of that changes very quickly when I am around other men who step into their true self. The moment another brother bravely shares their journey, their struggle, their doubts and their celebrations, the flame of my own aspirations are doused with the fuel of creativity.
The problem is that fuel doesn't last very long. And the moment I find myself on my own, I begin to calculate my exit plan.The vulnerabilities arise once again as I put on the armor I've counted on to protect me from those I don't know since I was a young boy.
This is the very same armor we put on when we decide to stop the pursuit of anything outside of our realm of the familiar.
It does not matter what it is. 
The moment we sense that we're in a unfamiliar place, we activate this armor. Because we've told ourselves a story that we've adopted as gospel.
It never fails us.
But it has failed us, we just fail to see the obviousness of it all.
That we've outgrown our suit of armor.And that we must spend the time to craft a new suit that is versatile and adaptable to a fast changing environment. 
A suit that will serve us in our future role as a man in this world.
That's the thing about being a man...
Struggle never goes away. Struggle is our biggest source of fuel.Our lives are meant to be lived in the pursuit of something bigger than ourselves.
But If we're not careful our titles, roles and positions will forever trap us in a way of being that does not serve our true objective and likely has not for a long time.
Leaving ourselves resigned to believe that we might never realize our ideas to their fullest potential.
 
Here's something you already know....Having your shit together does not mean you're living the life you want.
And you're only as effective as the men who stand in your corner. 
The simple truth is this....
The journey that got you here is the one you needed to take, but it will not get you to where you say you want to go.
And only when you're ready to let go of who you are not, can you then embrace the hero you know yourself to be. The hero tasked to take up the challenge bestowed upon you

You've invested 10,20,30 years into your profession and now you're standing there with an open calendar and a decision to make. 
There is a feeling of anticipation. The excitement for what's possible.The weight of previous responsibilities have lifted from your shoulders and this new found space to move and roam leaves you with a new focus.
The search for what's next. 
In these early days of exploration, every moment feels pregnant with potential. Yet as weeks slip into months, the initial thrill gives way to a growing restlessness.The need to do something to fill the void left by decades of dedicated service, becomes a relentless whisper in the back of your mind.
But the idea of diving headlong into something entirely new feels somehow inadequately inappropriate, as if missing the mark entirely. 
Even now as the calendar stretches out before you like an open road the anticipation of what lies ahead palpable with the thrill of possibility, you can't help but pause on the peculiar mix of trepidation and uncertainty.
There's this gnawing sense that what you seek has always been there waiting, to finally be recognized and acknowledged, waiting to be embraced.
But the pull of the hustle and bustle of this new chapter makes it all to easy to fall into old habits. The urgent and the pressing crowds out the important as the days slip by in a blur of activity, little room being left for introspection or meaningful action.
How much longer are you going to let the stuff  that gets in your way keep getting in the way?If you were really honest with yourself, a part of you would agree that this pattern has plagued you your entire life.  It did not matter what demands of life or job, the things that truly mattered have always taken a back seat to the immediate concerns.
It is in this moment of transition, where you are given a rare chance to break free from old habits, to chart a new course laid out by your inner guide.
It's daunting to be sure, and you know this one is different.
As you stand on the threshold of this new chapterResolve to confront the things that have long held you backCommit to embrace the opportunities that lie aheadForge a path guided by passion, purpose and possibility.
Stop waiting to arrive, you are here. It's a simple truth that often gets lost in the shuffle of daily life.The decision to make is now, in this moment, with the resources and experiences you've accumulated. There is no need to wait for the perfect conditions. Now is that time.
You have accumulated a wealth of experiences and lessons along the way. Each challenge, each triumph has shaped you into the person you are today
And now in this moment, understand that you are uniquely positioned to share those lessons with others.
It's a daunting and humbling prospect to be sure.Stepping into the role of mentor and guide requires vulnerability and a willingness to embrace creativity.
But you know this is where you're meant to be.And the truth is you've already built strong foundations. You've honed your skills, navigated through adversity and emerged stronger than you ever thought possible.
Now is the time to offer a guiding light to those seeking clarity and direction.You know the path forward may not always be clear, but you know something others do not. With courage and conviction you will step forward into the unknown, ready to share your wisdom, to inspire change and leave your legacy on the world around you.
This is not something you need to do alone either
I'm on a mission to remind you that not anyone can do what you can do, not everyone see's the world like you see. In fact, your point of view is needed more than you know and the time to be unleashed into the world, to build the body of work you're meant to create is now.
It's time to create a new set of rules to play life by. You are more than what you've done and the subject matter expertise you've acquired. You have a body of work; a world of ideas, lessons, and experiences that we could

If you find yourself at a cross roads of your life, whether its exploring retirement or transitioning into a new career or life focus, this message is for you.
I never thought this idea of planning for retirement was a thing I needed to think about with any measure of intensity. But as I reflect on the last 15 years of my life, I am present to just how quickly time goes and how quickly we can find ourselves having to make choices that need to fit within a new life paradigm. One that's new, unfamiliar and obscure.
One thing is certain. An old life has to be left behind. And with this, you might be experiencing feelings of loss of what was, mixed with anxiety isolation and uncertainty for what's to come.
And as much as you might have been looking forward to it, this is one of life's milestones not to be taken lightly, and definitely should be pursued with a healthy balance of excitement, commitment and curious exploration.
You are at the beginning of a new book. Chapter one of what's next is waiting to be written.And despite the mixed bag of emotions, your energy and attention is quite eager to be channeled in new directions. What happens next will set your focus and hold your attention for the foreseeable future.
Your first new job as CEO of Your Dream Life is to develop and refine your creative process. The guide rails that will direct your efforts.
This is less about following a pre-designed purpose than it is a practice of leaning into a way of living that honors serendipitous coincidence.
You're at a unique point in your life.You're able to do something most of us say we want to do but are just not ready for yet.
And that is to free yourself of all obligations, attachments and expectations that have typically influenced the directions our life needed to go in and instead decisively venture forth in a direction of your choosing because you said so and because you're ready for the trip.
A large majority of us have bought into this idea that we had to follow a specific path.And if we followed that path, hit those objectives, those things we said we needed to, meaning and purpose would show up on the end of that journey. The hidden treasure. We did not veer off that path, believing that would risk it all, compromising the end result.
You know this to be untrue. Because here you are, at the end of said path only to discover that it was not the end at all. 
Only a new beginning.
Now is the time to double down on who you really are and embrace your inner collector and creator. You are a creative and a collector, have always been. You have created many experiences, produced or participated in producing the tangible and the intangible. You have collections of a life of ideas, beliefs, ways of doing, ways of being to prove it.
This time of your life is about re-engaging with those small moments, spending time with them and adding meaning to them. 
What happened?What have I done?What is important to me?Why does it matter?What will be my new focus? 
This new clarity, this spark, will light your candle of creativity.And it will show you the way and reveal your creative process.
Nurturing creativity is like giving structure and organization for chaos to roam freely. you know this. It's intentionally making space for the unpredictable to just do it's thing, but within parameters.
If there are no parameters, the creative process becomes too much, goes too far, spreads out too thin. It becomes impossible for us to really grab hold of.
Your creative process is the place where what's next will incubate. And it needs to be a familiar space. One that you can explore and understand intimately it's nuance and subtleties so that you can effectively guide, direct and capture the insights of this introspective evaluating and contemplating of possibility to design your new life.
This is far from the end, this is the beginning and the first step to recalibrating what life looks like for you.
Embrace it. Write about it. Share those though

Last week I came across a fantastically contagious individual I didn't know I needed to hear, until I did. Truth be told, that while I was hopeful that the masterclass would reveal some unknowns to me as it relates to the world of speaking on stage, I wasn't expecting much. 
The inner critic was busy being critical. And thankfully the inner creative was also busy getting ready to be inspired.
Which, after day 1, I definitely was.At the time of this recording, Chantelle Adams is hosting her free 5-day Speaking Extravaganza and she did not disappoint. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SpeakingExtravaganza
If I could only share one thing with you that really left an impact it would be this...
Your voice is an instrument and carries with it a message.

Last year I had an interesting journey with my professional career and with my relationship to creativity. In some ways I really felt lost, a bit defeated and unsure of myself or my abilities to make decisions. It had me start to question why I even bother pursuing this idea of living a creative life. Wondering often, what that even means.
I needed a win, a reminder, a recalibration.
Which I got.
A book I was reading about creativity, along with a video I watched about taking an artistic approach to work, prompted a deep dive into answering a simple, yet profoundly complex question for myself...
What's true for me?
In an attempt to answer that question, I ended up deciding to produce a short film about my journey with creativity, because, apparently, that's what needed to happen. And why not? Seems doable, even though I've never done anything like that before.
In full disclosure, I proudly identify as what you would call a 'Jack of all Trades'. I have no formal education in film, other than having been in the creative industry assuming various roles from design, production, communications, strategy and management. Let's just say I know enough about a few things to be dangerous and can easily find myself in way over my head, which I was.
The Fog of War in the Battle for Creativity
The fog of war is a metaphor that's been used as far back as the 1800's. It meant to capture the uncertainty of any outcome, like that of a war. In today's world it refers to the difficulty of making decisions in the midst of (insert conflict here).
If you would indulge me on a tangent...
This connected me to one of the biggest reasons why I love to play certain video games, the irony that comes from how I tend to feel about that same struggle in the real world and a shift of perspective this experience is unraveling for me.
I've played video games for well over 35 years or so. I love playing video games, so much so, there is a space on my calendar dedicated to that activity alone.
In the virtual world there is also a fog of war
It's actually a primary mechanic in many games. It reveals what I've discovered on my journey and what i have yet to uncover. With every new discovery, comes a boost of confidence and courage to continue to venture forward into the unknown.
And I do so, eagerly and with a virtual pep in my step. EXCITED by the prospect of what new thing I might discover along the way.
Sometimes I'm ready for what's next, basking in the glory of a well deserved victory, other times I'm back at home base licking my wounds and preparing for the arduous journey to retrieve my stuff from a place I'm clearly not ready for.
Yet...
With this new clarity and perspective, I can return with a level of readiness and preparation that simply didn't exist up until that moment where the fog of war lifted and I was face to face with an unexpected adversary.
I produced a short film. Now what?
This is what I asked myself and again I am in way over my head. A few conversations with some inspiring people here in town how has me hosting a screening of my film at the end of this month.
One of my characters (I talk about that in a previous podcast), can't help but shake his head in disbelief as he comments on me "doing it again".
But here's the thing I am realizing...
I have an interesting relationship with the growth and grind of leveling up in the virtual world, and by association to certain games I play in the real world too.
I always enjoyed the game...
Regardless of the grind, when it was the game I CHOSE to play.
And even though there are some IRL games that I wished I didn't have to play, the simple truth is that fog of war that has been forever revealed is a good thing!
It will always be a variable I must navigate, but there will be ways for me to go around because I know it exists.
The Lesson?
You might now know what you'll uncover in the creative game you're playing, but you can ALWAYS choose which game you WANT to play. So if you don't like the