Chapter X with Michael Kay

Michael F Kay
  • 5.0 (58)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

What happens after a successful career ends? This podcast explores how men navigate retirement, identity, and purpose beyond work. Each week, Michael and his guests look at the real challenges of life transition. the loss of structure, the shift in identity, and the search for meaning and purpose that follows. If you're a man rethinking what fulfillment looks like after decades of hard-charging work, you're in the right place.

  1. 6d ago

    What Retirement Changes for Couples

    One partner's retirement dream may look very different from the other's.   Maybe one of you imagines traveling and spending every day together. The other likes the life, friendships, and routines they already have. If you haven't talked about what retirement will actually look like, you may be planning two very different futures.   My guest today is therapist, coach, and author Dorian Mintzer. Dori contributed an important chapter to my book, How to Craft Your Chapter X, and she is the co-author of The Couple's Retirement Puzzle.   In this episode, we explore the conversations couples should have before and during retirement. We also share what inspired us to create an in-person workshop where couples can speak openly, learn from one another, and begin shaping a vision for this next stage of life.   We covered: Why your partner may not share your retirement dream The danger of assuming you know what your spouse wants What happens when work no longer provides purpose or friendships How to make room for separate interests and a shared life Why retirement can feel surprisingly similar to an empty nest The best time to begin these conversations On October 24, Dori and I are hosting a workshop for eight couples in Brookline, Massachusetts. Couples will have honest conversations about what they each want from retirement and begin creating a plan for their next chapter together. See the workshop details → -- Resources: Learn more about the October 24 couples workshop The Couple's Retirement Puzzle How to Craft Your Chapter X

  2. Sep 2

    Retirement on Your Own Terms

    What happens when you love your work too much to retire from it?   David Fiala has spent more than 35 years helping people better understand themselves. When someone once asked him about retirement, his response was: "How can I retire from what I am?"   David is a clinical social worker and author of *The Courageous Seeker*. His own path has taken him from working in casinos to exploring monastic life, with plenty of unexpected turns along the way.   In this episode, David shares what he's learned about looking inward, letting go of old pain, and continuing to grow throughout every stage of life.   We covered: The life-changing experience that sent him in a completely new direction Why experiences from decades ago can still influence us today How to take care of yourself without feeling selfish A simple practice for becoming more present in everyday life Why asking for help can be an important part of personal growth Why David doesn't see his work ending with retirement   -- Resources: Website: https://www.mindyourego.com  Resource Page: https://www.mindyourego.com/resources  Sign up to read the opening pages of The Courage Seeker: https://www.mindyourego.com/the-courageous-seeker

  3. Aug 26

    Creativity Has No Age Limit

    You're never too old to learn something new.   Ed Friedman didn't grow up around the arts. In fact, he didn't see his first stage play until his late 20s. But as an adult, creativity became a big part of his life.   Ed went on to act, write plays, and co-found Lifetime Arts, a nonprofit that helps older adults learn and create through the arts. Today, he's retired from the organization but still writing, acting, and trying new things.   In this episode, Ed and I talk about creativity, community, and why getting older shouldn't stop us from being beginners.   We covered: What finally gave Ed the courage to step onto a stage for the first time Why being a beginner can get harder as we get older The most damaging kind of ageism Ed believes we put on ourselves What happens when we stop worrying about being good at something new Why Ed believes it's never too late to follow a new interest -- Resources Lifetime Arts Ed Friedman's website I Will Not Be Ignored

  4. Aug 19

    What Happens After You Reach the Top?

    Life has a way of telling us when something needs to change, even when we aren't ready to listen.   My guest today, Mark Feinberg, spent years building companies, serving on boards, and chasing success. From the outside, everything looked right. But internally, Mark knew something was missing.   After the sudden loss of his business partner and close friend forced him to stop, Mark began letting go of the identity he had built around achievement and exploring who he was beyond his career.   In this episode, we explore what can happen when we silence the noise long enough to listen to ourselves.   We discuss:   Why Mark believes "reconnecting with yourself" might be the wrong advice The wake-up call Mark gives clients who've spent most of their energy on one area of life Why aiming for a 10 in every part of your life might actually work against you What we may need to unlearn before we can move forward The unexpected place Mark found one of the most important lessons of his next chapter   -- Resources Tame the Noise  Roaming Coaches  Connect with Mark on LinkedIn

  5. Aug 12

    You Can Reinvent Yourself Again

    What did you love before work and responsibility took over?   As kids, we followed our curiosity without worrying whether an interest was productive or impressive. Somewhere along the way, many of us leave those parts of ourselves behind.   My guest today, therapist and author Alexander Osterman, believes they're worth going back for. He even has Lego castles on his office wall simply because he always wanted one as a kid.   In this episode, we talk about rediscovering old interests, separating who you are from what you did for a living, and giving yourself permission to explore again in Chapter X.   We discuss:   The surprising place Alexander looks for clues about what comes next How to tell when you might be drifting through your days One small practice Alexander uses to help people get unstuck What happens when we spend too much time trying to think our way forward 3 questions that can change how you look at your day   -- Resources Website: alexanderosterman.com Instagram: instagram.com/alexanderosterman

  6. Aug 5

    What Makes Retirement Different for Executives

    Retirement isn't just the end of a career. For many executives, it's the first time they've had to redefine who they are without the title they've spent decades earning.   So why do so many accomplished leaders struggle with this transition? And what can they do now to prepare for what's next?   My guest today is Dr. Kelly Ottman, executive coach, researcher, and founder of Leadership Portals. After interviewing executives before and after retirement, she uncovered surprising patterns about identity, relationships, and the skills people need to thrive in the next chapter.   In this episode, we covered:   Why the word "retirement" makes executives flinch The surprising skills many leaders find out they're missing after leaving work Why "I'll just join a few boards" isn't as simple as it sounds Losing your prestige vs. losing your credibility (and why they're not the same thing) What Kelly encourages people to create instead of a bucket list What organizations overlook when preparing leaders for retirement -- Resources Email: KellyOttman@LeadershipPortals.com   Website: LeadershipPortals.com  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellyottman

  7. Jul 29

    You're More Creative Than You Think

    Creativity isn't reserved for artists. It's something we use every day to solve problems, adapt to change, and discover new possibilities.   That becomes especially important in Chapter X. Retirement reimagines how we spend our time, where we find fulfillment, and what comes next.   Today I'm speaking with James Walters, photographer, podcaster, and author. He shares why curiosity is at the heart of creativity, why success and fulfillment aren't always the same thing, and how a shift in perspective can open the door to new possibilities.   We cover:   Why James sees creativity as problem-solving in disguise   Why imposter syndrome doesn't retire when you do What it means to rebel against inherited definitions of success Two brothers who waited until their 70s to hike the Appalachian Trail together 3 phases of retirement James has seen in the people he interviews   -- Resources A Joyful Rebellion

  8. Jul 22

    The Joy of Becoming a Beginner Again

    We tend to avoid anything we won't be instantly good at. Richard Sparks has spent forty years proving that instinct is wrong.   Richard is a writer who has spent 40 years bouncing between comedy sketches, TV scripts, opera translations, and now fantasy novels. He wrote for a young Rowan Atkinson before anyone knew his name, then somehow ended up translating operas with no background in the form.   In this episode, Richard shares why he never expects a first draft to work and how that same patience helped him build a fantasy series after decades of writing scripts.   We cover: The strange side job that taught Richard he could actually get paid to write What happened the first time he watched an actor perform a sketch he wrote The one thing Richard tells every young writer about a bad first draft Why he walked away from decades of scriptwriting for something he'd never done before A story structure mistake he says ruined the ending of a hit TV series The line from Mel Brooks that reframed how Richard thinks about comedy vs. tragedy -- Resources Get free chapters at: https://richardsparks.com

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What happens after a successful career ends? This podcast explores how men navigate retirement, identity, and purpose beyond work. Each week, Michael and his guests look at the real challenges of life transition. the loss of structure, the shift in identity, and the search for meaning and purpose that follows. If you're a man rethinking what fulfillment looks like after decades of hard-charging work, you're in the right place.

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