Don't Let The Old Man In

Pod O'Sullivan
  • 1.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

DLTOMI is a weekly podcast brought to you by Pod O’Sullivan, where he has real and candid conversations to navigate midlife, health, relationships, reinvention, purpose, and everything in between. Pod O’Sullivan has been fascinated with transitions and personal reinventions for most of his life. His career has seen him in the medical industry, in sales and marketing, consulting industries, being self-employed, being an entrepreneur who successfully sold businesses, being an educator at Sydney Business School, an author, an Executive Coach to 100’s of CEO’s all over Asia, a podcaster, the owner of a "failed" tech start up and now the co-founder of The Wisdom Vault and host of this podcast. He is also a Doctoral student in Oxford research how men navigate midlife and how they (we) might do it better. Pod knows the harsh reality of life’s ups and downs and firmly believes that midlife, while tough on many levels, can also be lonely on others and downright confusing on yet others; it can also include the best stages in life. He is here to explore and find those, alongside fellow men. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 3d ago

    Being Diagnosed with ADHD in Midlife Gave Him Clarity and Purpose || Paul Drayton, Sobriety and ADHD

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with Paul Drayton (author of Ride – Or Die Trying) to dive into his ADHD diagnosis in midlife, his struggles with alcohol addiction, and coming to grips with his neurodivergence gave him purpose in the second half of life. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ Read Ride – Or Die Trying: https://www.amazon.com.au/Ride-Trying-before-during-laughter/dp/1918428441 CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Pleasing Others and the Influence of Family 04:14 Discovering ADHD Later in Life 07:25 The Diagnosis and Its Impact 12:59 Overwhelm and Self-Medication with Alcohol 17:24 Realizing There's No Trauma, Just ADHD 21:03 Managing Benders and Guilt 25:09 Moving Forward and Personal Growth 37:09 Reflecting on Life and Future Goals 42:34 Love Yourself to Manage Challenges 44:52 Final Thoughts and Advice for Listeners #sobriety #adhd #midlife Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Oct 12

    How To Stand Out In Midlife After Trying To Fit In || Reinventing Yourself w/ Steve Pratt

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with entrepreneur and author Steve Pratt about how selling his business drove him to find his purpose after 50, which he found by running midlife experiments. We discuss what he's tried, how its helped him and why you should try them yourself. Read Steve Pratt's substack: https://thecreativityguild.substack.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:41 The “Lego Businessman” identity 05:38 Fitting in versus standing out 09:48 Selling the business and facing the messy middle 13:20 Letting go of scoreboards, wearables, and optimization 21:35 Exploring ketamine-assisted therapy 29:44 Doing stand-up comedy with his daughter 33:50 Taking a break from the phone—and Wordle 36:46 Sharing a vulnerable journey with family 41:03 The cost of personal experiments 43:16 Becoming fully yourself 46:13 One experiment to start tomorrow 49:52 What Steve would tell his 25-year-old self Don't Let the Old Man In does not condone the use of illegal drugs. #findingpurpose #trynewthings #midlife Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Oct 6

    Why Talking With Strangers Makes Us Happier || Making new friends in midlife w/ Nicholas Epley

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with behavioural scientist Nicholas Epley, to unpack why social connection is so important for overall happiness, how to make new friends in midlife, and why men shouldn't fear striking up a chat with strangers. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 02:30 Research on talking to strangers 05:21 The train ride realisation 11:00 Personality, expectations, and social interaction 15:54 Approaching VS Avoiding 20:42 Experiments on talking to strangers during commutes 24:05 The role of voice in communication and understanding 34:07 Making friends in midlife and the power of warmth 41:55 Belonging, competence, and human needs 47:51 Lessons from Nick's daughter 51:53 Final tips: When in doubt, reach out Get A Little More Social: https://www.amazon.com.au/Little-More-Social-Unexpected-Connection/dp/0593319540 Subscribe to our newsletter for more DLTOMI: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ #midlife #socialanxiety #midlifecrisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Sep 29

    How To Chase Your Purpose In Midlife || Starting Over In Your 50s w/ Ian Westmoreland

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with Ian Westmoreland, a successful IT worker who left it all behind at age 59 to pursue a second half of purpose and fulfilment. We discuss what drove him to make a change, men's mental health, the honour of being awarded an Order of Australia Medal, and much more. Learn about Mentoring Men: https://www.mentoringmen.org.au/about Find out about Kintsugi Heroes: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/ Subscribe to our newsletter for more DLTOMI: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction to Ian's Life and Transformation 01:19 The Message That Changed Ian's Life 12:11 The Power of Listening and Being Heard 20:41 The Metaphor of Kintsugi in Healing 24:32 Connecting Through Culture and Stories 36:00 The Impact of Vulnerability and Emotional Openness 37:09 The Work of Kintsugi Heroes and Storytelling 44:55 Reflections on Success, Love, and Life's Purpose 48:47 Final Thoughts and Advice #midlife #findingpurpose #mensmentalhealth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Sep 21

    Why Work Is Draining Your Energy (And How To Fix it) || w/ workplace psychologist Dr Kat Page

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with Dr Kathryn Page (organisational psychologist and author of Good Work) to understand what is draining our energy in the workplace, why burnout looks different in men, and the importance of maintaining identity outside of our work. Learn more about Dr Kat Page's book here: https://www.drkatpage.com/about-4 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest 02:17 Growing up in a police family and its influence 07:45 Work to live versus live to work 14:56 The concept of the third space and its significance 25:42 The effort recovery framework explained 42:23 Languishing versus flourishing and how to move forward 01:02:20 Final thoughts and message for future generations #burnout #psychology #midlife Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Sep 14

    What's Hurting Our Sons Is What We Praise Them For || Mark Beretta on body image and mental health

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with Mark Beretta (Sunrise TV Presenter and ambassador for the Butterfly Foundation) about young men's mental health today, how eating disorders are underdiscussed in society, and how he's reinvented himself throughout his life. Learn more about the Butterfly Foundation: https://butterfly.org.au/ Subscribe to our newsletter for more DLTOMI: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 02:04 Early life, water skiing, and family memories 04:19 Lessons from sport and its role in personal development 06:36 Career in television and the evolution of Sunrise 10:30 Caring for aging parents 19:28 Eating disorders: what dads need to know 32:47 Reinvention and following passions in midlife 42:24 Involvement in the Australian reserves and service to country 48:24 The importance of friendships and social connections 52:43 Reflections on life, aging, and legacy #eatingdisorders #midlife #parentingtips Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Sep 7

    You Don’t Need Rock Bottom To Quit Alcohol || Sobriety Coach on Drinking Less in Midlife

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with sobriety coach Sarah Rusbatch to understand grey area drinking, how our relationship to alcohol can change in midlife, and the simple way to determine the tradeoffs we do and don't want to make for alcohol. Learn more about Sarah's work here: https://sarahrusbatch.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 02:05 What is Grey Area Drinking 04:06 Early experiences with alcohol 06:19 Transition from social drinking to career-driven drinking 08:16 Moving to Australia and using alcohol to fill voids 13:50 The slow decline into problematic drinking 17:32 The moment of decision to quit alcohol 24:21 Why moderation is often not an option 32:49 Defining Grey Area Drinking and its challenges 37:43 Tools and strategies for quitting alcohol 45:02 The benefits of sobriety and life transformation 01:00:18 Looking ahead: aging and living alcohol-free 01:01:28 Advice for starting the conversation about alcohol with loved ones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Aug 31

    The Most Important Conversation in Midlife: How A Son Helped His Mother Realise Her Last Wishes

    In this week's powerful episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with author Oliver Christen to discuss his deeply moving book As She Chose, the story of his mother's self-determined end-of-life journey. Learn more about As She Chose: https://www.amazon.com.au/As-She-Chose-conscious-lived/dp/1764067827 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction to the conversation on end-of-life choices 01:21 Why this topic matters: removing fear of death 02:10 Early memories of Oliver's mother 06:21 Global overview of assisted dying laws 08:46 Why Oliver's mother chose assisted dying 11:07 The criteria for voluntary stopping eating and drinking 16:41 Understanding death fasting from a spiritual perspective 20:58 Living fully and purposefully 21:52 The gap between wishes and reality in end-of-life care 25:39 The process and experience of fasting for death 28:16 Letting go of identity and expectations 30:56 The importance of presence and acceptance 33:12 Acts of love and creating meaningful moments 37:28 Supporting loved ones through physical decline 39:25 The significance of signs and nature in end-of-life 44:56 Reflections on conversations and relationships 50:39 Conscious completion and letting go 56:27 What Oliver learned about his mother 01:07:38 Final words of wisdom: live fully and have the conversation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About

DLTOMI is a weekly podcast brought to you by Pod O’Sullivan, where he has real and candid conversations to navigate midlife, health, relationships, reinvention, purpose, and everything in between. Pod O’Sullivan has been fascinated with transitions and personal reinventions for most of his life. His career has seen him in the medical industry, in sales and marketing, consulting industries, being self-employed, being an entrepreneur who successfully sold businesses, being an educator at Sydney Business School, an author, an Executive Coach to 100’s of CEO’s all over Asia, a podcaster, the owner of a "failed" tech start up and now the co-founder of The Wisdom Vault and host of this podcast. He is also a Doctoral student in Oxford research how men navigate midlife and how they (we) might do it better. Pod knows the harsh reality of life’s ups and downs and firmly believes that midlife, while tough on many levels, can also be lonely on others and downright confusing on yet others; it can also include the best stages in life. He is here to explore and find those, alongside fellow men. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Pod O'Sullivan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Pod O'Sullivan
  • Show Website
    Don't Let The Old Man In

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