Introduction – “Starting Your Journey”

In the introduction to the podcast hosted by J. Thorn, he explains how the show is designed to inspire and guide middle-aged individuals to break boundaries and pursue their passions for enjoyment, profit, and legacy. J. challenges listeners to perceive their future as a new adventure, addressing the issue of feeling out of place due to societal changes and potential age discrimination in their career or industry. The podcast encourages listeners to value their extensive experience and wisdom as significant assets.

“I have been hurt more, I have suffered more, and I have fucked up more. I have also overcome things that are incomprehensible to younger people. I have experienced more by virtue of being in the world for a really long time. Older people may be broken down, but we are also vast repositories of experience and, if we have been paying attention to the world, a certain amount of wisdom, too. This has value. It is worth something.”

—Nick Cave from FAITH, HOPE AND CARNAGE

Welcome to “The Author Journey: The Midlife Pursuit of Passion and Purpose,” a limited edition podcast hosted by me, J. Thorn.

I’m your guide on a journey into your past and your potential future, showing you why what you do for a living doesn’t need to be the same-old, same-old. I’ll explain why you’re not too old to break boundaries and do the thing you were always meant to do. For fun and for profit. And for a legacy that’ll make you proud.

You’re going to have to answer difficult questions that arise at middle age, and I’m challenging you to think of your future not as winding down but as the beginning of a new adventure.

Let’s start by identifying your problem.

You feel like you don’t belong anymore. You were once young, hip, fit, and felt like you had the world at your feet. But that feels like a lifetime ago.

You’ve worked hard to become an expert at your craft or in your industry. You’ve made solid bank, maybe even more than you thought possible. But the world is changing faster than it ever has before.

Maybe you’ve hit a ceiling in your career or learning potential. Or perhaps you’re getting “aged out” by your company (if you work for one) or by your clients (if you’re self-employed). Either way, they’re looking to hire someone younger and cheaper.

And then you have to deal with emerging technology, like AI and whatever the hell “web3” is. It’s not only confusing, but it might replace you.

Let’s not forget about the added “benefit” of being middle aged. You’ve been doing what you do for so long that you can do it in your sleep. In other words, that’s a nice way of saying you’re bored shitless by the work, stuck like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. You’re not dead yet, so what’s next?

Then there’s the bigger existential issue for us: legacy. What lasting impact will you have on your family and friends? Is an AARP card and a few awards what you’ve worked your entire life for? My friend Trudi said she’d rather chew glass than be a member of AARP. Joking, not joking.

You don’t need to be filthy rich, just wealthy enough to live comfortably or to leave a nest egg for your loved ones. But you’re sandwiched between paying for college (your kids) and paying for a nursing home (your parents).

You don’t need to be filthy rich, just wealthy enough to live comfortably now, and not be a burden to your loved ones—and hopefully leave a nest egg for them.

Now let’s talk about you.

You’re unique, individualistic and countercultural—a rebel! You do the unexpected. You hate conformity. You defy convention and traditional expectations because that shit is boring.

For example, even when you were in your 20s, you thought the Grammy Awards were a joke. Thirty years later, you shake your head at how lame the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations have become.

In your 30s and 40s you tried “fitting in,” but it never worked, never left you satisfied because you’ve always been independent. You were a latchkey kid. You want that feeling again.

And now, for the first time in your life, you realize that others see you as “old.” And in a “Church Lady” kinda way, not in an Eddie Vedder kinda way. You absolutely know what ageism is and how it feels. Isn’t that special?

You’ve recently lost a parent, a friend, or a peer. Their passing has put you into a tailspin of existential dread, leaving you wondering: “Am I working toward a retirement of daytime television and the early bird special at Joe’s Diner? Do I even want to be retired? What am I going to do once I don’t have to do anything?”

Listen up, my friend. You’re still rad.You have a combination of wisdom and experience that young people don’t, and AI can’t—you possess decades of earned experience.

I won’t lie to you.The world is changing faster than it ever has, and it’s not your fault you feel like you can’t keep up. But you can turn your wisdom into wealth and become truly independent because you’re already ready.

The newest investment scheme or another shiny online course won’t do anything but drain your bank account—there’s no such thing as passive income.

I’m not surprised you’re not hearing more about this looming retirement crisis on the nightly news. Our generation has been ignored since we were first labeled. Joke’s on them because we’ve never cared what they think. Like, whatever.

 I have a solution to your problem and I’m going to share it with you in this podcast series.

I AM you. Just a few years ahead on the path.

I was attracted to writing and publishing. I started by self-publishing on Amazon in 2009 and then I got hooked. I took my publishing process and systematized it. And then, I turned that process into a business that taught others to do the thing that I love doing.

Substitute “writing and publishing” with your passion or your expertise.

I want to share what I’ve learned with you because it will become my legacy. My goal is to get you psyched about starting something new. This is the opposite of the conventional advice offered to people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. I’m calling bullshit on the traditional approach to aging.

Here’s how the podcast will work.

You’ll hear your story told in eight chapters, taking you from where you were to where you want to be.

Each chapter includes audio clips and highlights from some of the 1,200 podcast episodes I’ve recorded since 2014, including wisdom from some of the world’s most successful mid-lifers like Matthew McConaughey, Seth Godin, and Steven Pressfield.

Credits

Mentorship by Brian Clark, Jerod Morris, and Trudi Roth

Podcast concept by Jerod Morris

Written, narrated, and produced by J. Thorn

Editing by Miranda Weingartner and Trudi Roth

Audio editing and production by J. Thorn

“Twisted” and “RetroFuture” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 at creativecommons.org