Chapter X with Michael Kay

Life is more than chasing a bigger paycheck or a career fixated on it. Our guest today, Rand Selig, suggests that as we step into the next phase after work, it's an opportunity for self-discovery. What's interesting is that the same skills that fueled our career success can now shape this new chapter.

Rand Selig is a seasoned entrepreneur, coach, and roll-up-your-sleeves conservationist with an MBA from Stanford. His expertise in managing global projects adds a unique flavor to our conversation. Based in Mill Valley, California, he shares life's adventures with his wife of 42 years. Recently, Rand authored Thriving! How to Create a Healthier, Happier, and More Prosperous Life.

During our talk, Rand reflects on his own career transition and imparts valuable lessons on facing challenges with bravery, persistence, and grit. His philosophy centers around the idea that we can design our own lives. I'm delighted to bring you this thought-provoking and significant conversation—and you might even want to jot some notes down.

We discussed:

How day one felt after Rand left his business behind—and his Chapter X started

What stands out as the life lesson that left the biggest mark on Rand

Taking a closer look at the four essential aspects of aging well

Why writing your legacy is something to do now (and how it can shape your life)

How focusing on the things you can control changes your outlook

The difference between success and thriving

www.randselig.com

Thriving! How to Create a Healthier, Happier, and More Prosperous Life

What lies beneath the surface of your thoughts? Today, we're going deep into the stories we carry within ourselves with my guest, Kevin Burk. The stories we tell ourselves, often without realizing it, shape our reality and beliefs about ourselves and our situations.

Kevin B. Burk is the Headmaster of The Real Astrology Academy and the creator of the Human Game, a philosophy based on the idea that the Universe is made up of stories. He coaches the Human Game Experience, an astrology-based reality role playing game that can give you creative control over the Story of Your Life.

According to Kevin, understanding how these stories work is the key to understanding life. It's a journey into beliefs, stories, and the powerful shift that comes with gaining a deeper understanding. Get ready to explore how this insight can fill our lives with greater joy and happiness.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Why we must get creative control over the story of our life's journey

• How the stories we tell ourselves unknowingly shape our reality

• The three levels of story: plot, character, and theme (and the only one that matters)

• Why we're unaware of the stories we tell ourselves about our experiences

• What can happen when you make tiny adjustments to your stories

https://playthehumangame.com/

https://TheRealAstrology.com/coddiwomple

Nan Ives and Lisa Stornaielo were long-time colleagues at Fidelity Investments. Their careers took an unexpected turn when the unexpected offer of an early retirement landed in their laps—and it sparked a whole new perspective on what retirement truly means.

In their research, they noticed a gap in the retirement planning discussion. While finances often take the focus, the life planning piece was missing. Big questions about purpose, balance, and making the most of the coming decades were left unanswered.

Nan and Lisa connected with 50 people soon-to-be or already retired individuals and absorbed wisdom from their experiences. From there, they leveraged their expertise in transition planning and life coaching to develop a transformative 4-step process that empowers individuals to design their ultimate retirement life.

With their passion for helping others and their profound understanding of the retirement experience, Nan and Lisa are on a mission to inspire and guide people toward a rewarding and fulfilling retirement.

We discussed:

• Three common retirement spectrums people typically find themselves

• How they created a formula drawn from the experiences of fulfilled retirees

• The key things they observed that distinguished a fulfilled life after work

• A four-step blueprint Nan and Lisa developed for planning your own future

• Why you have to work at retirement to make it something that has meaning

• How to shift from a fixed mindset to one that embraces open thoughts

The Future of You

To start off the new year, I decided to try something new. Each month, our Chapter X community gathers on Zoom to discuss a specific topic. And today, you're in for a treat—this podcast episode features a recording from our final Chapter X meeting of the year.

During this gathering, we reflected on 2023 and our aspirations for 2024: What lessons did it bring? What changes are we seeking or what growth are we aiming for? What insights emerged from both successes and challenges?

I believe that sharing these reflections could offer guidance to those navigating their own journeys—after all, that's what Chapter X is all about. I hope you find this conversation intriguing, engaging, and perhaps it might even inspire you to join our monthly gatherings.

In this meeting, we explored topics such as:

Why managing expectations becomes key in navigating the new experiences and challenges of this stage of life

How remaining present and savoring every moment is a necessary challenge for your personal well-being

Stoic philosophy and the idea of choosing how we respond to situations

The impact of your family upbringing on shaping your outlook on the world

Why letting go of worrying about external factors and honing in on what we can control in life is a powerful mindset

The emotional hurdles of taking on new endeavors and shielding our self-worth from the judgments of others

https://michaelfkay.com/connect/community/

Welcome to a special rerun episode that holds a special place in my heart. Today, we're revisiting a profound conversation that delves into life's transitions and the invaluable lessons they offer.

Looking back at our lives often reveals the defining moments that shaped our paths. But how do we take those lessons and apply them to our next chapter? That's the theme of today's conversation.

It's truly an honor to reintroduce our guest, Meir Statman. He is a professor of finance at Santa Clara University and has authored two of my favorite finance books. Born in a refugee camp in Germany during 1947, Meir has an incredible life story that he takes us through on the show.

In this episode, Meir shares his insights on maintaining an open mind, the importance of self-discovery, and how life's stages ultimately prepare us for the transitions ahead.

We discussed:

• Why Meir chooses to look at his life through the lens of serendipity

• How we can use the concept of serendipity as we look to the future

• How to address the common post-career fear of financial uncertainty

• The surprising theory of getting satisfaction from saving money vs. spending it

• The reason why Meir hasn't retired from teaching in his seventies

• Why Meir focused on teaching his daughters the value of kindness as they grew

The Mental Mistakes We Make With Retirement Spending by Meir Statman

Mark Weber spent his career helping the wealthy transfer their wealth efficiently. He attended hundreds of meetings with attorneys and their clients, navigating the ins and outs of estate planning. But something was missing—hardly anyone talked about their values or the legacy they wanted to leave.

It dawned on Mark that advisors had a chance to go beyond just taxes and talk about the impact people could make and the legacy they could create. He saw this as a way to change minds among Omaha's professional advisors and make the community not just financially richer, but also more generous.

Today, he's seamlessly transitioned from a successful career in financial services to author, speaker and teacher. In this episode, he unfolds the heartwarming and meaningful journey that led him into this new chapter of his life.

• The inspirational idea that prompted Mark's journey into his Chapter X

• Why now is the time to start identifying what values we want to pass on

• The difference between your family legacy vs. community legacy

• What might have occurred if Mark hadn't prioritized intentional retirement planning

• Why Mark senses that this particular group faces the greatest struggles in retirement

• The list of significant career milestones he created to pass down to his children

Visit A Spectrum of Legacies website

Find A Spectrum of Legacies on Amazon

In 2019, Greg Vigdor decided to take a break after working in healthcare for four decades. His plan was to relax for a few months before returning to work. However, the outbreak of a global pandemic threw a curveball into his plans.

During this unexpected pause, Greg dove into a brand-new project. He started writing his very first novel, weaving his expertise from healthcare into fascinating detective stories. The idea was to entertain readers while enlightening them on health policy, the flaws in the American healthcare system, and suggesting ways readers can improve their own health.

In this episode, explore how Greg transitioned his career passion into storytelling. He shares how he embraced this new endeavor head-on, blending his expertise with the art of page-turning stories.

We discussed:

How Greg launched his career as a author writing medical detective stories

The surprising part of retirement that left a major loss in his life

What Greg discovered about himself through the process of writing two novels (these lessons are so important)

How today's healthcare system evolved into fighting a losing battle

The common dead ends that people face while trying to get healthcare

Growing up before 1970 meant a diet heavy on margarine and potato chips—we just lacked awareness of nutrition. Today, we're armed with much more knowledge. Yet, navigating through varied advice can be bewildering, especially if you were raised with different beliefs.

At the core of our pursuit for health and well-being lies the desire to become the best version of ourselves. So, how can we show up as our best selves every day? According to our guest today, you have to take care of your hormones if you want to live a long life.

Today, I'm joined by the remarkable Dr. Christine Boev, an ICU nurse, health coach, and an expert in fitness and longevity. You cannot help but be inspired by her commitment in helping people live their best lives.

Her goal is youthful longevity with the aim of maintaining optimal mobility during chronologic aging. In this episode, she shares valuable advice on starting small to achieve sustainable health changes through discipline and habits. I know you'll enjoy this conversation with such a dynamic professional.

We discussed:

This final ingredient is the key to longevity (hint: it's not just about fitness or nutrition)

What are the variables that we can control vs. the things that we cannot control?

What checking your testosterone levels can reveal about your health

Two common misconceptions about exercise that can prevent us from starting

Why getting your mind right to start your day is really critical

Christine's simple recommendations on nutrition and alcohol

Follow @drchristineboev on Instagram

Imagine retirement not as the end of a journey but as the beginning of an entirely new chapter—one where time becomes your most precious currency.

Today, we're peeling back the layers of conventional retirement wisdom to explore how the art of time optimization can transform these post-career years into an unparalleled phase of enrichment and purpose.

As a Certified Professional Retirement coach, David uses his 35+ years of organizational and time management skills to help business professionals craft post-career lifestyle strategies of fulfillment, purpose, and meaning. David is also author of the book, The Time-Optimized Life: Moving Everyday Preparation, Execution, and Control from Finite to Infinite.

Join us as we navigate the intersection of productivity, purpose, and a fulfilling post-career life. In this episode, we discussed:

• How David applied the same productivity principles that made him successful in his career to his post-career life

• Why leaving your career doesn't mean quitting work altogether

• The importance of planning how you'll balance individual vs. couple goals

• How to use time management principles to stay connected with your friendships

• David's adaptable goal planning system for the different phases of retirement

Enter promo code "Michael" to get your free Retirement Time Analysis report

https://infinitylifestyledesign.com/rta/

Preorder The Time-Optimized Life book

https://infinitylifestyledesign.com/the-time-optimized-life-book/

Steven Kushner had originally planned to retire at 70. However, at 65, he began feeling fatigued, noticing the strain of evening meetings and realizing his body was signaling a need to slow down.

By June 2018, he retired and received the honorary title of Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Ner Tamid. Eager to venture into uncharted territory, he sought something entirely new.

Throughout his rabbinic career, Steven's creativity had largely been expressed through writing and speaking. Yet, in 2017, anticipating retirement, he tapped into his visual side. He started sharing his photos on Facebook, receiving encouraging feedback from friends and congregation members.

That's when he wanted to finally—after a lifetime of taking pictures—begin a process of learning how to make pictures. Although he does not formally identify as a photographer, when asked Steven is very comfortable saying that he does serious photography. In this episode, Rabbi Steven shares an extraordinary journey marked by unexpected transitions and explorations.

We discussed:

• Steven's childhood dream to be the shortstop for the Detroit Tigers

• How he cultivated a reputation as a film aficionado within the synagogue

• Why Steven decided to retire five years earlier than his initial plan

• The unexpected emotional challenge of retiring (and a quest for unexplored endeavors)

• How he dove into photography with the guidance of a friend

• The journey of learning and refining his craft that proved immensely gratifying

https://stevenkushnerphotography.com/portfolio

Headshot Photo Credit: Nick Levitin Photography