Roger shares a raw, solo conversation about the reality of midlife crisis and the path many men in their 40s must walk to escape it. He unpacks the trigger that set off his own two and a half year descent, the emotional collapse that followed, and the exact frameworks that helped him rise again after losing both parents. He breaks down the stages of hell, neutrality, and what he calls heaven on earth, and explains why no tactic, career fix, or financial plan works until someone first stabilizes their emotional state. He connects Viktor Frankl’s existential vacuum, David Hawkins’ map of consciousness, and Richard Rohr’s honesty about suffering to show how purpose becomes the lifeline out of despair. This episode is meant for men wrestling with darkness and for the spouses, friends, and leaders trying to support them. Educational only, not mental health advice.