Playing the Second Half

What does success mean when you've already reached the top of your career? And how do you make the most of the years ahead?In this episode of Playing the Second Half, I reconnect with my longtime friend and former Ericsson colleague, Sergio Quiroga, whose remarkable journey has taken him from Bolivia and Brazil to senior executive positions at Ericsson and a new chapter as an entrepreneur, consultant, and business leader.After 28 years at Ericsson, Sergio decided at 51 that it was time for something different. Not to slow down, but to explore new opportunities, continue learning, and, perhaps most importantly, reclaim some of the time he had missed with his family.Today, through his consulting company CAVA, Sergio continues to work with businesses, explore new technologies, and pursue his passion for people and innovation. But he also makes time for his daughters, his health, sports, and the things that make life worth living.And there's a wonderful story behind the name CAVA: "Curtindo a Vida Adoidado" - enjoying life to the fullest!We talk about ambition, the price of professional success, family, entrepreneurship, what it means to feel at home, and how our definition of success changes as we grow older.Perhaps my favorite part of our conversation is Sergio's refusal to accept that leaving a corporate career means retiring from life. For him, the second half is another opportunity to grow, contribute, and enjoy everything life has to offer.That's exactly what Playing the Second Half is about.One life, many second halves.If you enjoy conversations about life beyond traditional career years, personal transformation, purpose, and new beginnings, subscribe to Playing the Second Half and join us on this journey.Viva a Vida!Endless MotionMusic licensed through Soundstripe.Code: 0LLDF3DJQ5NZQSE7

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What if personal development isn’t about becoming better, but about becoming more of who you really are?

In this episode of Playing the Second Half, I have a very special conversation with Emma, whose remarkable journey first touched me when I read her book Woundfulness: Your Wound Is Probably Not Your Fault, But the Healing Is Your Responsibility.

I remember reading it years ago, even on the subway on my way to work, and finding it almost impossible to put down. It tells the story of a 30-year journey of healing, courage, and ultimately finding a new way to live.

But this conversation is not only about Emma’s past. I was particularly curious about the Emma of today, and the many second halves still ahead of her.

We explore what it means to become more of who we are, rather than constantly trying to improve ourselves. We talk about fear, curiosity, responsibility, authenticity, and the freedom that can come with getting older.

Emma also introduces her ANSA method, built around four pillars: Responsibility, Curiosity, Truth, and Spirituality.

And perhaps one of the most beautiful reflections in our conversation is about time. How do we live a fuller life without constantly trying to maximize every moment? As Emma puts it, perhaps the answer is not more experiences, but more presence.

There is so much to learn from Emma’s story, her honesty, and her curiosity about life.

I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

Playing the Second Half®

One life, many second halves.

Viva a vida!

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What if the best chapters of your life are still waiting to be written?

Welcome to the world premiere of Playing the Second Half Live!, recorded on October 20, 2026, at Klustret in Stockholm, Sweden.

Our very first guest is Peter Sandberg, an entrepreneur, innovator, thinker, and painter. A man who, at the age of 50, discovered a passion for painting and went on to become an accomplished artist.

But this conversation is about much more than art.It is about creativity, curiosity, reinvention, longevity, spirituality, and the extraordinary possibilities of a life that may contain not just one, but many second halves.Peter shares his fascinating philosophy of life, including:- Why we are all born creative, and how we can rediscover that creativity.- Why five years may be enough to become remarkably good at something entirely new.- How to think about living to 100, or perhaps even 120.- The importance of physical, financial, and mental well-being.- Why living in the present matters more than endlessly planning for the future.- What artificial intelligence might mean for our creativity and humanity.- Why our attention may be our most precious resource.- And why simply being alive is a miracle worth celebrating.There is also a very personal reason why Peter was our first guest. In August 2023, shortly after I retired from Ericsson, Peter called me and recommended a book: Lifespan, by David Sinclair.That seemingly small gesture planted a seed. A seed that eventually grew into Playing the Second Half.And now, here we are.This was more than a conversation. It was an evening of art, music, laughter, reflection, and, above all, human connection.A very special thanks to Peter Sandberg for his generosity, openness, and inspiration.To Emma Inganäs, for being such a wonderful partner in bringing this world premiere to life.To Grillo, for the beautiful live music.To Klustret and its amazing team for hosting us in such an inspiring setting.And to our wonderful audience, whose presence and energy made this evening truly magical.About Playing the Second HalfPlaying the Second Half is a journey through life stories, conversations, and reflections on what it means to live fully, whatever our age.Because we all have one life. But we can have many second halves.Subscribe and join us on this journey!🌐 https://playingthesecondhalf.com

Music creditsSeaside SambaMusic licensed through Soundstripe.Code: HAJNHQRXV0U8Z3PKRecorded live at Klustret, Stockholm, Sweden | October 20, 2026.Viva a Vida!

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There are many ways to define success. A remarkable career. Recognition. Awards. Reaching the very top of your profession.

In this episode of Playing the Second Half, I sit down with Titti Qvarnström, who made history in 2015 as the first female chef in Scandinavia to earn a Michelin star.

But this is not really a conversation about Michelin stars.

It is a conversation about life. About ambition, identity, family, and the courage to make conscious choices about how you want to live your life.

Today, Titti has created something truly extraordinary in Bjäre, in southern Sweden. Together with her husband André, she has transformed her family’s historic farm into Allium, a place where her passion for food, love of nature, extraordinary craftsmanship, and everything she believes in come together. More than a restaurant, it is the realization of a lifelong dream, and a beautiful expression of the life they have consciously chosen to live.

We talk about her journey, the pressures and rewards of the world of fine dining, and what it means to build a life around the things that truly matter.

And perhaps there is a beautiful definition of success in Titti’s story:

Find a place you love, do what you love, with the people you love.

Thank you, Titti, for sharing your story so generously. For giving us this taste of a life well lived. For being so candid about the conscious choices you have made, the dilemmas you have faced, and even the things that kept you awake at night in pursuit of such a life. And for showing us what it means to create something we all long for and cherish - a place to call home.

I hope this conversation inspires everyone watching or listening to reflect on their own definition of success, and the possibilities and rewards of pursuing a life they truly want to live.

We all have one life. But we can all have many second halves.

Viva a Vida!

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I retired in 2023. I’m now 64, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so productive, learned so much, or enjoyed creating as much as I do today!

One of the reasons? Artificial Intelligence.

In this very personal reflection, I share how AI has helped me learn new skills, solve problems, and achieve things I never imagined possible. But also my concerns, dilemmas, and some non-negotiables.

Can AI help us reinvent ourselves in the second half of life?

I’d love to hear your experiences, hopes, and fears!

For a deeper exploration of AI, its risks, dilemmas, and the changing nature of work, I invite you to read my latest reflection on 4D Community on Substack.

Viva a Vida!

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A travel diary my mother wrote in 1989 changed the way I remember one of the biggest journeys of our lives - and, many years later, changed the way I saw my parents.It starts with something else: small regrets. Those seemingly insignificant moments that somehow stay with us for decades.When I was 27, my parents came from Brazil to visit Annika and me in Sweden. What began as a visit became a journey across Europe - Stockholm, Copenhagen, London, Paris, Lourdes, Madrid, Lisbon, Nazaré, Fátima, Rome and even Åland.At the time, part of me worried about the money, the timing and the inconvenience.Thirty years later, when my mother was very ill, one of my sisters showed me the diary she had kept from that trip.Through her words, I saw it all again.The places. The trains. The food. Pope John Paul II. Gorbachev. My parents crying at the prison traditionally associated with Saint Peter and Saint Paul. And what my mother called The Miracle of Lourdes - a story I had almost forgotten.But perhaps the biggest discovery was much simpler.Looking at an old photograph, I realised that my parents were then about the age I am today.They had always simply been my parents.The diary helped me see them as two people living their own lives.And today I keep it beside my bed.Maybe because when I open it, my parents feel a little less far away.Playing the Second Half is about life, ageing, reinvention, relationships, memory and everything that can still happen in the second half of our lives.Image creditsHummingbird photo: Dulcey Lima / UnsplashWooden boards photo: cottonbro studio / PexelsMemory scenes marked “Reconstruction from Memory” were created as visual reconstructions.Music licensed through Soundstripe.After the fallCode: BUS9NMRTY05XSFEIWondermentCode: 4DA0KV7LZS8CSMYZ We like it hereCode: EC5WOLEGXPNTGMXA Mon AmourCode: T6N7LGSKIKYCQNJW

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What if the child you once were never really disappeared?Erik Granström has spent much of his life creating worlds - as a writer, game designer and storyteller. But his own life has also taken some remarkable and unexpected turns.In this conversation, we explore the theme: All is All - Connections, Coincidences and the Patterns of a Life.We talk about Erik's childhood imagination and the little book he began writing at six years old called All is All, his journey from veterinary medicine to MySQL, fantasy writing and role-playing games, music, illness, relationships, creativity and the strange coincidences that can change the direction of a life.But perhaps the strongest thread running through the conversation is curiosity.Erik talks about still feeling connected to the six-year-old he once was - the child who notices small things, becomes fascinated by the world and keeps asking questions.We also talk about time, ageing, taking leaps of faith, finding meaning in unexpected places and why inspiring another person may ultimately be one of the greatest rewards of creating anything.As Erik says, perhaps we don't simply discover the patterns in our lives. Perhaps we also create them as we try to connect the dots and make sense of the world.This is a conversation about writing, creativity, coincidence, time and curiosity.And very much about Playing the Second Half.Viva a Vida in a nutshell!If something in Erik's story makes you think differently about your own life, I would love to hear it in the comments.Subscribe to Playing the Second Half for more conversations and stories about people continuing to learn, create, change and live fully.Music licensed through Soundstripe.Endless MotionCode: ISR7PSBKUTG4YVDP

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In Brazil we have a saying: Recordar é viver - to remember is to live.For years, one scene repeated itself in our family: waiting for the taxi that would take my son John David to school.There were routines, music, patience, wonderful drivers, stress, laughter, difficult mornings, small victories - and always the clock.At the time, I often saw those mornings as something I had to get through before the rest of my day could begin. I needed to get John David into the taxi so I could run to work, to the meeting, to everything that seemed so important.Looking back now, I see those mornings differently.The drivers who learned his rituals.The people who helped.The waiting.The noise.The laughter.The love.Those moments were not interruptions to life.They were life.Part of Playing the Second Half - looking back, not to live in the past, but to understand more clearly the life we were already living.Viva a vida!Music licensed through Soundstripe.Bright Morning SunCode: KYX6NIR7NJ7LRCDG

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Nine conversations. One summer. And then we met.Over the summer, I had nine conversations with nine very different people. At the end of it, we came together to reflect on what had happened - and on what we had heard in each other’s stories.We talked about loneliness, connection and community. Recovery and healing. What we choose to share — and what we keep private. Authenticity in an age of AI. Time, hope, curiosity and the generosity of telling our stories.For me, those conversations became something more than individual interviews. They became connections between people who, in many cases, had never met.And now, finally, we have.The full individual conversations - and the 18-minute Summer 2026 film with Nala and the grain fields - are all below. You can also find the complete series on the Playing the Second Half YouTube channel.What Lives Between Us - with Pontus Holmgren:

Constant Remenbering - with Marie-Louise Larsson

From Banking to Self-Awareness - with Tina Tornell

Reinventing Myself - with Leonardo Fuks

Finding Joy and Peace After Trauma - with Aminah Ådin

Where the Lantern Hangs - with Steve Newman

Ancora Imparo - with Henning von Beetzen

The Adventure of the Spirit - with Ida Helena Rust

Crisis. Healing. Leadership - with Andreas Granström

Summer 2026 (18 minutes video mentioned)

Viva a vida!Music licensed through Soundstripe.Endless MotionCode: UKVAJTSKOHNEOO81

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Playing the Second Half is about lived stories, not recipes for how to live.Through personal reflections, conversations and films, I explore the many second halves we experience in life - the ones we choose and the ones life chooses for us.A place for curiosity, connection, time, change and people trying, in their own way, to live a good life.Viva a vida!Music licensed through Soundstripe.Endless MotionCode: XZJ69AQVUOZYBUR5

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com