The Cluttered Path

#40 Michael Kay | Retirement is an Identity Crisis Waiting to Happen!

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318436/fan_mail/new] Retirement isn’t the reward most men think it is. It’s an identity crisis waiting to happen. In this episode, we sit down with Michael Kay, who has made it his mission to help men transition out of “work life” without losing themselves in the process. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most men don’t struggle with retirement because of money… They struggle because they don’t know who they are without being needed. We get into: * Why successful men have the hardest time letting go * The hidden psychological cost of staying in the game too long * What actually happens after the career ends (that no one talks about) * How to prepare mentally and emotionally for life after work * Practical ways to build purpose before you retire, not after If you’re within 5–10 years of retirement, or even thinking about it, this conversation might save you from making the same mistake most men do: waiting too long to figure out who you are outside of your job. _____________________________________  Resources from This Episode:  How to Craft Your Chapter X, by Michael Kay: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/8Kpkz_ [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/8Kpkz_]  The Feel Rich Project, by Michael Kay: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/Us8PcI [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/Us8PcI]  As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.  _____________________________________  🎯 About Michael Kay Michael Kay was a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who built a Fee-Only Registered Investment Advisory Firm. He eventually transitioned into Financial LIFE planning which changed his life, business, and relationship with clients. Today he helps men transition from their professions into meaningful retirement adventures.    🌍 Learn more: https://michaelfkay.com/ [https://michaelfkay.com/] _____________________________________  ⭐ Want to be a guest on The Cluttered Path? Send Todd Carswell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswell [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswell]  ________________________________________________________________ 📫  Where to Find Us: Web: https://clutteredpath.com/ [https://clutteredpath.com/] Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath [https://patreon.com/clutteredpath] Questions/Comments:  feedback@clutteredpath.com [feedback@clutteredpath.com]  _________________________________________________________________ 🔥 Follow us on Social Media: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjpf1yEgoqO6IU3Mve9w0A] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clutteredpath/] * Facebook [https://shorturl.at/IpjqO] * X (Formerly Twitter) [https://x.com/clutt3rdpath] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@clutteredpath?lang=en]

#39 - Dr. John Austin | Navigating the Unknown and Conquering Uncertainty!

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318436/fan_mail/new] Smart, accomplished adults freeze when the rules of the game change. Dr. John Austin spent 20 years figuring out why, and he built a framework for navigating the unknown and conquering uncertainty.  In this episode we hear from Dr. Austin, Dean of the Honors College, PD Merrill Endowed Chair of Business at the University of New England, and author of the book "Certain About Uncertainty".  This is a conversation built for anyone navigating midlife, mid-career change, or the kind of season where the ground keeps shifting under your feet. If you've ever looked at your younger self and wondered where all that confidence went, this one's for you. Spoiler: you didn't lose it. You can rebuild it.  WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: * Why uncertainty is NOT the same as risk (and why confusing them costs you)  * The fog metaphor that reframes how you face the unknown  * Why 8-year-olds don't fear uncertainty — but most adults do  * The "expert trap" and why expertise can make you LESS adaptive  * The Uncertainty Intelligence Framework: See, React, Prepare  * The Backward-Forward Flip: a simple exercise that reveals your blind spots  * Two habits you can start this week to build real uncertainty intelligence _____________________________________  Resources from This Episode:  Certain About Uncertainty, by John Austin: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/utxw8 [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/utxw8] As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.  _____________________________________  ⭐ Want to be a guest on The Cluttered Path? Send Todd Carswell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswellhttps://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswell  [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswell ] _____________________________________ 🎯 About John Austin, PhD John Austin is dean of the Honors College and the P.D. Merrill Endowed Chair of Business at the University of New England. A researcher, educator, and executive development leader, he has spent more than two decades teaching professionals how to lead and make decisions in uncertain environments.   🌍 Learn more: https://certain-about-uncertainty.com/  [https://certain-about-uncertainty.com/ ] https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnaustinphd/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnaustinphd/]  ________________________________________________________________ 📫  Where to Find Us: Web: https://clutteredpath.com/ [https://clutteredpath.com/] Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath [https://patreon.com/clutteredpath] Questions/Comments:  feedback@clutteredpath.com [feedback@clutteredpath.com]  _________________________________________________________________ 🔥 Follow us on Social Media: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjpf1yEgoqO6IU3Mve9w0A] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clutteredpath/] * Facebook [https://shorturl.at/IpjqO] * X (Formerly Twitter) [https://x.com/clutt3rdpath] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@clutteredpath?lang=en]

#38 Suzy May | She Rejected the American Dream for This Lifestyle

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318436/fan_mail/new] What if the "safe" path is actually the riskiest choice you'll ever make? In this episode of The Cluttered Path, we sit down with Suzy May, a certified financial educator, Air Force veteran, mom of two, and full-time slow traveler who has visited over 55 countries. She didn't just dream about a different life, she built one intentionally, financially, and with her whole family in tow. Suzy and her family spent a full school year in Spain, now split their time between Colorado and Europe, and they are living proof that worldschooling isn't just a fantasy for the ultra-wealthy or untethered. It's a plan you can actually build. We get into the real questions: * How did a nurse and Air Force veteran become a globe-trotting financial educator? * What does it actually cost and how do you make the money work? * What is worldschooling, and what does education on the road really look like? * What breaks (and what gets better) when you leave "normal life" behind? * Is this freedom… or just a different set of trade-offs? _____________________________________  Resources from This Episode:  The Simple Path to Wealth, by JL Collins: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/PX6g2B [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/PX6g2B]   Die With Zero, by Bill Perkins: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/CAaaxn [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/CAaaxn]  As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.  _____________________________________  ⭐ Want to be a guest on The Cluttered Path? Send Todd Carswell a message on PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswell [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/toddcarswell]  🎯 About Suzy May Suzy is a slow-traveling mom helping families explore “worldschooling”, a lifestyle that blends travel, education, and intentional living. Suzy is a certified financial educator and host of the Wander Worldschool podcast. She helps families build real financial plans that turn long-term travel and worldschooling from a dream into a roadmap, whether that's a gap year, a slow travel lifestyle, or raising multilingual kids across continents. 🌍 Connect with Suzy: * Website: https://suzymaywander.com/ [https://suzymaywander.com/] * Podcast: https://www.wanderworldschool.com/ [https://www.wanderworldschool.com/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@suzymay.wander  [https://www.youtube.com/@suzymay.wander] * Work with Suzanne: https://beacons.ai/suzymaywander [https://beacons.ai/suzymaywander] ________________________________________________________________ 📫  Where to Find Us: Web: https://clutteredpath.com/ [https://clutteredpath.com/] Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath [https://patreon.com/clutteredpath] Questions/Comments:  feedback@clutteredpath.com [feedback@clutteredpath.com]  _________________________________________________________________ 🔥 Follow us on Social Media: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjpf1yEgoqO6IU3Mve9w0A] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clutteredpath/] * Facebook [https://shorturl.at/IpjqO] * X (Formerly Twitter) [https://x.com/clutt3rdpath] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@clutteredpath?lang=en]

#37 Bradley Charbonneau | Stop Dreaming & Start DOING! Build a Life One Habit at a Time

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318436/fan_mail/new] Ever feel like your dream life is permanently “loading”? Bradley Charbonneau did, until one simple daily choice changed everything. He was living a "successful life, but it felt empty. Bradley walked away from comfort to create a life that actually meant something. His experiment to write every day for 30 days evolved into a complete identity shift, and the birth of the “Every Single Day” and Repossible philosophy. In this episode, we dive deep into how consistency reshapes self‑belief, what “doing” truly looks like, and why small, repeatable actions always beat dreams, motivation and planning. ⚡ In this episode: * How Bradley turned writing every day into life transformation * Why tiny habits matter more than massive life overhauls * How to bridge the gap between intention and identity * Practical steps to make your dreams actionable today 🎙 About Bradley Charbonneau: Author, speaker, and transformation coach, Bradley Charbonneau helps people shed their “someday” mindset and finally do what matters. Through his programs Every Single Day and Repossible, he shows how disciplined creativity leads to radical freedom. 💥 Where to Find Bradley: https://repossible.com [https://repossible.com]  https://bradleycharbonneau.com/ [https://bradleycharbonneau.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@repossible  [https://www.youtube.com/@repossible] _____________________________________  Some of Bradley’s Books:  Repossible (Series):  https://urlgeni.us/amzn/vJNKPU  [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/vJNKPU] Authorpreneur (Series):  https://urlgeni.us/amzn/goR3_w [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/goR3_w]  Other Resources Mentioned in the Episode: The “Year of You” Experiment: https://repossible.com/yoy/ [https://repossible.com/yoy/] Building a Story Brand, by Donald Miller: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/JzGKTJ [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/JzGKTJ]  Inside Out Revolution, by Michael Neill: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/3Vi3X [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/3Vi3X]  As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.  ________________________________________________________________ 📫  Where to Find Us: Web: https://clutteredpath.com/ [https://clutteredpath.com/] Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath [https://patreon.com/clutteredpath] Questions/Comments:  feedback@clutteredpath.com [feedback@clutteredpath.com]  _________________________________________________________________ 🔥 Follow us on Social Media: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjpf1yEgoqO6IU3Mve9w0A] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clutteredpath/] * Facebook [https://shorturl.at/IpjqO] * X (Formerly Twitter) [https://x.com/clutt3rdpath] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@clutteredpath?lang=en]

#36 Todd Carswell | Build a Fulfilling Life: It’s Up to YOU!

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318436/fan_mail/new] What does it really take to build a fulfilling life after everything falls apart? In this deeply personal episode, Todd Carswell sits with James to share his own story, from a fractured childhood and brutal military experiences to rediscovering faith, leadership, and purpose. If you’ve ever felt powerless, stuck, or too far gone to start again, this conversation will remind you that your life can still be renewed, one honest step at a time. 🎙 In this episode: * Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma * Being a Leader Reveals Character Flaws * The Power of Influence (Negative & Positive) * Finding Purpose Through Your Own Personal Agency * Life Happens Despite Our Plans _____________________________________  Resources from This Episode:  About Face, by Col (Ret) David Hackworth: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/P7Xedo [https://urlgeni.us/amzn/P7Xedo]  As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.  ________________________________________________________________ 📫  Where to Find Us: Web: https://clutteredpath.com/ [https://clutteredpath.com/] Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath [https://patreon.com/clutteredpath] Questions/Comments:  feedback@clutteredpath.com [feedback@clutteredpath.com]  _________________________________________________________________ 🔥 Follow us on Social Media: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjpf1yEgoqO6IU3Mve9w0A] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clutteredpath/] * Facebook [https://shorturl.at/IpjqO] * X (Formerly Twitter) [https://x.com/clutt3rdpath] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@clutteredpath?lang=en]