#64: The Inventory: What Your Gut Knows Before Your Head Does

In this raw and revealing episode of Normal 40, Lon Stroschein and Adam Eaton reunite for a signature ramble—and what unfolds is one of their most honest conversations yet.
It begins with a simple question: What if you followed your passion 10 years ago? And what if that passion has changed?
What follows is a masterclass in midlife clarity. Lon and Adam unpack the invisible tension between time and passion—how your career is linear, but your interests, energy, and identity evolve. They explore the false promise of “follow your passion,” why most people are stuck rehearsing worst-case scenarios, and how to take an inventory of the life you’ve built… and whether it still fits.
Lon introduces practical tools for self-reflection, including the 15-Ingredient Dream Life exercise and a powerful question you should ask your spouse tonight.
Whether you’re 35 or 55, if you’re feeling the nudge that “this isn’t it,” this episode will help you listen to your gut, outsmart your fear, and take the first step toward the life you know is waiting.


Key Takeaways:

• Why “follow your passion” is both beautiful and broken
• How your desires shift from collecting to contributing in midlife
• The 3 things most people are really looking for: Easy. Obvious. Free.
• What to do when your head says “stay” but your gut says “go”
• How to take a meaningful life inventory—when you’re ready
• The power of being a lantern for someone one half-step behind you
• How to tell if you’re living a “get to” life or a “have to” life
• The financial freedom framework no one is talking about
• Why most people are one deep conversation away from clarity

Conversation Highlights:

• [03:45] — Time is linear. Passions aren’t. What do we do with that tension?
• [07:00] — The difference between “passion” and “art”… and why it matters
• [10:06] — How your goals at 22 can trap you at 42
• [15:47] — Why clarity has to come before you quit
• [29:57] — Why taking inventory alone doesn’t always work
• [37:27] — The single most powerful question to ask your spouse tonight
• [44:24] — “Get to” vs. “Have to” — how to identify the work you love
• [48:34] — A new way to think about money, time, and meaning
• [54:01] — The moment Adam realized he was someone’s “Manny”
• [58:34] — Lon’s personal decision to take a 100-day break from alcohol
• [01:00:11] — The future of Normal 40: live events, coaching cohorts & more

Links & Resources:

• Join the Insider Community: normal40.com/insider — Use code insideraccess for a free month
• Book a Free Ramble with Lon: normal40.com (Click “Talk to Lon”)
• Grab Lon’s Book — The Trade: Amazon
• Get the 14 Questions That Changed My Life: normal40.com
• Follow Lon on LinkedIn: @LonStroschein

Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein 
Follow Adam Eaton here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-eaton-21646a4/

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