The Normal 40 Podcast #79: The Soul Tickle: When Your Next Chapter Finally Feels Like You. A Ramble with Keith Pochick
The first time Keith Pochick joined this podcast, he had just walked away from medicine and into a classroom full of eighth graders. His story hit home because it was raw; a man in mid-leap, hoping he wasn’t crazy for wanting a simpler, more joyful, more human life.
Two years later, Keith sits down with Lon to talk about what life actually feels like on the other side of his trade. And what he describes is something most high achievers haven’t felt in years: ease, presence, and the spark he now calls the soul tickle — that unmistakable, physical sensation of doing work that touches your life at the deepest level.
Keith also shares the story behind his new book, Tickled Soul, and why he felt compelled, almost obligated, to write it. What started as a legacy gift for his children became something much bigger: a declaration of what he believes, who he is, and how he hopes others will rediscover the parts of themselves they’ve forgotten.
This episode is an honest look at what it means to start over, stay the course, and finally feel like yourself again.
What to Expect
-Why Keith walked away from medicine and why he hasn’t looked back
-What it really feels like on the other side of a big life trade
-How burnout quietly rewrites your identity
-What middle school students taught him that medical training never could
-The spiritual experience behind Tickled Soul—and the legacy it creates
-The unexpected freedom of being fully present again
Key Takeaways:
-->The Trade only looks reckless to people who’ve ignored their own restlessness.
-->Money can’t buy meaning, but presence can.
-->You don’t have to be burned out to want something better.
-->Legacy is what people will remember when your voice is no longer in the room.
-->If you want to live differently, you have to slow down long enough to feel what’s missing.
📘 About the Book: Tickled Soul
In his debut book, Keith shares a thoughtful memoir about what happens when the life you built no longer feels like the life you’re meant to keep. What begins as a quiet “what if” becomes a full‑scale reinvention—from seasoned ER physician to middle‑school science teacher.
Through stories of faith, purpose, motivation, and meaning, Keith explores the beliefs and inner philosophy that made such a radical midlife transition not only possible, but necessary.
It’s a wake‑up call for anyone sitting in the status quo, wondering if there’s more to life than the role they’ve been playing.
Order the book directly from the publisher here:
What’s Next?
If you’re feeling the restlessness Keith once felt, that quiet knowing that your current life isn’t your forever life, this episode is your invitation to stop ignoring it.
If this episode speaks to you, this is an invitation to join the growing Normal 40 community to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether through a free Ramble, Lon's Insider group, or his bestselling book 'The Trade,' this episode is your call to action to start designing your next chapter.
Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein
Learn more about Keith Pochick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpochick/
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