Reimagining Midlife: My 2x20 Project™ Update & the Power of Experiments

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 Hey, before we dive in, a quick note, the video from my new TEDx Boulder talk just

spk_0 went live on YouTube.

spk_0 It's this love letter to making things with your hands in a world that's being eaten

spk_0 by screens, machines, and AI.

spk_0 And I shared this story that I've never told publicly before.

spk_0 It'd mean the world to me if you'd go and check it out.

spk_0 You can watch it now on YouTube, just open up YouTube and search for Jonathan Fields and

spk_0 TEDx Boulder.

spk_0 Or just click the link in the show notes.

spk_0 So what if the most important project you ever started wasn't a book, a company, or

spk_0 a movement, but the complete, intentional, sometimes messy redesign of your own life?

spk_0 What if you gave yourself a two-year window, all focused, all in, you know, just a season

spk_0 of learning and doing, to set the foundation for the most fulfilling two decades of your

spk_0 life?

spk_0 I first shared this adventure with you.

spk_0 This thing I call my two by 20, about a year and a half ago, I guess.

spk_0 And for nearly two years now, 24 months of experiments, fear confronted, incredible breakthroughs,

spk_0 and the occasional necessary faceplant, I've been living that question.

spk_0 I've been asking myself, what might I learn, do, or build in these two years that would

spk_0 set up my next 20 to center lightness, meaning, and joy?

spk_0 And friends, we are here.

spk_0 The two-year window is closing, and that 20-year-next big season has been set in motion.

spk_0 The learning do window is transitioning to build and live, and what I have learned about

spk_0 myself, about work, about relationships, about what it means to be alive and connected,

spk_0 in this moment is nothing short of radical.

spk_0 It's shaken my foundational beliefs in the best possible way.

spk_0 And today, I'm pulling back the curtain on the final chapter of this intensive learning

spk_0 and doing phase.

spk_0 I'll share a bit of what's happening as I finally start facing one of my big fears

spk_0 and stepping into the role of artist.

spk_0 I'll tell you about the power of running experiments the right way, rather than just declaring

spk_0 a path.

spk_0 The unexpected alchemy of leading a two by 20 retreat, the deep lessons I learned from

spk_0 the very first brave humans who became two by 20 coaching clients, and the transformation

spk_0 of how I think about my public writing versus long form works like books.

spk_0 And I'll also share some very personal awakenings and questions, and sometimes struggles

spk_0 that I've had as I move through this powerful two-year window and started building into

spk_0 my next big 20-year season of work, love, and life.

spk_0 If you've been following along, if you're in those middle years of life, if you've felt

spk_0 that persistent tongue of restlessness, or if you've been secretly running your own

spk_0 version of the two by 20, this episode is your dispatch from the front lines.

spk_0 It's about the messy, beautiful, necessary work of becoming who you're meant to be.

spk_0 So buckle up, this is a big one, and for me, a truly personal and kind of profound one.

spk_0 I'm Jonathan Fields, and this is Good Life Project.

spk_0 So two years ago, my two by 20 was just a personal project, a simple way to organize

spk_0 my mid-life reflections and kind of channel that energy into intentional action.

spk_0 At 58, I was looking at the two years that I had before I turned 60, and I asked myself a simple

spk_0 question, what can I learn, do, or build in the next two years, that it's set up the next kind

spk_0 of big season of work and life to feel amazing. And the core qualities that I decided I want to

spk_0 center in the next season were in the beginning simplicity, significance, and joy, though as you'll

spk_0 soon hear, even those have changed over the last two years. Or actually, it's less that they've

spk_0 changed. I've just gotten a lot clearer about what I really, what I really meant by them,

spk_0 and put another way with the feeling beneath the words where the things that I had actual control

spk_0 over no matter what life brings my way. So I started sharing my two by 20. I started calling this

spk_0 project two by 20 because it was two years to set up the next 20, and I shared that in actually

spk_0 was a newsletter post, a sub-stack post, and then a good life project episode largely on a dare.

spk_0 Somebody who I knew, who knew I was doing this just in my own personal life said, I really think

spk_0 you should share this and kind of dared me to do it. And I did. I honestly never expected the

spk_0 tsunami of response. It was clear. So many of you are just right there with me navigating this

spk_0 beautiful, sometimes terrifying, sometimes messy question of what's next. And how do I make the

spk_0 next chapter the most aligned and significant and joyful and meaningful one yet? We're now at

spk_0 the tail end of this intensive two-year learn and do cycle for me. And yes, I have run a bunch of

spk_0 new experiments since my last updates. Some have been glorious successes, like leading the first ever

spk_0 retreat actually, which felt like watching a beautiful, profound idea take on physical form.

spk_0 Some have been necessary failures, lessons in alignment, energy management, and what I need to let go

spk_0 of to make room for the quote, write things in my next season. And a few, like a metal smithing class,

spk_0 and a deeper dive into being a maker have felt like coming home to who I've always known myself to be,

spk_0 albeit in new and exciting in different ways. And everyone wants to know, what did you learn?

spk_0 Did you figure it all out? Have you achieved simplicity and significance and joy yet? Short answer was

spk_0 not entirely because life is life, but I'm building this scaffolding to make it a lot more possible.

spk_0 And a lot of it is actually starting to manifest in a powerful real felt way. And most importantly,

spk_0 what do I want the next 20 years to actually look like? Now that my two years are almost up,

spk_0 I'm here to share all of it. The raw truths, the hard one insights, and the exciting, sometimes

spk_0 terrifying new paths that it has revealed itself. So I want to start out by revisiting a few of

spk_0 the foundational ideas in the two by 20 long term listeners and viewers have heard me talk about

spk_0 this before. But if you're new here, I'll give you a little bit of foundation. So let's go back to

spk_0 the blueprint for a minute for those who are new or a quick refresher. The whole concept of the

spk_0 two by 20 is built around the guiding question. What might I've learned to or build in the next two

spk_0 years that would set up my next 20 to center the three defining qualities that you want to feel

spk_0 moving forward? The things you'd love to experience more of maybe even redesign your life around.

spk_0 For me, it started out as simplicity, significance, and joy. So my guiding question became then,

spk_0 what might I learn to or build in the next two years that would set up my next 20 to center

spk_0 simplicity, significance, and joy? In your words, we'll likely be different. But I also learned that

spk_0 the three words we start with can sometimes evolve or deepen over time. As we start to get more

spk_0 intentional and precise and learn what we really want, sometimes a different set of three guiding

spk_0 feelings emerge or what happened to me actually realize there was a deeper feeling or state underneath.

spk_0 That was the feeling that I wanted to really center. So for example, that word simplicity

spk_0 it evolved into lightness for me. So I thought life is so complicated and I tend to say yes to

spk_0 wait too many things, making it worse. And then the world piles on and that leads to the feeling of

spk_0 complexity and stress and overwhelm sometimes even burnout. So I thought hey if I could keep things

spk_0 simpler, well that would solve the problem, right? But over time I realized while I do have a certain

spk_0 say in a certain amount of complexity in my life, there's also a lot of complexity that I don't and

spk_0 won't have control over or have some control over but not full. Some things I'll never be able to

spk_0 make simple enough for me to be okay. From the state of the world to the state of my body as it ages.

spk_0 So by choosing simplicity as one of my guiding words, I was actually choosing a feeling or state

spk_0 that often lies outside my control. And in truth, it wasn't the feeling I was really after.

spk_0 What I really wanted was the ability to know that no matter what comes my way, I can still find a

spk_0 place of lightness even in the swirl of complexity and a certain lack of agency over elements of both

spk_0 like my own existence inside elements and also elements of the outer world. The thing I'll always

spk_0 have control over I realized is my response to these things. The ability to cultivate or return to

spk_0 a place of lightness, it's not about blocking out the complexity or even minimizing it but rather

spk_0 acknowledging it, acting upon it, doing what I can to change it while also cultivating the skills,

spk_0 practices and shifts in mind that will give me access to the feeling of lightness even in the

spk_0 midst of the swirl and complexity, even when things get hard. So I realized the more actionable word for

spk_0 me, the feeling beneath simplicity for me was actually lightness. So I've been building the muscle

spk_0 of equanimity in the face of complexity which counterintuitively gives me greater access to lightness.

spk_0 The aim is to allow the complexity and sometimes the angst that comes along with it to let it in,

spk_0 to let it affect me and when appropriate mobilize me and also to let as much of it as I can

spk_0 kind of in the the Buddhist lens of it wash over and through me rather than smother and destroy me.

spk_0 So I made a similar shift from that second word also significance and I slowly saw that evolve from

spk_0 significance to meaning as my second guiding word or feeling. And what I realized is significance

spk_0 for me over time, we can to feel just how do you describe this a little too external,

spk_0 like it was about mattering to other people as the first and most important thing. And of course

spk_0 in truth, like I do want to matter to other people, at least certain other people,

spk_0 but that's also a really slippery slope to validation, to surrendering your own feelings of being

spk_0 like feeling good about yourself to other people, which I don't want to be a strong force in my life.

spk_0 And I realized what I really wanted to center was the feeling of meaning, like how I exist in the

spk_0 world, even when I'm doing nothing feels like it matters, not just to others, but first and foremost,

spk_0 just to me, like how I show up, what I do, even just the energy I bring to an interaction,

spk_0 or the way I express myself or make or create feels meaningful to me. I can experience that through

spk_0 the simple act of creation that closes the gap between my sense of taste and expression,

spk_0 even if nobody else ever sees what I create, or the way what I offer lands with someone else.

spk_0 It's this blend of both inside and outside job. It's the feeling that there's a reason to get

spk_0 up in the morning to be. So meaning became my second word and joy, well, that's still just straight

spk_0 up joy. So those are my three guiding words, lightness meaning a joy. And that brings us to a second

spk_0 big awakening in my two by 20. It couldn't just be about contribution or work because as I've come to

spk_0 know, everything affects everything. So it had to be about what I call the three good life buckets.

spk_0 This entire process is filtered through the good life buckets. So bucket number one vitality.

spk_0 This is about optimizing your state of mind and body. It's sort of like a foundation there.

spk_0 Bucket number two is what I call a connection bucket. And this is about the depth and quality of

spk_0 your relationship with others, with yourself, with the world, and any sense of something bigger.

spk_0 And the third bucket is contribution. The way you devote effort or what most people might call work,

spk_0 although it may not. And sometimes oftentimes, sometimes depending who you are,

spk_0 is not the thing you get paid for. You can't have a truly good life. If any one of those buckets

spk_0 are running empty, they're a living, breathing ecosystem feeding each other. And in the beginning,

spk_0 I thought my two by 20 would be largely about contribution, but it became clear. It really does have

spk_0 to be about all the buckets. You've got to put all three of the buckets in play because everything

spk_0 affects everything. And finally, to keep from just kind of wandering aimlessly, I kept coming back to

spk_0 a set of core guidelines. One, the guiding question is the anchor. Filter every decision through the

spk_0 question of lightness, significance, and joy. Two, always be running experiments. Get out of your

spk_0 head. Don't just think your way to an answer. It does not work. And I'll talk a lot more about that

spk_0 in a bit. Feel your way and after your way there. Number three, inaction is not an option.

spk_0 Keep moving, keep learning, keep doing, keep bumping up against things that will then generate

spk_0 data that informs what comes next. And for, and this is maybe unique to me, resist the urge to commit

spk_0 too early. Hold the door open, explore, trust the process. This is one of the hardest things for my

spk_0 maker, sign to self, who just wants to build the thing now. I'm just constantly wanting to go into

spk_0 like, okay, I'm committing, I'm doing this new thing, I'm building it. This is where I'm

spk_0 and it was really important to not do that. Even when I was getting hits like this is definitely

spk_0 going to be a part of what comes next, to keep holding myself open to other possibilities. So that

spk_0 I really could let those seeds germinate in a powerful way and also create this space for even

spk_0 cool and more interesting things to enter the conversation. And before we dive into the experiments

spk_0 and awakenings and kind of cool new paths that are emerging from these experiments and even starting

spk_0 to get built, let's talk a bit more about experiments. Because I've lived so much of my grown-up

spk_0 life as a series of experiments and projects, I took it for granted that everyone just kind of

spk_0 already knows how to choose, how to run, how to assess which experiments would make most

spk_0 sense for them to run in their own lives. And that people actually approached life that way as

spk_0 a series of projects or experiments to figure out like which are the things that give the best

spk_0 information or fun and insightful and also which help you travel down to create a path that

spk_0 feels like it was just meant for you. Turns out I was wrong. Apparently most people don't operate

spk_0 this way and this was a big awakening. So as part of my own two by 20 and I'll share a bunch more

spk_0 about this shortly, I accepted five coaching clients and in October 20 retreat participants

spk_0 to go deeper into creating their own two by 20 adventures. And as part of that I realized

spk_0 I needed to distill my approach to experiments into something that was clear step-by-step and

spk_0 genuinely executable by others because the more conversations I had, the more I realized

spk_0 this is not the way we generally go about life. So I went to work developing sort of a detail

spk_0 two by 20 experiment process, really largely deconstructing and documenting my own process.

spk_0 It basically walks you through, I had to run awesome experiments across four different time frames,

spk_0 from seconds to months, how to choose where to start to find, implement and then assess them.

spk_0 And it was really cool to see this all take shape and then share it with others and see both the

spk_0 light bulbs go on and the relief on their faces when they realize they didn't have to figure it

spk_0 all out on their own or just immediately choose a path but rather they can just run experiments

spk_0 in a really smart and fun way. And now I had this great, kind of straight forward, teachable

spk_0 and coachable framework for running what I call joyful experiments that sits inside my whole

spk_0 two by 20 approach. Now building on these foundational elements, let's see where the final six

spk_0 months of focused experimentation has taken me. And we'll be right back after a word from our sponsors.

spk_0 I'm spending a lot of time on my contribution bucket and I have been especially in the last six

spk_0 months because that's where the really big seismic shifts have happened. But let's start with the

spk_0 other two buckets where I've also been running some two by 20 experiments or refining things that I've

spk_0 been doing before. So what we know is that bucket experiments and insights are kind of building the

spk_0 the foundation of this. So let's start with vitality bucket experiments under the window or the

spk_0 the metal lens of my two by 20. This is the foundation for a lot of people without it the whole

spk_0 structure crumbles or this is an important piece. Interestingly here my three guiding words

spk_0 still apply in the context of vitality though the application changes a bit. Lightness becomes

spk_0 a literal physical idea am I carrying my body lightly? Is it lean and well does it feel light

spk_0 regardless of weight? Can I move with ease and do what I want to and on the mindset side can I find

spk_0 ways to to return to a mindset of lightness regarding how complex and sometimes heavy life feels

spk_0 around me? Meaning feels a little bit less directly applicable here but maybe not we'll talk about

spk_0 that and joy for sure is still central to the experience of vitality in my mind and body. Can I

spk_0 move in ways and experience my body as a source of joy and my mind as well as a driver of joy?

spk_0 And the non-negotiables in the contribution side the activities that I've built into practices

spk_0 and experiments that I've run they're still largely in place so hiking has become a big part of

spk_0 it three to five times a week for me it's just a part of me now and since I've also learned about

spk_0 the blessing of winter hiking clothes I pretty much keep it going through the winter here in the

spk_0 mountains. Wind or snow no longer a foe. I actually kind of love hiking in snow now and as I record

spk_0 this we're actually at peak leaves season here in Boulder Colorado so when you hike up a peak you

spk_0 just look out over this explosion of gorgeous amber and yellows and oranges and deep reds and

spk_0 hiking checks all the boxes for me and delivers me into varying experiences of lightness and joy

spk_0 even when my body is tired or achy and interestingly the connection I felt with nature and the

spk_0 natural world also it cultivates a certain sense of meaning in the effort as well a certain

spk_0 understanding of of my place in the world even a sense of smallness and impermanence that reminds

spk_0 me I'm just a part of a bigger cycle that's been going on for a millions of years and I know it's

spk_0 a little bit heady but also something I feel in my bones when I'm in nature that said I have also

spk_0 been dealing with somebody's stuff kind of the story of my life to be honest being a competitive

spk_0 gymnast mountain biker and rock climber in earlier years have taken a bit of a toll on this

spk_0 here frame over the years so I've learned that sometimes I actually need to listen to my body and

spk_0 ease off a bit give a time to recover and heal co-figure and maybe explore different forms of movement

spk_0 so I can kind of have like this swappable basket of ways I like to move my body differently that I can

spk_0 I can tag in as needed when any given way just becomes challenging for me and that way if one

spk_0 isn't working it's not about just not moving anymore it's not like well I guess like I'm injured

spk_0 or I'm feeling this I guess I can't exercise I can't move my body anymore I have these alternatives

spk_0 already in place it's about shifting gears to something else for a bit that will work so of course

spk_0 that also includes things like resistance training which has been one of my big experiments kind

spk_0 of a must do especially as you head into life's later seasons just to stop what's known as

spk_0 sarcopenia or muscle loss that actually starts to happen to our bodies in our late 30s I still

spk_0 wouldn't call it fun at least for me let's be honest it's a commitment not a joy ride again some

spk_0 people may love it I still don't have I haven't found that that place in myself yet but the delayed

spk_0 hit avoidance is a powerful motivator I mean I'm thinking about my 80 year old self and

spk_0 and that makes the investment worth it the commitment is now to longevity um to being able to

spk_0 feel that likeness and joy in my physical and mental body not just now but hopefully for years

spk_0 in decades to come to be able to do what I want to do and move how I want to move for as long as I

spk_0 can it's an investment that I am happy to make and I'm also running these fun micro experiments

spk_0 which I categorize as things that take minutes to hours things like uh Tai Chi and Tegong and

spk_0 body weight exercises and more and super easy to do this from my own home because of the magic

spk_0 of things like oh youtube where 10 bajillion videos will let you run all these experiments for

spk_0 free from your own home and I've also been exploring some nutrition experiments right so

spk_0 let's talk a little bit about nutrition because it's such a fraught issue for so many of us when

spk_0 it comes to vitality what experiments have I run around the way I fuel my body as a part of my two

spk_0 by 20 well over the last two years there have been so many I honestly can't count them um and many

spk_0 before that in part because I love doing these kind of experiments um but also because look I'm

spk_0 at an age where my body's needs are changing in a pretty noticeable way and I've been trying to

spk_0 learn how to fuel it properly not just for today but for decades from now I'm trying to optimize

spk_0 for now but also for 10 20 god willing 30 years from now and I've also noticed that in my 50s

spk_0 being very frank here I've added some weight to my frame and I wasn't too happy about it um it's

spk_0 less about how it looks and more about just how it feels and how I feel and also concerns about

spk_0 the impact of long term health because I've seen the data I have talked to so many researchers

spk_0 over the years about this and the feeling was limitation and quite literally heaviness and concern

spk_0 which leads to a psychological sense of heaviness which is the opposite of lightness both physically

spk_0 and in the way I feel about myself psychologically so it's not about shaming myself when I think about

spk_0 this but rather just wanting to feel good and take care of myself and know I'm doing right by my

spk_0 future self and those who also want me in their lives for a long time. Lightness and joy these

spk_0 are still the drivers even when it comes to my nutrition and being able to do things I love at

spk_0 level that feels good to me so you can't even imagine the experiments that I have run on the nutrition

spk_0 fasting intermittent fasting fast mimicking plant center clean protein gluten free dairy free

spk_0 low carb high fat uh unprocessed or un ultra processed tons of water know this lots of that

spk_0 rearing at one point literally two different types of continuous glucose monitors and taking my

spk_0 blood glucose at the same time and ketones some of these experiments lasted days some weeks to

spk_0 months some have become long term habits now some made me pretty neurotic and I am generally

spk_0 not a neurotic person at all and I felt like it was like too much but what I've learned is that

spk_0 it's really individual to your physiology your psychology and your lifestyle the only way to know

spk_0 what works for you is to learn what you can get as much deep information and insight as you can

spk_0 I've done a lot of testing too and spend incredibly helpful and then choose what makes you feel the

spk_0 way you want to feel and gives you the long term outcomes you hope to experience or at least

spk_0 set you on a path to that and at least for me that also has meant backing off being a total

spk_0 nutrition aesthetic so sure I eat in a pretty clean way now right lots of fruits lots of vegetables

spk_0 trying to keep my proteins really clean and keep a good balance of macros

spk_0 generally gluten free ish terry free ish there's a lot of forgiveness built into here their tolerances

spk_0 that helps with the whole likeness side of things and lets me feel and do more things that bring me joy

spk_0 and feel like I'm actually doing right for me and for my body and for my future but

spk_0 but it also means I am not militant about anything I sometimes eat the pizza or the bagel or the

spk_0 rainbow cookie or the chocolate because well I mean chocolate is basically my blood type so that's

spk_0 a whole different story but but you know in moderation for me for my psychology the life I want to live

spk_0 for my body those things in moderation they're not going to do much and the experience

spk_0 especially in a social context assuming these things with people I love in moments and experiences

spk_0 that I love dropping into that also brings me joy and it's all about finding the right balance and

spk_0 that's kind of the place that I have come to individualization and balance which brings me to again

spk_0 in my vitality bucket experiments longstanding mindset practices and here I'm not actually going

spk_0 to say much you have heard me blather on about longstanding meditation and breathing practices and

spk_0 how important they've been for me for a long time so I actually haven't really run many new

spk_0 experiments there I just keep these practices going in the background because they're so important

spk_0 to my ability to live the life I want to live relate the way they want to relate be less reactive

spk_0 and more intentional and responsive and also again experience more lightness experience more

spk_0 meaning and more joy but one last thing on my two by 20 experiments related to my vitality bucket

spk_0 that I figured I would talk about a little bit that I don't think I have talked about before because

spk_0 it's kind of private to me but it's also a really common experience and that is something that I'm

spk_0 actually I haven't started doing but I'm planning on doing as I shift into my next 20 mode I have

spk_0 been exploring the relationship between physical pain and the mind focusing on a number of different

spk_0 modalities studying a lot to that really popped up on my radar pain reprocessing therapy and journal

spk_0 speak I keep wanting to do these experiments but I've been having trouble fitting them in and

spk_0 honestly wondering why so I am someone who lives with varying levels of chronic pain I rarely ever

spk_0 talk about it but it's a part of my life and a part of my story and I'm also fascinated by how

spk_0 the brain or the mind plays into this or potentially even generates pain and in turn

spk_0 differently harness or trained can potentially be the source of alleviation or relief

spk_0 there is increasing research and evidence on this and more and more modalities that explore it used

spk_0 to be like you know like all your pain is just psychosomatic that was a dig people felt shame people

spk_0 felt sense of blame what we now know is that so many things can happen in our brains that can lead

spk_0 to the experience of somatic physical felt pain that is actually being generated by our brain our

spk_0 brain is always a part of pain but even if it starts from injury or illness and that is fully

spk_0 resolved our brain can keep pain going or it can be related to things like past trauma it can be

spk_0 related to keeping secrets there's fascinating research on all of this so I'm going to be doing

spk_0 a bit of a medium duration experiment for probably about 30 days or so or probably a series of

spk_0 different ones I think the first one will be using Nicole Sacks journal speak as a way to see if I

spk_0 brain I've had the gift of interviewing Nicole and also a number of others another reason

spk_0 conversation that comes to mind around this was Juan with professor James Penebaker on this topic

spk_0 and the research is truly compelling so you can go listen to those episodes if you're experiencing

spk_0 pain that was Nicole Sacks and James Penebaker especially if you've tried everything or you thought

spk_0 you've tried everything especially the mainstream things and nothing is really helped and you're

spk_0 curious about a different approach so big picture what I'm realizing as resume the lens out on

spk_0 vitality bucket in the experiments that I've been running and still plan to run is that vitality

spk_0 for me especially heading into the next season it isn't about paper formats it's about resilience

spk_0 and longevity lightness meaning enjoy it's all boiling down to those guiding states it's about

spk_0 building a body in mind that can handle the complexity that's around me and that I know is coming

spk_0 and that I as a maker will probably create more of it's a continuous never ending investment

spk_0 so let's move on from vitality bucket based experiments in my two by 20 into connection bucket

spk_0 experiments and insights for me connection is the oxygen that fills the space created by vitality it's

spk_0 where the energy goes out and comes back in and the touchstones remain and my wife and daughter

spk_0 and close friends and family are really at the core of it so the Sunday three bucket check-ins with

spk_0 my wife Stephanie have been so powerful something we both look forward to and if you haven't

spk_0 her prior episodes basically what this is is every Sunday morning we sit with a cup of coffee and

spk_0 use the good life buckets as a quick check-in this can last anywhere from 10 minutes to sometimes it

spk_0 if there's really a lot to check in with a couple of hours and that is actually a great thing when

spk_0 that happens we share really how fuller empty each of the bucket has felt over the last week really

spk_0 we go bucket by bucket we explore what's contributed to the feelings and then we talk about how to

spk_0 support each other or what changes we might want to make to to keep them feeling better and of course

spk_0 when we get to the connection bucket check-in we include our relationship in there too

spk_0 and it's become this great time to get honest about what we're feeling and explore what's driving it

spk_0 whether the feeling is disconnection or deep connection it's this safe space to center what needs

spk_0 to be centered to to build on what's working to catch things that are getting hinky before they go

spk_0 off the rails then I just use the word hinky by the way and to repair what needs repairing

spk_0 I would highly recommend this to anyone so that's a two by 20 experiment that has now become

spk_0 just a part of both of our lives and I've also been focusing more on being really being present

spk_0 emotionally on a nano or micro level meaning on a second to second or a minute to minute basis

spk_0 spending a lot of time together not just being physically present but also emotionally there

spk_0 and honestly that can sometimes be a challenge for me as much as I have these long-term

spk_0 mindset and presencing and attention practices in no small part because the maker's

spk_0 world that can sometimes consume me and also because technology constantly kind of like

spk_0 shouts at me but my mindset practices do help me notice when I'm checked out more quickly

spk_0 and come home to the person in conversation that's right in front of me more quickly as well

spk_0 and they also help me put down the device and turn off notifications on the connection side also

spk_0 having our daughter home with us for a bit was this beautiful thing I can never get enough of being

spk_0 with her whether we're doing nothing whether we're walking through a green market hiking on some

spk_0 beautiful trail together just talking about life it's like soul food for my heart my wife and

spk_0 daughter are and will always be my ultimate rider dies I mean talk about lightness meaning enjoy

spk_0 they are the most direct sources of those for me and of course then you factor in friends and hikes

spk_0 and coffees and regularly calls which are still bedrock I started running these micro experiments

spk_0 there as well making sure that I scheduled at least one call or zoom so that's remote and one

spk_0 in person connection with friends a week and sometimes you think that's really hard to do on a

spk_0 basis and yeah it takes some energy but once you just start doing it over and over you realize it

spk_0 gives you back so much energy and and keeping those connections deep in alive is so nursing and so

spk_0 important it's worth it it's worth setting aside the time to both schedule it and then make it happen

spk_0 and that's become a truly important part of my days too they're kind of like the essential rhythm

spk_0 no longer experiments at this point over the last two years they're just life no big changes

spk_0 there just really baking them from actions and behaviors into habits and then increasingly just

spk_0 an identity level thing and while we're on the connection bucket also let's talk for a moment

spk_0 about the two by twenty retreat and coaching experiments that I ran um and I'll share a lot more

spk_0 about these experiments in just a moment when we get to the contribution bucket but this is where

spk_0 connection kind of unexpectedly flowed into or flowed from doing what I thought was filling my

spk_0 or running experiments from my contribution bucket spending three days in person with a group of

spk_0 just truly incredible and wise and kind and curious people at the first two by twenty retreat we

spk_0 did in Palm Springs just all dancing with the same profound questions with so many shared experiences

spk_0 and references in life it was one of the most connected present experiences of my year

spk_0 just really juicy it was a powerful thing for my connection bucket and honestly in a way that

spk_0 I didn't necessarily see coming or expect and also interestingly enough just being around them

spk_0 holding space as they say uh it helped me fill that connection bucket I kind of fell in love with

spk_0 them all just genuinely very cool relatable open kind creative generous action oriented and curious

spk_0 humans and I want more of those people in my life um similarly connecting one to one with

spk_0 the small number of two by twenty coaching clients that accepted again as one of my two by twenty

spk_0 experiments more on that in a bit who were deep in their own two by twenty journeys it was also

spk_0 this really interesting beautiful vulnerable deeply meaningful exchange of energy and it proved

spk_0 that the need for this kind of intentional supported deep dive is also real and that guiding others

spk_0 through the framework is also really energizing an interesting way to my own connection bucket

spk_0 this may sound kind of obvious that it would affect me like that but as someone who's very much

spk_0 an injured and has generally found the best alignment in a one to summer one to many format it was

spk_0 actually a real eye opener for me again more on that shortly but if you're going to just sneak it

spk_0 into the connection bucket because as I mentioned earlier everything affects everything so big picture

spk_0 I've learned that connection like it is a muscle that attributes without use and its core is

spk_0 vulnerability and openness and curiosity it's about being seen it's about seeing other it's about

spk_0 being present and allowing the truth of our shared experience to be the meeting point and connection

spk_0 may well be my greatest and enduring source of lightness meaning and joy so okay that wraps up the

spk_0 connection bucket experiment so let's get to the big one here the contribution bucket experiments

spk_0 and insights now this is going to be a little bit of a mixed bag because there's some really cool

spk_0 things I don't want to share with you and there's maybe the single biggest one that I'll tell you

spk_0 a little bit about but actually I'm waiting just a touch because there's a lot to share about it

spk_0 and I'm going to put together a complete standalone episode on it in the next couple of weeks

spk_0 because there's something really big and cool coming that I'm just super excited to share

spk_0 so let's dive into the contribution bucket a bit the arena where the maker scientist in me has been

spk_0 both the most exhilarated and at times the most terrified I'm nearly at that two year markets we

spk_0 discussed I'm finally transitioning from learn due to largely build and commit mode actually

spk_0 that's probably been happening for the last six months or so so I was very intentional about

spk_0 not narrowing focus too early I wanted to keep experimenting and keep exploring and trying new

spk_0 things but as my experiments made it ever clear what I wanted to focus my energy around

spk_0 probably around 18 months into my two by 20 it felt natural and good to start really narrowing

spk_0 to homing in and building into the next season of contribution in a more focused way and one of

spk_0 the big questions that I had and this really started coming up sort of like in the second year for me

spk_0 was whether coaching or advising in some form might be a part of my next big season of contribution

spk_0 now I've done a lot of advising and strategy work over the years but this was different in that

spk_0 the demand for my help right now the call that is the loudest has been actually around helping

spk_0 others develop and implement their own two by 20 adventures which is a different thing for me

spk_0 I'm used to working with people in business with founders with strategy with you know like all

spk_0 sorts of things in those domains and this is just a whole different world one that I'm deep

spk_0 in myself but I didn't know how it would feel to work with others in this context so I decided

spk_0 the only way to know was to run my own experiments taking on a very limited number of coaching clients

spk_0 now before I did that for some reason even though I've literally been doing versions of this for

spk_0 decades this voice inside me said well maybe it makes sense to explore some more formal training

spk_0 the certification even those colleagues who know me well and are exceptionally skilled advisors

spk_0 and coaches told me that for me it probably wasn't going to give me what I needed or more accurately

spk_0 thought I needed I thought maybe I knew better than them though because that's sometimes where

spk_0 my brain goes so if you've been with me on this journey remember I actually ended up doing two

spk_0 different coach certifications both as what I call learn term experiments meaning they took months

spk_0 and I learned that what I wanted to know was not going to come from them I should have listened to

spk_0 those friends and colleagues earlier at least not from the ones that I did so sure against their new

spk_0 skills but the real experiment had to take me into learning by doing in a much more embodied way

spk_0 studying the very things that I wanted to learn and at a pace that worked for me and me alone

spk_0 not the average learning style and pace of a group it really wasn't working they were

spk_0 they were like important steps that ultimately helped me realize that I am at heart and auto die

spk_0 that meaning I need to design my own learning containers they gave me language and structure but

spk_0 the modalities just weren't a good fit it was a lesson in trusting my god and also those who know

spk_0 me well and knowing when to say thank you next that said they also helped me realize the only way to

spk_0 know of coaching might be a joyful and rewarding part of my next season was to coach I learned that I

spk_0 was kind of looking for a crutch I didn't need or an excuse not to just run the experiment of

spk_0 doing the thing which is very unusual for me because I usually just do that but there was

spk_0 resistance there it was interesting to feel that so early in the summer I opened up two coaching

spk_0 spots for a three-month coaching engagement the idea was to do a half day deep dive session to do a

spk_0 lot of early wisdom transfer and start building momentum and action taking in this intense opening

spk_0 move and then work together twice a month over three months to help develop and guide and evaluate

spk_0 experiments as these amazing people crafted their own kind of juicy rewarding two by 20 journeys

spk_0 and it was also supposed to be virtual a quick wrinkle occurred so first the two spots that I felt

spk_0 like I actually had time for not that that would have been a great test anyway um we're filled in

spk_0 less than 10 minutes it's kind of a big oof um so I reworked my schedule a bit and and I figured

spk_0 out how to carve out some other time to take on three more clients for a total of five which

spk_0 which again was actually probably a smart move because they gave me a lot more data it was it was a

spk_0 better experiment for me to run and again the added spots once so quickly that also really surprised

spk_0 me um in the final one this was the second wrinkle the final person wanted to actually get on a

spk_0 plan and do the opening half day with me in person huh okay I guess I decided to look at that as

spk_0 another kind of experiment like a version of the experiment I thought I was doing with some

spk_0 different data to put in the question was would it be something that they'd enjoy and get a lot of

spk_0 pen it from and would it be something that did the same for me it had to be a two sided yes here

spk_0 for the experiment so big picture I related it back to my three guiding words would it let me

spk_0 potentially feel more lightness more meaning and joy in the way I focused my contribution energies

spk_0 moving forward interestingly and this was another I wouldn't call this a wrinkle but it was something

spk_0 that I wanted to kind of test that we we did very differently I didn't vet these opening clients

spk_0 uh which was another experiment everything I've ever done that was based around individual advising

spk_0 or service has had some kind of application interview process to help religious ensure fit

spk_0 before we started working together but again that adds complexity and takes more time and so I

spk_0 was actually curious how worth it the process truly was so for these I kind of took a big risk

spk_0 and took away that layer and turned out five incredible and very different people showed up

spk_0 the work we did and for some continue to do was was really powerful it felt fairly useful and

spk_0 energy giving for me and I really enjoyed working in such an intimate and hands on way which again

spk_0 kind of surprised me a little bit that said it also became clear that four clients at any given time

spk_0 or five was the absolute max for me both in order to honor my introverted nature and need for

spk_0 solitude and creative work and also just because there are some other very big things that have been

spk_0 revealed and other I mean I'm also running two other companies at the same time right now

spk_0 and then I'm super excited to to keep building and shaping and bringing to life that will take a

spk_0 pretty meaningful amount of my time the final part of this experiment was the one person who asked to

spk_0 do the opening half day session in person they flew to Boulder I grabbed a space at local

spk_0 co-working space and we spent the morning um and then lunch together and I have to say um the

spk_0 in-person opening move felt very different to me different in a way that I think is at least

spk_0 on my side better just more energized more direct more alive I mean there's a transfer of ideas

spk_0 and energy that happens when you're in a room with someone at least for me that's nearly impossible

spk_0 to replicate in the same way in the virtual space so what was the verdict then with this experiment

spk_0 as the current cohort of coaching work starts to wrap up I have decided to create space in my

spk_0 calendar to take on a max of probably two new coaching clients a month and I managed to actually

spk_0 having to cap that less as other things start to ramp for these limited three month engagements

spk_0 or what I call my two by 20 coaching immersion and another big difference moving forward I decided

spk_0 that the opening kickoff sessions will be in person here in Boulder because I just felt like

spk_0 there was a stronger connection that way again adding to my connection bucket in addition to

spk_0 contribution and that um we could do some really good juicy work and another change that I'm seriously

spk_0 considering is making these opening sessions full day instead of half day this would let us focus

spk_0 not just on exploring the models and doing some really powerful self discovery work but also

spk_0 getting immediately into the whole approach to two by 20 experiments and then brainstorming

spk_0 narrowing defining and even implementing them in real time so there'd be even more powerful momentum

spk_0 coming out of that opening day and of course this doubling of the amount of time will also mean

spk_0 a bump in the amount of time that it takes for me and also that would need to be reflected in

spk_0 what the cost would be but I really believe these shifts will be worth it so I'm super excited to

spk_0 start inviting new clients into this experience as I head into my next 20 and the final change

spk_0 will very likely also be adding in an application and discovery call as part of the process

spk_0 the five clients that I've been working with have been amazing and moving forward I'm just feeling

spk_0 like it'd be important to have a process in place to ensure that great fit with new clients and of

spk_0 course since we're talking about two by 20 related experiments that brings me to the second big

spk_0 two by 20 related experiment that was under my contribution bucket and that is the two by 20

spk_0 three-day retreat that we just wrapped a few weeks ago in Palm Springs and we'll be right back

spk_0 after word from our sponsors so I mean okay beyond the fact that we hosted it at this

spk_0 stunning oasis of a home just everything about it exceeded our hopes and expectations

spk_0 20 big-hearted open-minded beautiful humans showed up ready to learn and grow and do deep work and

spk_0 to connect and be vulnerable and real and just drop any facades and let their humanity lead

spk_0 and the questions and the conversations that emerged from them were so rich and genuine and

spk_0 alive with both curiosity and awakening and we worked really hard to create a container that

spk_0 feels safe and warm and then build the experience from the food and the hospitality side which my

spk_0 wife Stephanie who's incredible experienced designer overseas to a curriculum that's just packed

spk_0 with not just ideas and learning but also doing the work in real time in the room and not just

spk_0 individually but in groups and pairs and sharing and discussing and taking action along the way

spk_0 we didn't truly know what to expect going in on this we've done a lot of experiences in the past

spk_0 from you know international retreats to year-long programs to for five years we ran an adult

spk_0 summer camp that by the end you know had probably close to 450 people coming from around the world

spk_0 to do it but this was different and we didn't know what to expect we were blown away by what unfolded

spk_0 and also by how connected these 20 people who were strangers in the beginning felt by the end

spk_0 were there glitches or things we changed next time of course this is where the learning comes from

spk_0 this is why it's an experiment and we'll keep being an experiment as we keep learning

spk_0 we were constantly making changes and refining along the way I kept literally building and

spk_0 rebuilding the curriculum in real time based on what I was seeing unfold when people were leaning

spk_0 in when they were leaning out which led to the biggest a haze or what were the juiciest conversations

spk_0 and in the week that followed I did a series of debriefs with Stephanie but still we pretty much

spk_0 knew by the end of the three days this was something we wanted to keep doing and then when the feedback

spk_0 started to come in and we started hearing a detail how impactful it was for the participants

spk_0 I knew this was something that I want to keep deepening into and inviting people into as a part

spk_0 of my my own next big season of contribution I mean lightness check and I didn't know whether

spk_0 lightness would be a part of this experience for me because again introvert like solitude

spk_0 and I was surrounded by you know like in the people all we can long for three days but the way the

spk_0 context the the the way it all unfolded was very useful for me and there was a feeling of lightness

spk_0 meaning oh check big time just the the explosion of light bulb moments and awakenings and just

spk_0 even just sort of like low grade sustained insights and seeing people connect and form relationships

spk_0 was so meaningful to me enjoy a lot of moments of joy during it so we're going to keep doing it

spk_0 this was a really interesting experiment I want to say also that if we had decided after this that

spk_0 it wasn't checking all the boxes that would not have been what I consider a failed experiment

spk_0 do we have a hypothesis going into our experiments yes this is part of my process like

spk_0 and I kind of have a feeling that we'll enjoy doing it and want to do more but the key the key

spk_0 metric for our experiments we would run them in two by 20 is learning not quote success by some

spk_0 other metric um so the the the answer either way would have been have I just learned something

spk_0 really important the answer would have been yes either way it turns out that the information

spk_0 validated the hypothesis um so it was learning plus a validated hypothesis that said do more so in

spk_0 fact we're going to do that um by the time this episode airs there will there should be new pages

spk_0 posted on my I think it's going to be on my personal website that both detail the coaching and

spk_0 retreat experiences with tons more info and links to apply or sign up if you're interested I'll drop

spk_0 a link to those pages in the show notes by the way just for ease if you're curious about it

spk_0 so those experiments um have been amazing but they're also not even the big ones

spk_0 the real seismic shift in the final year has been confronting the thing that both actively

spk_0 have been craving with every fiber of my being and also kind of simultaneously been avoiding

spk_0 for much of my entire adult life and that is centering the artist um the maker but not just the

spk_0 maker of things like businesses brands books and media which I've been doing for decades

spk_0 and exist largely in the virtual space but rather things that get made with your hands with raw

spk_0 materials things you can touch and feel that exist in the world from food to bread to paint to

spk_0 canvas to metal to wood and beyond these things are so core to who I am they're the purest

spk_0 expression of my maker impulse and yet I've created largely in the screen based or media

spk_0 centric domain for most of my adult life and it's been like it's been amazing I love that I've

spk_0 been able to do that and it's also it has sidestep the purest expression of my maker impulse and

spk_0 it's really start to feel like it's time to come home to my hands to working and creating things

spk_0 that exist in the physical the real world with my hands and I also know I'm not the only one feeling

spk_0 this the question for me has been how and that has led to a series of experiments both around

spk_0 how to just weave more time working with my hands into my life purely for the joy of it

spk_0 things like taking metal smithing classes or working with wood or you like doodling or

spk_0 painting or like making illustrations and it's also led to exploring ways to make it not just

spk_0 something I did quote on the side but also maybe something I was able to center more to take up a lot

spk_0 more of my time and doing that would mean it had also taken meaningful amount of my available bandwidth

spk_0 so I'd have to figure out a way to build something around it something that potentially invite

spk_0 others into the experience but also letting me justify the substantial amount of energy and

spk_0 potentially resources it'd take to do that there's an opportunity cost to do this for me there's

spk_0 an amazing amount of positive and there's also a very real opportunity cost and I had to figure

spk_0 that out it's taken months to work on running a series of micro experiments figuring out potential

spk_0 models where hands and heart meant something bigger but without sacrificing the magic of the simple

spk_0 joy of making things with my hands along the way that could not be de-centered in whatever it was

spk_0 that I was creating and wanted to be a big part of my two by 20 and in my next big 20 year season

spk_0 and I'm so excited to share where this has all led and is leading and as a result what I will

spk_0 be bringing to the world very soon but for now I'm actually going to center that in an entire

spk_0 episode in just another couple of weeks and by the way it even includes a TED Talk that I just

spk_0 did as part of that very journey which kind of sets up a big part of why I did it I recently

spk_0 presented that in this theater right here in Boulder it's basically 125 year old post and beam

spk_0 barn that just happens to fit about a thousand friends and neighbors again I know I'm being a

spk_0 little bit cagey here but you won't have to wait long I'll share all the juicy details very soon

spk_0 and the backstory and so many of the awakenings that go along with it so be sure to keep an eye out

spk_0 for it and that brings me to another big piece of my contribution bucket and experiments that I

spk_0 have run and some realizations and that's writing so let's start with a quick reflection on the

spk_0 big quote sub stack experiment a year and a half into writing my awake at the wheel newsletter

spk_0 there I started wondering why it was doing it in the beginning it was supposed to be a place where

spk_0 I could drop the facade and the filters to to censor less and let more of the real quirky sometimes

spk_0 snarky sometimes funny at least to me and creative self out to be more about story than how to more

spk_0 about the feeling than the lesson and yet the more I wrote the more the audience built the more I

spk_0 found myself falling into the same patterns when I've written regularly and publicly in the past I

spk_0 started writing to the lesson to the list of points to the central teachings or takeaways it's what

spk_0 I know um but it's also completely contrary to what my intention was when I started I wanted to let

spk_0 more of the artist in words take the lead to be less about what to think and do to feel the way

spk_0 you want to feel and more about just creating the aesthetic experience that makes you feel it

spk_0 I did that here and there um I do that one I storytelling but then I pulled away and started falling

spk_0 into kind of the same old same old I literally have nearly 80 posts and draft in my sub stack and

spk_0 every time I keep thinking about dropping back in to finish one I I kind of have to pump myself up

spk_0 so this experiment start to go beside ways and I guess maybe the experiment itself didn't go sideways

spk_0 but I stopped actually assessing on a regular enough basis to realize that maybe it wasn't doing

spk_0 what I hoped it was kind of do for me so this is not what I wanted to channel this energy into I didn't

spk_0 it wasn't wasn't feeling like what I wanted to feel like so I pulled back with the intention of

spk_0 reassessing the deeper why behind my public writing part of my experimental methodology is a whole

spk_0 process a force that process of assessing and correcting course and that's what I'm in the

spk_0 middle of right now I also you know I started just struggling with my basic bandwidth bigger picture

spk_0 too a key lesson I keep bumping up against is the fact that there's one of me and my maker impulse

spk_0 says so many desires and potentials exploring in it all the time I've got to be in the state of

spk_0 constant pruning in order to just get through each day let alone feel like I'm able to show up

spk_0 and do my best work on any given yes so instead of writing weekly with too much of a sense of

spk_0 prescription and obligation I drop down to about a monthly essay or post now and I've been actively

spk_0 trying to figure out how to find the courage to let the artists take the lead in my more public

spk_0 and regular writing not always letting the teacher take the lead I needed to run the experiment

spk_0 of lightening up on my commitment to a schedule so I could create the space to find a way to come

spk_0 back home to my intention to write publicly and short form in a way that makes me feel alive

spk_0 that checks those boxes of lightness meaning enjoy because I honestly think I had lost the thread

spk_0 for all three and I'm still trying to figure that out right now and along the way I'm also

spk_0 wondering where the line is between my public periodic writing and working on longer form work

spk_0 like books I quite literally know the next four books that I want to write I have been seriously

spk_0 jonesing to get into them but I keep feeling like everywhere I write publicly for public regular

spk_0 consumption that it's also a time and energy that I am taking away from writing those books which

spk_0 I'm being honest I care about a lot more and I'm really itching and excited to get into already

spk_0 so I still love writing I will always write and I know that if I want to keep earning a part of

spk_0 living writing long form meaning writing books I need to find a way to keep showing up and

spk_0 offering my words in a short form public way it's a dance and I'm really feeling the opportunity

spk_0 cost of this in books not written or finished or even started right now so I'm working on what

spk_0 experiments I need to run really next in order to find the right balance here because as I head into

spk_0 2026 I want I mean strike that my soul needs to be working on the next book and I'm not sure if I

spk_0 can do that in the immersive way I want to and keep writing regularly and publicly at the same time

spk_0 especially given some of the other projects that I currently have going on and the ones that

spk_0 are soon to take a lot more of my time and energy and finally under the contribution bucket

spk_0 experiments it was time to zoom out to the big enduring projects that have been centered

spk_0 in my contribution bucket for many many years now because part of the 2x20 requires that

spk_0 I not have any sacred cows there's nothing that I can hold back I have to examine and be willing

spk_0 to examine everything especially when it comes to my contribution energies it was important to put

spk_0 everything I was doing up against the wall and consider whether it was something I wanted to keep

spk_0 investing energy into keep doing to keep doing but maybe do it differently or to bring to an end

spk_0 or transition it and what I realized is that I've been avoiding doing this in a meaningful way

spk_0 with the two major endeavors that have consumed much of my contribution energies for years now

spk_0 this very podcast good life project and also my other major endeavor spark endeavors which houses

spk_0 all the intellectual property and programming and services associated with the spark of type body

spk_0 work so looking at this podcast many of you know I was very early to the podcasting world we'd

spk_0 launched in 2012 it's been at it for 13 years now and over that time the show has grown into a

spk_0 pretty big thing we've been blessed with a very large devoted global audience many of who have

spk_0 been with us for a very long time and the show has been listened to and watched over a hundred

spk_0 million times I mean that's kind of insane and as podcasting has become a real industry and we

spk_0 just never quit even when times are really hard and very few people were listening and the economy

spk_0 got challenging we also grew to become a real viable business and I'm proud to have grown with an

spk_0 amazing team who's been together for many years now I never would have dreamed that what we've

spk_0 created was impossible when I began and I've also been careful to regularly try to do the dance

spk_0 of figuring out how to keep the show valuable and interesting and entertaining for our audience

spk_0 while also finding ways to ensure it's enough of a conduit from my own evolving and ever-changing

spk_0 interest and curiosity that I'm excited to keep showing up for it month after month year after

spk_0 year and look sometimes I do a better job of that other times I don't it's a really interesting

spk_0 challenge to honor how you've changed to integrate that into the work that you're doing and keep

spk_0 striving to find the sweet spot between that and what others value and I am incredibly grateful

spk_0 to know that he who and so many others keep showing up and saying yes to the way that we're showing

spk_0 up and in the same vein as my interest and focus shift you'll see that continue to be reflected in

spk_0 the show over time and it's why we keep running experiments with a show to find that sweet spot

spk_0 including with solo episodes like this where I get to just share a lot more of the behind the scenes

spk_0 the big awakenings be more personal and and share what I've been discovering and thinking and

spk_0 feeling along the way and help you find value in that too at the same time we're also working on some

spk_0 very cool new experiments in the way that we produce and where we focus we have a really cool

spk_0 new series coming away like our eight week future of medicine series that's happening here on

spk_0 the podcast every Monday actually in November and December it's been incredible finding and

spk_0 interviewing some of the leading voices in science and technology and medicine over the last few

spk_0 months and learning about the incredible new discoveries and treatment modalities are coming and

spk_0 working with just my amazing team to put this whole thing together and experiences like this creating

spk_0 this space for evolution and change and letting our creative output reflect the evolving interests

spk_0 that is part of what keeps things like the Good Life project which literally has the word project

spk_0 built into it alive and growing and and energizing for me over time and that brings me to that one

spk_0 other long term thing the sparkotype body of work so I developed the sparkotype assessment in 2018

spk_0 since then over a million people have completed generating one of the world's largest data sets on

spk_0 work and meaning and more importantly helping more than a million people really figure out what kind

spk_0 of work makes them come alive so they can go and do more of it because they need it and the world

spk_0 needs it right now and the tools and programming have also been implemented in some of the biggest

spk_0 most innovative companies in the world sometimes through our network of certified sparkotype advisors

spk_0 other times directly through me and my own work with leaders and teams I literally

spk_0 was paid for a gig once in ice cream doing the sparkotype work because the gig and the client

spk_0 meant so much to me so it's been a pretty fun journey it's a body of work that I'm incredibly proud

spk_0 of and there's still so much more potential for new applications and programs and demographics to be

spk_0 impacted and there's also as much as I try to fight it again only one of me which creates a lot of

spk_0 tension so part of what I'm doing behind the scenes over the last year is working on running

spk_0 these micro experiments to try to figure out the best way forward not just for the brand which now

spk_0 has global recognition but the full body of work and more specifically what will my or potentially

spk_0 others roles in that be it's a big question with a lot of exciting tentacles that's going to take

spk_0 some time to figure out so I've just been deep into the exploration and conversation mode

spk_0 working on where it all fits into the mix of my next 20 so no answers yet but the tiny experiments

spk_0 are starting to yield more insight micro experiments to see what feels best and those are already

spk_0 creating a bit of a trajectory here but still too early to know exactly where it leads but I wanted

spk_0 to bring it up because this is all a part of my contribution mix and as you start to add new things

spk_0 into your contribution mix it's really important to look at the things that have been there for a

spk_0 long time and ask the question what is their continuing role so this part of the exploration

spk_0 it'll continue past the opening two years of my two by 20 and we'll see what 2026 brings

spk_0 and that brings me to today as I record this the window on the two year part of my two by 20 is

spk_0 closing in just a few weeks and I'm already transitioning into the 20 year season of transformation

spk_0 and new growth and creation all designed to support my ability to do more of what makes me come alive

spk_0 while surrounding myself with people I cannot get enough of and bringing more lightness and meaning

spk_0 and joy into as many moments and days as I can there's an incredible amount of clarity and momentum

spk_0 as I've spent a lot of the last six months shifting from learn do and explore mode into narrow and

spk_0 create or build mode the foundation is already largely the scaffolding is largely there and while

spk_0 there are still open questions many answers and a sense of path along with the core elements of it

spk_0 have become clear and I'm loving how it's all coming together and what's been amazing is because

spk_0 I gave myself the full two years to get here there's been this powerful blend of creative tension

spk_0 I wanted to use this window of time to take action to learn a ton and start to build my next big

spk_0 season of work and life and at the same time knowing I've given myself two full years and not

spk_0 two or six months has also built a lot of grace into the process it's been driven more by curiosity

spk_0 action that feels more like play or an exciting unfolding rather than any sense of force or friction

spk_0 or aggression it's all just felt incredibly joyful and organic and the level of clarity and insights

spk_0 and awakening and change just kind of floored me because honestly it hasn't felt all that hard

spk_0 I mean yes I've worked really hard at it but it's also felt aligned and peaceful like

spk_0 kind of coming home to who I've always known myself to be and to how I've always known I wanted to

spk_0 live and work and be in the world but never quite let myself own or make happen it's almost like

spk_0 I'm finally just letting myself show up and assemble the pieces of my world in the shape of a puzzle

spk_0 that's a more honest, true representation of me and it feels a bit scary but also the more I open to it

spk_0 it also feels just really really good so now that I'm shifting into the next big season of work and

spk_0 love and play and life what does that look like a deepening of the relationships that matter most

spk_0 to me my daughter wife family and close friends a deeper commitment to listening to and caring for

spk_0 my mind and body but not in ways I've been told I'm supposed to do but rather in ways that I

spk_0 have experimented with to know what truly fits who I am and what I need

spk_0 the artist work the work of the maker in me especially the hands centered maker is coming closer

spk_0 and closer to center stage again I'll share a whole bunch more on that very shortly

spk_0 the teaching and advising work is refined my limited coaching work is now exclusively focused

spk_0 on guiding individuals in the creation of their own two by 20s helping others design their next great

spk_0 season using all the frameworks and tools I've now developed and also gathering people a few times

spk_0 a year in a gorgeous retreat format for three transformational days and reallocating more of my

spk_0 writing energy back to longer form to books and stories there may even be some fiction coming at

spk_0 some point which really scares me but also really entices and excites me and also just books that

spk_0 spend less time telling you what to think and do in order to feel the way you want to feel and just

spk_0 making you feel it and again that'll tie in in a big way to the maker focus project that I'll

spk_0 soon share more on and in a more limited way stepping back into some speaking facilitating the

spk_0 the two by 20 retreats is one mode I'm really excited about actually just in my first TEDx in 15

spk_0 years I loved it and strangely now that I've gotten clear on how I want to show up as a speaker

spk_0 interestingly opportunities seem to be arriving courtesy of the strange university live in

spk_0 though the topics will change to really better reflect where I'm focusing these days and yes

spk_0 the next 20 years will center much more on the creation of beautiful meaningful tangible things

spk_0 that exist in the real world rot not just from words and images but also metal wood paint and

spk_0 more all from hands which I'm literally sitting on as I share this because I know what it's going to

spk_0 look like but I'm still not quite ready to reveal it so stay tuned so this whole two by 20 journey has

spk_0 taught me anything it's that self awareness is not a destination it's this perpetual unfolding and also

spk_0 manifesting what you want to be real in your life is not a destination it is a perpetual unfolding

spk_0 and by manifesting I don't mean in the woo sense of the word I mean just by making it happen

spk_0 making it real and if you let yourself be guided by these things by this unfolding you will naturally

spk_0 and eventually be moved into a state of change and that could be scary but you know it's even more

spk_0 scary letting fear stop you from becoming or maybe more accurately returning to who you've known

spk_0 yourself to always be before you built a life around expectations and desires that weren't entirely

spk_0 your own or at least based on the truest possible understanding of who you really are what truly

spk_0 matters to you and what you need to feel and experience in order to not just exist but feel alive

spk_0 and you can't do this by just focusing on a single domain of life because as I've shared

spk_0 everything affects everything so you've got to put it all up against the wall stop trying to

spk_0 think your way to answers and solutions you've got to do your way to them find support even if it's

spk_0 just your dog who likely knows you better than most and supports you more unconditionally than most

spk_0 and do the joyful work of coming home and coming alive and as I've come to learn over these last two

spk_0 years this isn't just my story this is the story of anyone who is at a crossroads wondering what

spk_0 their next great season could be the answer is rarely found in the head it's found in the doing

spk_0 the experimenting the courageous act of asking the question and then living your way to the answer

spk_0 so as my two-year window closes and I shift into my next big season I want to turn the question

spk_0 back to you what is your next season going to look like what is the thing you've been avoiding

spk_0 out of fear what is the experiment or the experiments that you need to run to find your clarity

spk_0 and what if you committed to spending the next two years learning doing and building your way

spk_0 into a 20-year season of work and love and life that just felt so much more alive or if two by

spk_0 20 doesn't feel right for you adjust it to fit you and your needs your desires and life maybe yours

spk_0 isn't one by five or ten or six month and three years whatever it is the invitation is to be

spk_0 intentional with the quest to know yourself on the level that empowers more aligned and honest

spk_0 action and to craft a future that lets your life shine more brightly than ever before no matter

spk_0 what's going on around you and of course as a side note if you'd like a little help with that

spk_0 you can learn more about the upcoming two by 20 retreat or coaching immersion spots I'll just

spk_0 drop a link in the share notes below this journey has been amongst the most fun and fulfilling of my

spk_0 adult life I don't have all the answers but I have a lot more tools and insights and curiosity

spk_0 and clarity to keep exploring and I hope you will too and as always thank you so much for being

spk_0 here you are good people and I truly love doing the same called life with you I'm Jonathan

spk_0 Fields signing off for a good life project hey before you leave if you love this episode take a moment

spk_0 and check out the links in the share notes to learn more about the upcoming two by 20 retreats

spk_0 or coaching and share this episode with a friend who might be asking that big what's next question

spk_0 in their own life or maybe even send it to a group chat especially if you know someone who's

spk_0 been yearning to make a change but isn't sure where to start the ideas we explore about turning life

spk_0 into a creative laboratory of intentional experiments might be exactly what they need to hear right

spk_0 now and maybe you can actually even partner up and do your own two by 20 adventures together

spk_0 when we share stories of transformation we help others feel less alone in their own journey of

spk_0 becoming plus your share helps this conversation reach more people who might benefit from these insights

spk_0 about designing a life with purpose and joy thanks so much for listening I'll see you next time

spk_0 here on the good life project this episode of good life project was produced by executive producer

spk_0 is Lindsey Foxx and me Jonathan Fields editing helped by Alejandro Ramirez and Troy Young Christopher

spk_0 Carter crafted our theme music and of course if you haven't already done so please go ahead and

spk_0 follow good life project in your favorite listening app or on youtube too if you found this

spk_0 conversation interesting or valuable and inspiring chances are you did because you're still listening

spk_0 here do me personal favor a seven second favor to share it with just one person and if you want

spk_0 to share it with more that's awesome too but just one person even then invite them to talk with

spk_0 you about what you've both discovered to reconnect and explore ideas that really matter because

spk_0 that's how we all come alive together until next time I'm Jonathan Fields signing off for good life project

Reimagining Midlife: My 2x20 Project™ Update & the Power of Experiments

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