Join Meeting: Real Stories of the Normal 40

“I would trade what I have, but I don’t know what I would trade it for.”

I never know who I’ll meet every time I hit “Join meeting, " but their stories are incredible.

These are the leaders and doers. The elite performers—outwardly and obviously successful, but inwardly and awkwardly frustrated. Each of them wondering, is this it for me?

I talk to these elite performers every day.

These are their stories.

— I could hear it in his voice before we even got started; Matt was nervous. Not the kind of nervous that comes before a big presentation, but the kind that comes when you’re about to admit something you haven’t said out loud before. The kind that says, I’m not sure I want to be here, but I know I need to be.

His voice was soft, almost hesitant, like he was trying not to be overheard.

“You pretty much nailed it,” he said when I pointed it out. “I moved my iPad around a few times, found an angle where I’ve never sat before. I guess I just wanted some privacy.”

That’s how these calls go.

I’ve talked to hundreds of people like Matt, who are outwardly successful but inwardly unsettled. They feel stuck in a career they once wanted but now wonder if it’s all there is. And just like Matt, most of them take the same approach.

They wait.

They wait for it to get easier. They wait for it to become obvious. They wait for some miracle that makes it free.

But it’s none of those things. This is a trade. A trade for who you want to be.

Matt arrived at this conversation with the same problem most elite performers do:

“I would trade what I have, but I don’t know what I would trade it for.“

The Gift That Was Always There

The Gift That Was Always There

I asked Matt what he was great at; not what his boss would say, not what his LinkedIn profile showed—what he knew he was great at.

He thought for a moment.

“I observe things. I understand them. And once I do, I can explain them to others.”

The ability to take something complicated, break it down, and help someone else make sense of it?

It’s a rare gift, but Matt didn’t see it that way—because it wasn’t what had made him successful.

Matt built a career on analysis—understanding markets, assessing risk, and making calculated decisions. It was logical, measurable, safe, and fast.

But this skill was different, and it was personal.

I asked Matt — how do you want to use this?

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes people happy in retirement,” he said. “Not the money side, but the life side. I’ve read the books. Had the conversations. And honestly, I just love talking to people about it—about enjoying their best years.”

He paused.

“I don’t know why, but I get emotional when I talk about it.”

There it was.

Emotion is a clue. It’s the body’s way of pointing at something important. It gives you the clues, but only if you stop to acknowledge them.

I pressed in.

“Why do you think that is?”

Matt thought, then said, “Because I believe I can help people live better, and I believe in the butterfly effect. If I help one person get clear on their next step, that could change their life. And if they go on to help someone else, it ripples out. And for me, I just love knowing there are ripples with my work.”

That was it.

It wasn’t just about financial literacy. It wasn’t just about people’s retirement.

It was about impact, and Matt's best chapter needed more of it. And he needed to deliver it mor directly.

The Trade Is Yours to Make

Matt isn’t unique. Not in this feeling. Not in this struggle. It used to be me—and it’s what brings you here.

He’s an elite performer who followed the path, did the work, built a great career, and now wonders what’s next….really?

I’m no longer new to this — If it feels like you’re waiting, you are. If it feels like you’re settling, you are. If you feel like your best days are upon you, they are. If you don’t think your future is where your feet are, you’re right.

The worst thing we can do is the very thing most of us do…wait.

Wait for a sign. Wait for clarity. Wait for the courage to make a move. Wait for someone to make the decision for us.

But there’s a fine line between waiting and wasting.

Here’s what I told Matt:

The chapter you want to write next? It doesn’t get easier to start writing it. It doesn’t become obvious how the pages will be filled. And getting started is never free.

But the moment you decide to trade what’s frustratingly comfortable for what’s uncomfortably calling you—you unlock your life’s best chapter. With that, you can build a life of impact. A life that ripples.

What’s your story?

If you’re ready to write your lifetime’s best story, maybe we should ramble. While I call them rambles, I’ve discovered they become more of a revival. The revival of the person you used to be—and the path you’re inspired to take.

Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.

I’ll be ready to “Join Meeting.”

Let’s be up to something.

Lon -

Find me here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein