What if aging wasn’t something to fear… but something to design? In this empowering conversation, bestselling author and leadership expert Erika Andersen introduces the radical idea at the heart of her new book The New Old: that your “third act” can be your most vibrant chapter yet.

Drawing from research, decades of coaching experience, and her own personal reinvention, Erika breaks down the three guiding principles for aging well: Be the boss of your life, master your mindset, and get good at change. We explore how internalized ageism limits people long before their bodies do, why curiosity keeps the brain young, and the surprising research that shows mindset alone can add an average of 7.6 years to your life.

From reframing what “midlife” actually means to learning entirely new skills in your seventies, this episode reframes aging as a deeply personal, totally customizable adventure. If you’re in your 50s, 60s, 70s — or simply planning ahead — this joyful rebellion against age stereotypes will encourage you to write your own story all the way through.

00:00 — The truth about agency in later life

00:52 — Rebelling against aging stereotypes

01:20 — Who is Erika Andersen? Introducing The New Old

02:40 — What “third act” really means

04:05 — Why Erika shifted from leadership books to aging well

05:18 — Pandemic reflections and redefining her own future

06:12 — The new reality: people are living longer than ever

07:30 — Surprising research on longevity and mindset

09:02 — How aging looks different today

10:23 — Erika’s move to Spain & learning Spanish in her late 60s

12:40 — The three principles of aging well

15:00 — Helping people who feel “out of ideas” post-career

19:10 — The role of mindset in shaping the third act

20:00 — The Yale mindset study: 7.6 years added

23:15 — The simple 3-step process to shift your self-talk

25:10 — Are younger generations less ageist?

27:00 — Companies trying (and failing) to market to boomers

29:00 — Curiosity as a lifelong anti-aging tool

33:00 — How to “modify gracefully” as life changes

36:00 — The importance of learning new things at any age

40:00 — What Spain gets right about old age

43:00 — Connection: the thread running through everything

44:55 — You control more about aging than you think

• The New Old: Crafting Your Best Later Life — by Erika Andersen

• Erika’s website: Erika Andersen, Nationally-Known Business Thinker & Author

• Erika’s Substack: The New Old

In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, James sits down with writer, programmer, photographer, stand-up comedian, and self-described “professional dabbler” Matt Savino to unpack the winding path behind his debut book A Land Without a Continent. What starts as a practical decision to drive his Toyota FJ Cruiser through Central America turns into a life-shifting adventure spanning border crossings, unexpected friendships, creative breakthroughs, and even getting stranded during a political uprising in Nicaragua.

Matt opens up about what it takes to turn lived chaos into a compelling narrative, how comedy and poker shaped his resilience, why landscape photography taught him to chase the story, and the moment he realized writing wasn’t just a project — it was a calling. From navigating roadblocks guarded by student revolutionaries to learning the discipline of descriptive writing, Matt shares an honest look at creativity, curiosity, and what happens when you finally decide to “get on the mountain.”

Whether you’re dreaming of a big adventure or sitting on a creative idea you’ve been avoiding, this conversation will nudge you to start.

00:00 – The Power of Just Starting

01:00 – Who Is Matt Savino? Physics, Comedy & Professional Dabbling

02:00 – Life Paths, Career Pivots & Creative Curiosity

03:00 – From Stand-Up to Programming: Finding Flow State

05:00 – Poker, Tilt, and Why Emotional Fitness Matters

07:00 – Discovering Landscape Photography & Adventure Travel

08:30 – Why Matt Decided to Drive to South America

10:00 – The Plan, the Layoff & the Push to Go

12:00 – Travel Writing, Bill Bryson, and Learning to Tell a Story

14:00 – Getting Stranded in Nicaragua During an Uprising

16:00 – Talking His Way Through Roadblocks & Type-2 Fun

18:00 – Learning to Write Descriptively (and the “bugaboo”)

21:00 – The Value of a Writing Coach & Structured Accountability

23:00 – James & Matt Swap Book-Writing Lessons

26:00 – Creativity, Voice, and Building a Book From Chaos

28:00 – The Behind-the-Scenes of Publishing and Editing

31:00 – Image Licensing, Kindle Issues & Hybrid Publishing

34:00 – The Emotional Rollercoaster of Finishing a Book

36:00 – Planning the Next Adventure: South America

38:00 – Fear, Purpose, and Choosing a Life With Momentum

39:00 – Marketing, Superfans, and Letting the Next Story Begin

40:00 – Home - Matt Savino and Where to Follow the Journey

41:00 – Final Thoughts: “Just Get On the Mountain”

• Matt’s Website: Home - Matt Savino

• Book: A Land Without a Continent

• Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods

Leadership isn’t about titles, charisma, or being the loudest voice in the room. According to Dr. Matt Kutz — professor, Fulbright scholar, organizational coach, and author of Becoming Epic — leadership begins with learning to lead yourself.

In this raw, energizing conversation, Matt challenges the watered-down pop-culture version of “everyone’s a leader” and explains why true leadership demands excellence, contextual intelligence, and self-compassion. He shares how chaos can actually be the doorway to your potential, why perfection kills growth, and why iteration—not talent—is what makes someone excellent.

Matt tells the personal story of how a shocking prostate cancer diagnosis forced him to stop, rethink, and write the book he’s always wanted to write. From navigating chaos to cultivating excellence through small courageous actions, this episode offers a practical roadmap for becoming someone who leads with purpose — whether that’s at work, at home, or within yourself.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, mediocre, or waiting for the “perfect time,” this one will wake you up.

00:00 – The Enemy of Excellence Matt explains why perfection is the enemy and why excellence requires iteration: “You have to try, fail, try, fail, redo, redo, redo.”

01:30 – Everyone Thinks They're a Leader Why society’s “everyone is a leader” message creates a leadership vacuum.

05:00 – Leadership as a Disappearing Act Cultural bias against standing out — the “tallest poppy gets cut down.”

06:30 – Contextual Intelligence The leadership skill most people ignore: shifting styles based on the environment.

09:45 – Chaos as a Package for Potential Matt: “Chaos is often the package that your potential arrives in.”

13:30 – Excellence, Perception, Inspiration, Compassion (EPIC) The 4-part framework of Matt’s new book.

21:00 – Mediocrity as a Social Pandemic Why we embrace “the middle” rather than risk failure.

36:30 – Cancer, Chaos & Writing the Book Matt shares the prostate cancer diagnosis that forced stillness and sparked creativity.

55:00 – The 3D Thinking Model How hindsight + insight + foresight = powerful decision-making.

• Book (pre-order): Becoming Epic — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and major retailers

• Website: Home - matthewkutz