Today we invite back Alyx Parks, a great friend, conviction coach, writer, fly fishing guide, and one of my favourite people to have unhinged conversations with.

This episode is a bit of an experiment. We both brought 2 topics to discuss, but didn’t tell each other ahead of time. No research, no prepared answers, no performance.

What came out was a wide-ranging, honest, funny, and surprisingly deep discussion about making friends after 30, tattoos and identity, fear of judgment, and why we’re all so afraid to just pick up the phone and call someone we miss.

Please enjoy, Alyx Parks - unhinged.

Key Takeaways

• Birthdays can bring a quiet kind of grief—not just about age, but about who we were, who we thought we’d be, and who we’re becoming.
• We’ve been conditioned to fear phone calls and doorbells, but random, agenda-free connection can be one of the greatest gifts we give and receive.
• Tattoos aren’t really about ink—they’re about identity, intention, permanence, and who we’re doing things for.
• Making friends after 30 is hard, vulnerable, and necessary—and sometimes it starts with simply saying hello or asking someone for coffee.
• Fear of failure is often really fear of judgment, and most of that judgment lives only in our own heads.
• Letting “future you” handle the hard moments can be a powerful way to move through fear and self-doubt.
• Growth often looks messy in real time—and cringing at your past self might actually be proof that you’re evolving.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

https://www.wilderpath.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyxparks

https://www.instagram.com/ontarioflygirl

https://www.ontarioflygirl.com/

Today, we talk to Sensi Graves and Brandon Scheid - extreme athletes, parents, partners, and now the subjects of a powerful new documentary - Windfall.

Two years ago, Brandon was in a speed flying accident that nearly took his life. In the days immediately following, Sensi learned she was pregnant with their first child. Together, they share their incredible journey of recovery, and how learning to live with Brandon’s traumatic brain injury has re-shaped their view of life and parenting.

This conversation is about more than the accident. It’s about identity, love, and how we move forward when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s about the quiet strength of caregivers, the stubborn resilience of the human spirit, and the role that community plays in helping us heal.

Please enjoy, Sensi Graves and Brandon Scheid.

Key Takeaways

Turning trauma into purpose: Brandon and Sensi share how they’ve made meaning from a life-altering accident—and why they wouldn’t take it back.

Two perspectives, one story: Sensi speaks as the partner and caregiver; Brandon shares what it's like to survive a crash you don’t remember, and come back a different person.

Brain injury recovery isn’t linear: From post-coma mania to long-term depression, Brandon opens up about the invisible impacts of TBI and how he’s still navigating the mental health journey.

Presence over purpose: In the middle of crisis, Sensi redefined success as simply taking care of herself, her baby, and her husband—nothing more.

Letting go of the “old you”: After his accident, Brandon couldn’t return to his old sports or identity, so he explored everything from drones to piano to punching balls while walking down the street.

What we focus on expands: Sensi talks about practicing radical gratitude—not to sugarcoat hardship, but to make space for joy amidst the mess.

We all molt: Brandon offers a surprisingly perfect metaphor about crustaceans—sometimes growth requires outgrowing your old shell, even when it hurts.

Vulnerability creates connection: Their willingness to be open, even in the messiest moments, is a powerful reminder that healing isn’t something we do alone.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

https://www.instagram.com/windfall_movie/

https://www.instagram.com/sensigraves/

https://www.instagram.com/brandonscheid/

https://www.sensigraves.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sensi-graves/

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler

Today, we talk to John U. Bacon, bestselling author of The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

This story gripped me in a way I didn’t expect. Like a lot of people, I knew the Gordon Lightfoot song — I’d sung it around campfires and strummed it on my guitar — but I had no idea how much more there was to the story until I picked up John's book.

He spent years talking to the families of the 29 men who were lost that night in 1975, and what he uncovered is not just a story of a shipwreck — it’s a story of sacrifice, silence, courage, and legacy.

We talk about the night the Fitzgerald went down, the myths and facts surrounding the wreck, the power of Gordon Lightfoot’s songwriting, and the heartbreaking and beautiful stories of the men on board. I learned a lot, felt even more, and I think you will too.

Please enjoy, John Bacon.

The Edmund Fitzgerald isn’t just a shipwreck — it’s a human story: John interviewed 14 families of the 29 crew members, many of whom had never spoken to a writer before. Their stories bring the tragedy to life in a deeply personal way.

The Gordon Lightfoot song changed everything: Without “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” this story might have been forgotten. Lightfoot’s first-ever performance of the song — captured by accident in the studio — is still the version we hear today.

The Great Lakes are more dangerous than the ocean: Local storms, sharp waves, and shallow shoals make the lakes uniquely treacherous. Sailors face 60-foot waves with just 11 feet of clearance from deck to water.

Shipping is essential — and invisible: The Fitzgerald and ships like it carried the raw materials that built North America’s cars, homes, and infrastructure. Yet most people know almost nothing about the lives of the sailors.

Heroism doesn’t always come with survival: The Arthur Anderson, the ship following the Fitzgerald, turned around and went back into the storm at the Coast Guard’s request — a nearly unthinkable act of courage.

A flawed map may have played a role: The Fitzgerald was likely using outdated charts with shoal locations that had shifted by more than a mile — potentially contributing to the ship’s damage and eventual sinking.

The tragedy led to lasting change: There hasn’t been a major Great Lakes shipwreck since the Fitzgerald. It changed safety standards and remains a powerful reminder of what’s at stake.

These men are not forgotten: From tattoos to scholarships to grandchildren who carry on their names, the legacy of the 29 lives lost lives on — through this book, through the song, and through the families who still feel the waves.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Instagram

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

John’s website: https://johnubacon.com/

Books by John: https://johnubacon.com/books/

John on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-u-bacon-6359302