Retirement can create an unexpected form of pressure. With more freedom and fewer work constraints, shouldn’t this be the moment when we finally perfect our health, routines, relationships, and long-delayed ambitions? Steve Kamb argues that this all-or-nothing mindset often produces an all-then-nothing result.

Steve is the founder of Nerd Fitness and author of How to Try Again. In this conversation, he explains why setbacks are not proof that we are failures; they are information about what to try differently. He shares lessons from the Museum of Failure, reframes treading water as a legitimate success during certain seasons, and makes the case that no one truly returns to square one. Every previous attempt leaves us knowledge and data we can use going forward. If we pay attention.

Steve also introduces his PACT framework – Pause, Accept, Change, Try – and explains why permission to start can be more powerful than waiting for confidence. Whether you want to rebuild fitness, develop a new interest, strengthen relationships, or design a more purposeful retirement, this episode offers a compassionate and practical way to begin again.

Steve Kamb joins us from Massachusetts.

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Bio

Steve Kamb is the author of How to Try Again (St. Martin’s Press) and Level Up Your Life (Rodale). He’s also the founder of Nerd Fitness, a worldwide community of nerds leveling up their lives. Since 2009, he’s helped busy people get stronger, live healthier, and build heroic habits. He’s published a thousand articles backed by scientific research and full of nerdy references that have been read by tens of millions.

Kamb writes a weekly “Level Up with Steve Kamb” newsletter read by more than 100,000 super humans. He’s given talks at some of the world’s biggest companies and guest lectured at Vanderbilt University. He currently resides in Nashville, TN, where he plays golf decently and music poorly.

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For More on Steve Kamb

How to Try Again: An Approachable Guide to Navigating Chaos and Making Change THAT STICKS

Website

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Retirement Podcast Conversations You’ll Also Love

Self-Compassion – Dr. Kristin Neff

How to Begin – Michael Bungay Stanier

The Joy of Movement – Kelly McGonigal

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About The Retirement Wisdom Podcast

There are many podcasts on retirement, often hosted by financial advisors with their own financial motives, that cover the money side of the street. This podcast is different. You’ll get smarter about the investment decisions you’ll make about the most important asset you’ll have in retirement: your time.

About Retirement Wisdom

I help people who are retiring, but aren’t quite done yet, discover what’s next and build their custom version of their next life. A meaningful retirement doesn’t just happen by accident.

Schedule a call today to discuss how the Designing Your Life process created by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans can help you make your life in retirement a great one — on your own terms.

About Your Podcast Host

Joe Casey is an executive coach who helps people design their next life after their primary career and create their version of The Multipurpose Retirement.™ He created his own next chapter after a 26-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking.

Joe has earned Master’s degrees from the University of Southern California in Gerontology (at age 60), the University of Pennsylvania, and Middlesex University (UK), a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his coaching certification from Columbia University.

In addition to his work with clients, Joe hosts The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, ranked in the top 1% globally in popularity by Listen Notes, with over 2 million downloads. Business Insider recognized Joe as one of 23 innovative coaches who are making a difference. He’s the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy.

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Wise Quotes

On Self Compassion

“It’s not how you succeed with discipline, but really how you fail with compassion.”

On Mindset

“An all or nothing mindset creates all then nothing results.”

On Action

“Action creates motivation, which creates self-efficacy, which creates more action…You don’t need a membership. You don’t need to make a big deal out of it. You can just put on your shoes and go do it.”

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The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Retirement Wisdom ...