GenX Adulting Podcast

He wrote the book on GenX. Literally.

Back in the '90s, when GenX was written off as a generation of slackers, Bradley Richardson wrote one of the first business books for the cohort, and it became a best-seller. Now, about to turn 60, the best-selling author, speaker and creator of Advanced Adulting is helping those same GenXers navigate midlife, and his own story is a masterclass in reinvention.

A 5th-generation Texan who grew up in Lubbock, Bradley takes us from a West Texas childhood and life as a successful junior tennis player who left home for a tennis academy and eventually got recruited to play for the Oklahoma Sooners, to accidentally becoming a published author with "JobSmarts for TwentySomethings." From there: the parenting books for GenX dads ("Daddy Smarts"), the best-seller on the emotional side of job loss ("Career Comeback"), an extensive run as an executive recruiter, and features everywhere from The Wall Street Journal to Rolling Stone to Good Morning America and NPR.

But the heart of this episode is the personal arc: family strife growing up, the highs and hard lessons of a first marriage and divorce, co-parenting, healing and his blunt refusal to call any of it a "midlife crisis", because he sees it as reinvention. He gets honest about grief, understanding his parents as human beings, embracing vulnerability and authenticity, his "60 by 60" project, and what "Advanced Adulting" really means.

If you're staring down midlife and wondering what's next, this one's for you.

00:00 Intro

04:03 Family Background

12:08 Navigating Early Independence and Sports

13:26 Tennis in West Texas

16:37 Strife Within the Home

22:00 Figuring Out Who You Are Midlife

24:29 Relationship With Sister

26:04 Performance and Parental Relationships

32:29 Winning vs. Losing

33:16 Discovering a Passion for Tennis

43:17 Knowing Your Strengths

46:03 Finding Contentment in Life

49:12 Leaving Home to Attend Tennis Academy

54:30 Returning Back to Lubbock to Finish High School

58:08 Getting Recruited to Play Tennis in College

01:02:16 The Impact of Travel Sports on Youth

01:08:52 Attending University of Oklahoma

01:10:45 Navigating Family Turmoil in College

01:16:34 Coping with Change and Loss

01:19:30 Finding Independence and Resilience

01:22:34 Career Beginnings and Self-Discovery

01:25:34 Challenging Stereotypes of Generation X

01:31:45 Becoming a Published Author: JobSmarts for Twentysomethings

01:39:51 Becoming a Public Speaker

01:41:43 Becoming a Father and Writing a Parenting Book for GenX Dads: Daddy Smarts

01:42:38 Navigating Success and First Marriage

01:54:23 Career Challenges and Identity

01:54:54 The Corporate World and Personal Fulfillment

01:57:36 The Vision to Write the Book: Career Comeback

02:01:26 Divorce and Co-Parenting Struggles

02:04:58 Personal Growth and Healing Post-Divorce

02:08:15 Understanding Midlife Crises and Emotional Health

02:14:59 Communication Dynamics Between Genders

02:16:58 Navigating Midlife Challenges and Reinvention

02:19:03 Understanding Personal Identity and Self-Discovery

02:29:07 Being a Resource of Information for the Younger Generations

02:32:39 Transitioning Careers and Finding Fulfillment

02:35:50 Advanced Adulting

02:49:51 Finding Love: The Journey to a Healthy Relationship

02:55:05 Cultural Contrasts: Adapting to California Life

03:00:23 Reflections on Family: Understanding Parents as Humans

03:08:37 Navigating Grief and Reinvention

03:12:23 Reflections on Turning 60: 60 by 60

03:17:28 Embracing Vulnerability and Authenticity

03:21:26 The Impact of Emotional Development

03:26:35 Bradley's 5-Year Vision

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