The Next Chapter

What entering a new decade taught me about progress, identity, and unfinished business.

An adventurer reflects on the next chapter, the next mountain in their life.

I turn40 this week.

And I’ve been low.

Not dramatically, just… quieter. Heavier. It’s not a midlife crisis. But something more reflective. A tension pulling between the man I’ve been, the life I’ve built, and the person I’m still becoming in this next chapter.

My 20s were packed with the kind of adventure that feeds a young man’s ego and spirit. Army officer. Combat. Travel. Parachutes. Brotherhood. Wild stories. Big risks.

My 30s were anchored. Marriage. Kids. Loss. Leadership roles in my town. A nonprofit in my son’s name. Coaching clients to become something bigger than they imagined. These years weren’t less intense but they were more grounded. More about meaning than momentum.

Now I’m entering my 40s. And something is stirring.

The question isn’t “what now?”

It’s deeper than that.

It’s “what still?”

What do I still need to create?

Who do I still need to become?

I don’t need a perfect plan. But I do need direction.

I want influence, not just impact.

Legacy, not just activity.

There’s more to do. And I’m not done yet.

“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.”

— Marcus Aurelius