Success is Subjective: Real People. Raw Stories. Embracing a Non-Linear Life!
Interviews of people who took a break from life at one point or another to get help, grow up, or just to reassess their life direction. Some guests struggled with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, a death in the family, or just decided college was not the place for them. These stories are all-to-real, and yet we don't talk enough about how common it is for those who took a gap year to defer college, went to college and took a break, or those who struggled launching into the workforce post-college graduation. This goes out to all the young adults and parents of young adults who are struggling and contemplating what will happen if they walk away right now.
Success is Subjective: Real People. Raw Stories. Embracing a Non-Linear Life!
Episode 321: Try, Fail, Wander, Learn - Bix Firer’s Real Life Education
Growing up in Milwaukee, expectations were clear for Bix Firer: go straight to college and stay on a traditional path. He tried — and quickly learned it wasn’t his path at all. After dropping out, Bix spent several years exploring unconventional jobs, traveling, and learning through lived experience rather than a classroom. Those detours became the foundation for discovering who he was and what he valued. In this episode of Success is Subjective, Bix shares how listening to his intuition — even when it meant starting over — eventually led him into outdoor education, meaningful community work, and a values-aligned career in conservation with the Ice Age Trail Alliance. His journey is a grounding reminder that success isn’t measured by speed or status, but by alignment, joy, and how we show up for ourselves and others. If you or a young adult in your life is questioning “the expected path,” Bix’s story offers reassurance that stepping off course may be the most important part of finding your way.
Bix’s Resources:
Website: Ice Age Trail Alliance
Instagram: @iceagetrailorg
Emma’s book: Dead Reckoning
Podcast features: The Dirtbag Diaries
Connect with Joanna Lilley
Therapeutic Consulting Association
Lilley Consulting on YouTube
Email joanna@lilleyconsulting.com
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