#18:  Navigating the Midlife Reckoning: Vocation, Identity, and the Mountain of Joy episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 13, 2026 · 1H 8M

#18: Navigating the Midlife Reckoning: Vocation, Identity, and the Mountain of Joy

from Ruck the Way · host Gabe Smith and Chris Furr

UPCOMING PILGRIMAGE: https://www.rucktheway.com/pilgrimageIn this episode, Gabe and Chris explore the complex terrain of midlife and the "reckoning" that often occurs around the concept of vocation. Using the metaphor of Mons Gaudium (the Mountain of Joy) from the Saint Cuthbert Way, they discuss the moment a pilgrim first sees their destination after days of strenuous travel. They differentiate between "calling—our primary identity as image-bearers of Godand "assignments" the specific tasks and roles we hold in different seasons. The conversation tackles the shame and loneliness men often feel when their professional strategies begin to break down, offering a safe space to ask three penetrating questions: What do you love? What do you hate? And where have you been wounded? This episode is an invitation to transition from surviving your work to thriving in your true identity.Know more about our cause: https://www.rucktheway.com/Subscribe to our Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@RucktheWayMeet the founders: https://www.rucktheway.com/about

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 13, 2026

UPCOMING PILGRIMAGE: https://www.rucktheway.com/pilgrimageIn this episode, Gabe and Chris explore the complex terrain of midlife and the "reckoning" that often occurs around the concept of vocation. Using the metaphor of Mons Gaudium (the Mountain of Joy) from the Saint Cuthbert Way, they discuss the moment a pilgrim first sees their destination after days of strenuous travel. They differentiate between "calling—our primary identity as image-bearers of Godand "assignments" the specific tasks and roles we hold in different seasons. The conversation tackles the shame and loneliness men often feel when their professional strategies begin to break down, offering a safe space to ask three penetrating questions: What do you love? What do you hate? And where have you been wounded? This episode is an invitation to transition from surviving your work to thriving in your true identity.Know more about our cause: https://www.rucktheway.com/Subscribe to our Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@RucktheWayMeet the founders: https://www.rucktheway.com/about

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#18: Navigating the Midlife Reckoning: Vocation, Identity, and the Mountain of Joy

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UPCOMING PILGRIMAGE: https://www.rucktheway.com/pilgrimageIn this episode, Gabe and Chris explore the complex terrain of midlife and the "reckoning" that often occurs around the concept of vocation. Using the metaphor of Mons Gaudium (the Mountain...

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