Live Without an Expiration Date

Getting laid off is one of the most disorienting experiences a professional can go through — and not just financially. The loss of structure, identity, community, and purpose that comes with a job loss hits in ways that most people aren't prepared for and that the professional world rarely makes space to discuss honestly. In this episode, Rich Jones walks through the emotional, psychological, and...

Most career advice assumes you're either fully employed and content, or fully unemployed and searching. It doesn't spend much time in the middle — where you're still doing the job, still showing up, but quietly knowing it's time to move. This episode is about that stretch. Not tactics. The harder stuff: the ethics and psychology of a job search conducted from inside a job. What you're obligated to...

There’s a voice that shows up at a certain point in a career — quiet, persistent, and hard to argue with. It doesn’t say you’ve failed. It just suggests that maybe you’re done. That the best of what you had to offer already happened, and what comes next is a kind of managed decline. This episode is about that voice. Where it comes from, what it’s actually afraid of, and why most of the ways we try...

You’ve earned your depth. The question is whether the world can actually see it. In the second half of a career, something subtle but costly can happen: the gap between who you’ve become and how you’re being perceived quietly widens. Your thinking has sharpened. Your judgment has deepened. But if your external presence — how you carry yourself, how you communicate, how you show up online and in ro...

As professionals move through different stages of their careers, many spend years focusing on what they do—titles, responsibilities, promotions, and achievements. But over time, a deeper question begins to surface: Why am I doing this work in the first place? In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores why discovering your “why” is essential when evaluating your care...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores the deeper truth that a job or position is something you hold, not something you are. Through reflection and real-world perspective, he talks about the emotional impact of career disruption and how professionals can begin separating their self-worth from the titles they once carried. This conversation is about reclaiming pe...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores a quiet but common moment in many mid-career professionals’ lives: the realization that the role, influence, or opportunity you once expected may no longer be part of the path ahead. Rather than reacting out of frustration or fear, Rich walks through the three crossroads many professionals face in these moments— stay for se...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores one of the most complex career decisions professionals face: Do you hold on to what you’ve built, quietly test the market, or make a bold pivot? This thoughtful, practical conversation walks through the emotional, financial, and identity-driven factors behind each choice. Rich offers frameworks to assess alignment, distingu...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores what success really means in the second half of your career. When titles, compensation, and status no longer carry the same weight, what rises in their place? This values-based conversation invites listeners to reconsider ambition through the lens of meaning, autonomy, and impact. If you’re sensing a shift in your prioritie...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones addresses the quiet erosion of confidence that often follows a professional setback. This isn’t about hype or forced positivity—it’s about rebuilding real confidence after rejection, silence, or unexpected change. Rich shares practical ways to steady yourself, create small daily wins, and separate your worth from outcomes. If you’re...

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores the uncomfortable but necessary season between endings and beginnings—the space where your old identity no longer fits, and the next version of you hasn’t fully formed. This conversation is about patience, self-trust, and resisting the pressure...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones speaks with Jake Engel about a pivotal career transition shaped by instinct, contrast, and clarity. Jake shares what he learned from leaving a role he liked for one he thought he’d love—only to discover the importance of culture, self-trust, and listening to your gut when navigating professional change. This is a public episode. If...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date , Rich Jones explores one of the most personal challenges of career disruption—how to talk about it with the people who care about you most. From well-meaning advice to awkward questions and uncomfortable silence, this conversation looks at how to share your story without feeling like you have to justify, defend, or explain your worth. Rich offe...

In this episode of Living Without an Expiration Date, Rich Jones explores the emotional weight of career disruption—the quiet moments that follow a job loss, career shift, or unexpected ending. Beyond résumés and next steps, this conversation focuses on the internal experience: identity, uncertainty, and the pressure to “be okay” when everything feels unsettled. This episode offers a gentle perspe...

Today’s episode of Living Without an Expiration Date is a solo reflection on the quieter side of career disruption—the waiting, the identity shift, and the emotional weight that doesn’t show up on résumés or profiles. If you’re in a season of uncertainty, this one is for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit r...