Some conversations stay with you. They echo. They nudge you to question the stories you’ve been telling yourself, sometimes for decades. My recent interview with Eric Gee on The Enlightened Life Podcast was one of those rare exchanges that left me re-examining not only my own journey, but the very definition of growth, success, and what it means to truly know yourself.
Eric’s story is, in many ways, a familiar one—at least on the surface. He calls himself a “bad student,” someone who never quite fit the mold. But instead of letting that label define him, he built a life—and a business—around helping others break free from those very molds. He’s a coach, an educator, an author, and the creator of a personality typing system that’s already helped tens of thousands of people find their own voice.
But what struck me most was Eric’s invitation to look backward, not with regret, but with curiosity. He quoted Nietzsche: “True maturity consists in regaining the seriousness one had as a child at play.” That line hit me right between the eyes. How many of us, as adults, have forgotten the simple joy of doing what lights us up—of following the thread of our own curiosity, even when it doesn’t look “productive” or “important” to anyone else?
What if the things that brought you alive as a kid—those moments when you lost all sense of time—are actually the compass points for your future?
Eric’s work is about so much more than career advice or personality quizzes. It’s about self-acceptance, about letting go of the pressure to be someone you’re not, and about understanding that your relationships with others can only be as healthy as your relationship with yourself. He said something that’s still rattling around in my head:
“Everything that you’ve learned so far in your life might not necessarily be true and best for you—find out what’s true and best for you.”
It’s a radical invitation to question old assumptions. Maybe the path you’ve been on was never really yours. Maybe the rules you’ve been following were written for someone else. And maybe—just maybe—it’s not too late to start again, no matter your age.
We talked about the hidden costs of trying to “fit in,” the power of naming your own personality type (I learned I might be a “humpback whale”—the soul of the village, the quiet reflector), and the importance of honoring the differences in our children, our friends, our partners.
Eric reminded me:
“You can’t change what someone values, and if you do that, then you’re really trying to change them. And that’s never going to be healthy.”
For parents, teachers, or anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider, Eric’s stories are both a comfort and a challenge. He’s worked with thousands of kids and adults who felt “off track,” helping them rediscover their strengths and chart a new course. His advice for those feeling stuck? Don’t blow up your life overnight. Get curious about who you are, start to plan your way out, and remember: it’s never too late to know yourself.
And then there’s the wisdom passed down from Eric’s father—something I wish I’d heard as a teenager: “At the end of the day, nobody gives a shit. So you got to do what works for you… You’re not the main character in anyone else’s story. You’re only the main character in your story.”
If you’ve ever felt the weight of other people’s expectations or wondered if it’s possible to live more authentically, I think you’ll find this episode as freeing as I did. Eric’s approach is practical, compassionate, and—maybe most importantly—permission-giving.
So here’s my invitation:
What would happen if you let go of the old stories? What might you rediscover about yourself if you approached life with the seriousness—and the joy—of a child at play?
If you’re curious to hear more, you can catch the full episode with Eric Gee wherever you get your podcasts, or listen here. And if you’re ready to explore your own path, or connect for a reading or event, I’d love to hear from you at mediumscottallan.com.
