Let us know what you think about this episode or send us an idea!

When was the last time life completely ignored your carefully crafted plan?

In the first Summer Short of 2026, Ryan and Vic return to the podcast with a story about one of life’s most frustrating realities: things don’t always go the way we expect.

Ryan shares the story of relocating from the United States to Spain, a move that took months of planning, paperwork, and preparation. With visas approved, flights booked, and a new life waiting on the other side of the Atlantic, everything seemed to be falling into place.

What followed was a whirlwind of airport navigation, pharmacies in a new language, unexpected setbacks, and the realization that even the best plans can unravel in an instant.

Together, Ryan and Vic explore:

• Why setbacks are often a normal part of any meaningful change
• The difference between planning for uncertainty and preparing for support
• How human connection helps us navigate difficult moments
• Why reaching out can be more powerful than solving the problem
• The small and large ways we lean on our people when life gets messy

Reflection Questions

• When things go off the rails, who is the person in your life that’s always just a text away?
• What helps you recognize that it’s time to reach out for support?

Mentioned in this Episode

• Go Coach Yourself: Understanding Who Your People Are

Summer Shorts are bite-sized episodes featuring a story, a lesson, and a few questions to help you reflect on your own life.

Hosts:

Ryan Reichert-Estes, StackRise Coaching | LinkedIn | Insta: @stackrisecoaching

Vic Smith, WhistleSmith.co | LinkedIn | Insta: @vic_bk

Let us know what you think about this episode or send us an idea!

What does it actually mean to live a good life? Not an impressive one, or a productive one — but a genuinely good one?

In this episode, Ryan and Vic revisit a framework that sits at the heart of Ryan's Ignite the Spark program: three research-backed foundations that consistently predict deep, lasting life satisfaction. They're not what most people expect. And chances are, at least one of them has been getting less attention than it deserves.

Together, Ryan and Vic walk through what the research says — drawing on the Harvard Study of Adult Development, Self-Determination Theory, and the work of researchers like Emily Esfahani Smith and Dacher Keltner — and then guide listeners through a structured reflection exercise to assess where they actually stand across all three foundations right now.

This is the episode to return to whenever life feels a little off but you can't quite name why.

Resources Mentioned

• The Good Life Check-in
• The Power of Meaning by Emily Esfahani Smith
• Dacher Keltner's research on awe
• The Harvard Study of Adult Development
• Self-Determination Theory
• Ignite the Spark — Ryan's 8-week life design cohort program — [link]

Referenced Episodes

• Purpose: Define, Discover and Live Your Why

Hosts:

Ryan Reichert-Estes, StackRise Coaching | LinkedIn | Insta: @stackrisecoaching

Vic Smith, WhistleSmith.co | LinkedIn | Insta: @vic_bk

Let us know what you think about this episode or send us an idea!

Go Coach Yourself! welcomes Andy Storch! Andy discusses his mission is to get the most out of life and inspire others to do the same.

This episode is for anyone looking to powerfully align their work with personal strengths and values. From battling imposter syndrome to building a personal brand, Andy's insights will challenge and motivate you.

Andy is an author, speaker, consultant, coach, connector, and facilitator specializing in helping organizations improve engagement and retention by teaching employees to own their careers and achieve their goals.

Andy is also the author of the book Own Your Career Own Your Life and the host of two podcasts, including The Talent Development Hot Seat and the Own Your Career Show as well as the founder and host of the Talent Development Think Tank Conference and Community.

Don't miss out on becoming proactive and intentional in crafting the future you deserve!

Learn more about Andy:

https://andystorch.com/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/

Hosts:

Ryan Reichert-Estes, StackRise Coaching | LinkedIn | Insta: @stackrisecoaching

Vic Smith, WhistleSmith.co | LinkedIn | Insta: @vic_bk