Paul Millerd quit his job with no source of other income.

He moved to Asia without a plan, without knowing what he was doing, and intentionally gave himself permission to get lost.

What followed wasn’t a linear career pivot or a perfectly executed plan.

It was a long period of exploration, writing, freelancing to pay the bills, and slowly realizing that the only work he consistently cared about was writing. At first, the writing was just something he loved doing. Then people started asking if it could be turned into a book. That book became The Pathless Path.

Today, Paul has built a life centered around what he calls good work—work that energizes him, gives him time, and fits the kind of life he wants to build with his family. Freelancing and consulting fund the journey. Writing is the work he would never give up.

In this conversation, we talk about:
- Why getting lost can be necessary
- How changing your environment changes how you think
- The difference between good work, good-enough work, and bad work
- Why Paul designs his life around time, not status
- How The Pathless Path came from craft, not strategy
- What it actually looks like to leave the default path without forcing an outcome

This episode is for anyone who feels stuck in “good enough” work and knows there’s something else they’re meant to do—but doesn’t yet know how to get there.

Paul Millerd
Personal Website: https://pmillerd.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaulMillerd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pathlesspaul
Pathless Path: https://geni.us/HvqKy (Amazon)
Pathless Path (new premium hardcover): https://shop.pathlesspath.com/products/pathless-path-hardcover
Good Work: https://geni.us/D5D08 (Amazon)

JJ Thelen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffthelen
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jjthelen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjthelen

What happens when the “safe” path isn’t safe at all?

In 2008, Patrick McGinnis had the dream job—traveling the world, investing in emerging markets, climbing the ladder. Then the financial crisis hit. His company collapsed, his identity cracked, his health broke down, and suddenly the career he built his life around was gone.

In this conversation, Patrick shares the moment he realized no one was coming to save him, and how he rebuilt from the ground up—regaining his health, negotiating a more flexible life, redefining leverage, and eventually becoming the creator of the “10% Entrepreneur” and the originator of FOMO.

We talk about:

• Why “safe” careers can be the most dangerous
• How to know when you’re stuck vs. when you’re scared
• The role of health in major reinvention
• Finding leverage you didn’t know you had
• Escaping FOBO (fear of a better option) and decision paralysis
• What most people get wrong about quitting vs. creating options
• Why optionality—not blind risk—is the real path to freedom

If you’ve been stuck in “fine,” waiting for the perfect moment, or telling yourself you’ll change your life “once things calm down”… this episode is a wake-up call.

Patrick McGinnis
Website: https://patrickmcginnis.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickjmcginnis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-mcginnis
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fomosapiens
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7gVsjLCgWggzjUl5GtFUOs
The 10% Entrepreneur: https://geni.us/p7Q3 (Amazon)
Fear of Missing Out: https://geni.us/JILPp (Amazon)

JJ Thelen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffthelen
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jjthelen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjthelen

Patrick Farrell was living what looked like the perfect life on paper—high-rise apartment in Manhattan, $150,000/year job, girlfriend, the whole package. But he felt stuck in Groundhog Day, repeating the same patterns and getting more frustrated every day.

Then one night in a hotel room, he saw an ad for Nomad Cruise on Facebook. He started jumping around the room, felt this expansive energy come through him, and booked it right then and there—without telling his boss or his girlfriend. Six months later, he left everything behind and hasn't looked back.

In this conversation, we dig into what it actually takes to break out of a pattern you've been stuck in for years. Patrick shares the moment he realized he needed to change, the questions he asked himself to get clarity, and why waiting for perfect conditions is just another way of staying stuck.

We talk about Tony Robbins' framework of the six human needs and why most people default to certainty and significance—the two needs that keep you from taking risks. Patrick explains how shifting your focus to growth and contribution changes everything, and why getting on an airplane (literally changing your environment) is one of the fastest ways to break patterns and gain clarity.

Patrick also shares how he built his software business remotely while traveling, how he's using AI to help entrepreneurs automate their businesses, and his vision for creating a resort space where people can gather, learn, and grow. We discuss the pros and cons of the digital nomad lifestyle, why building systems from the start matters, and how to take your first step this weekend—even if you can't get on a plane to Europe.

If you're feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you're living Groundhog Day in your career or life, this conversation will give you a different perspective and actionable steps to make a change.

Patrick Farrell
Website: https://patrickfarrell.life
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickfarrell.life
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfarrell85
Free ebook:

JJ Thelen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffthelen
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jjthelen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjthelen