"The long version" with David Epstein

In this episode we speak with David Epstein, author of the New York Times bestseller "Range" (and previously "The Sports Gene") - a book that speaks up for the benefits of being a generalist in an age of hyper specialization. We discuss David's personal trajectory that led to him writing the book, which is broad and fascinating. Related to that, we talk about managing the self doubt that comes when you're unable to stick to one lane in your career. Then we move on to an advice question from a father who is worried about his daughter, who seems to be floundering as she enters post-college life.
In this episode we speak with David Epstein, author of the New York Times bestseller "Range" (and previously "The Sports Gene") - a book that speaks up for the benefits of being a generalist in an age of hyper specialization. We discuss David's personal trajectory that led to him writing the book, which is broad and fascinating. Related to that, we talk about managing the self doubt that comes when you're unable to stick to one lane in your career. Then we move on to an advice question from a father who is worried about his daughter, who seems to be floundering as she enters post-college life.

Hey Man - 
I’m writing for some advice on what to do with my daughter. A little about us: I am 52, my daughter is 22. I divorced her mother when she was 3 and although her mother and I have an amicable relationship, I would not say we are co-parents. Further, I have been the primary caretaker of our daughter for her entire life. My ex is in her life, but is not a stable or reliable person. I worry about what the impact of our separation and our messy history has had on our daughter. For my part, I have not really dated anyone seriously and have mostly focused on my career and my daughter for the last 20 years. 

Which brings me to the present day. My daughter is 22 and graduated college last Spring. She’s always been bright, but an underachiever - she did well, but not as great as I think she was capable of. Since she graduated college, she has not done much with her life. She sat around the apartment for most of the summer and then actually got a job as one of those Amnesty International kids that accosts you on the street. She keeps talking out loud about wanting to apply to graduate school for esoteric sounding things like Geography, which she didn’t even study in college. 

I’m worried about her and don’t know what to do. I’ve mostly kept this to myself, but the more time that goes on, the more anxious I get and the more I start to worry about the different ways I’ve fucked her up. I love my daughter and want the best for her, but am unsure what to do. Do I push her to do more with her life or stay out of it and let her figure it out? What if she never does? Help!

Signed - Sober in SoHo

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2019 Hey Man Podcast