Who am I?

I’m a writer, a traveler, a limper, a dad.

I’m the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Life Is in the Transitions, The Secrets of Happy Families, Walking the Bible, Council of Dads.

The giver of three TED Talks with over 5 million views.

A cancer survivor.

A PBS host.

A longtime New York Times columnist.

A onetime circus clown.

And the author of a new book I’m very proud of that I hope you’ll check out: A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us. he Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World.

What do I do?

In a sentence, I use original research into life transitions, life rituals, and life stories to help people find meaning, purpose, and joy in times of change.

What is the nonlinear life?

What all of us are living.

The linear life—the idea that you’re going to have one job, one home, one relationship, one source of happiness from adolescence to assisted living—is deader than it’s ever been.

It’s been replaced by the nonlinear life. A life full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and what I calls lifequakes.

Here, I chronicle all of these changes. I used proprietary research, smart science, and stories from life, along with data from the 500 life stories I’ve collected, collated, and analyzed in the last decade to offer tips and takeaways to make all of our lives more meaningful.

How can you join the conversation?

You can check out my books, view my TED Talks, send me an email, invite me to speak. Or you can subscribe, like, share, and comment here.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Life. We’re all going through transitions. Let’s master them together.