Ep 2/12 || Midlife, Travel, and Psychology with Dr Marc Rogatschnig
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In this thoughtful and deeply resonant conversation, Pierre speaks with clinical psychologist and executive coach Dr. Marc Rogatschnig. Together, they unpack what it means to live meaningfully, navigate midlife transitions with courage, and discover the power of boredom, friendship, and self reflection.
Marc opens up about his early desire to become a politician, his detour into law, and how travel became the education that truly shaped him. From there, he explores the challenges of modern life, the dangers of over scheduling, and how to reconnect with your true self.
This episode is a slow burning masterclass in intentional living with insights that are especially potent for anyone approaching (or already in) midlife.
Time - stamped Topics
00:00 – 03:20
Intro: Meet Marc—designer, strategist, and systems thinker. Setting the tone for a conversation about masculinity, identity, and spiritual growth.
03:21 – 07:45
Marc’s early years: learning to read environments, fix conflict, and become the “invisible stabilizer.”
07:46 – 13:02
How people-pleasing and performative calm can become survival strategies.
13:03 – 19:18
The cost of emotional control: disconnection, depression, and the masks men wear.
19:19 – 24:37
Architecture, order, and the illusion of control—Marc shares how structure gave him temporary safety.
24:38 – 30:20
Masculinity myths: unlearning the belief that strength means silence.
30:21 – 36:45
Fatherhood, grief, and confronting inherited stories of what it means to be a man.
36:46 – 43:00
The moment things fell apart—and how crisis opened the door to new ways of being.
43:01 – 49:13
Spiritual awakening in the fog: breathwork, embodiment, and the terror of feeling again.
49:14 – 55:20
Men’s work and group processing: rituals, resistance, and the return to vulnerability.
55:21 – 1:01:09
Doing less, being more: what it means to let go of fixing and allow space for emergence.
1:01:10 – 1:06:55
Navigating ambiguity: how Marc stays grounded without relying on certainty or performance.
1:06:56 – 1:13:10
Leadership beyond ego: holding space instead of holding answers.
1:13:11 – 1:18:34
Relationships as spiritual practice—what intimacy reveals when you stop managing impressions.
1:18:35 – 1:23:00
Letting go of the rescuer identity and allowing others to meet their own edges.
1:23:01 – 1:28:19
Designing from wholeness, not fear: Marc’s work now as a coach and creative guide.
1:28:20 – 1:34:12
Closing reflections: integrating complexity, trusting the unknown, and practicing presence over performance.
Pull Quotes
“You can always be true to yourself, but you’ll never make everyone happy.”
“Boredom is the birthplace of creativity and self discovery.”
“Most people get stuck in midlife because they double down on the old plan.”
“The only real upgrade worth making is the one that brings you joy.”
“Friendship and wisdom are the true markers of a good life.”
“Our lives are run like diaries full, structured, and disconnected from who we really are.”
“We don’t find ourselves by adding more we find ourselves by subtracting the noise.”
Find Marc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcrogatschnig/
Marc opens up about his early desire to become a politician, his detour into law, and how travel became the education that truly shaped him. From there, he explores the challenges of modern life, the dangers of over scheduling, and how to reconnect with your true self.
This episode is a slow burning masterclass in intentional living with insights that are especially potent for anyone approaching (or already in) midlife.
Time - stamped Topics
00:00 – 03:20
Intro: Meet Marc—designer, strategist, and systems thinker. Setting the tone for a conversation about masculinity, identity, and spiritual growth.
03:21 – 07:45
Marc’s early years: learning to read environments, fix conflict, and become the “invisible stabilizer.”
07:46 – 13:02
How people-pleasing and performative calm can become survival strategies.
13:03 – 19:18
The cost of emotional control: disconnection, depression, and the masks men wear.
19:19 – 24:37
Architecture, order, and the illusion of control—Marc shares how structure gave him temporary safety.
24:38 – 30:20
Masculinity myths: unlearning the belief that strength means silence.
30:21 – 36:45
Fatherhood, grief, and confronting inherited stories of what it means to be a man.
36:46 – 43:00
The moment things fell apart—and how crisis opened the door to new ways of being.
43:01 – 49:13
Spiritual awakening in the fog: breathwork, embodiment, and the terror of feeling again.
49:14 – 55:20
Men’s work and group processing: rituals, resistance, and the return to vulnerability.
55:21 – 1:01:09
Doing less, being more: what it means to let go of fixing and allow space for emergence.
1:01:10 – 1:06:55
Navigating ambiguity: how Marc stays grounded without relying on certainty or performance.
1:06:56 – 1:13:10
Leadership beyond ego: holding space instead of holding answers.
1:13:11 – 1:18:34
Relationships as spiritual practice—what intimacy reveals when you stop managing impressions.
1:18:35 – 1:23:00
Letting go of the rescuer identity and allowing others to meet their own edges.
1:23:01 – 1:28:19
Designing from wholeness, not fear: Marc’s work now as a coach and creative guide.
1:28:20 – 1:34:12
Closing reflections: integrating complexity, trusting the unknown, and practicing presence over performance.
Pull Quotes
“You can always be true to yourself, but you’ll never make everyone happy.”
“Boredom is the birthplace of creativity and self discovery.”
“Most people get stuck in midlife because they double down on the old plan.”
“The only real upgrade worth making is the one that brings you joy.”
“Friendship and wisdom are the true markers of a good life.”
“Our lives are run like diaries full, structured, and disconnected from who we really are.”
“We don’t find ourselves by adding more we find ourselves by subtracting the noise.”
Find Marc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcrogatschnig/
