The Trade is entertaining, uplifting wisdom.

This is a captivatingly genuine story about the choices one person made, and the fundamental difference they made for he and those who love him. 

Lon Stroschein’s journey is uniquely his own, but every reader will see parts of their own lives in his. 

The Trade is a must-read for anyone facing transition. 

Stan McChrystal, General, US Army (Retired) CEO & Founder, McChrystal Group Author of Team of Teams, Leaders: Myth and Reality, and Risk

I not only endorse 'The Trade' - I wrote the foreword! 

You may wonder: “Am I too late? Did I miss my chance? Is this only possible for men in their 20s?” 

These questions find me every day, often from men like you. 

I used to think I was the only one who would wrestle with these questions. I soon came to discover that these thoughts are nearly universal. When you discover that you are not invincible, and there is no permanent security, you remember that freedom was always your pursuit. 

This is what drew me to Lon’s message of inspiring people to be intentional about their second-half story. It requires us to make trades that other people are unwilling to make. 

I met Lon when he joined one of our mentoring communities at Capitalism.com. I met him by accident, or maybe by fate; I just happened to walk into the room when he was on a video call with a member of my team. He explained his vision for Normal 40 and his desire to help men navigate the difficulty of making The Trade after their first chapter. He told me how difficult it is for established men to trade who they have become for a chance to do what they are called to do next. 

I was hooked. I believe that is a mission worth fighting for, and this is why I am not only endorsing The Trade, but have also written the foreword.

You need to own this book, create a plan and then make The Trade.

Rooting for you,

Ryan -

I have met with over 5,000 Authors in my publishing career. One of my most telling questions is asking the Author, "How much time do you spend one on one, eyeball to eyeball with their readers and/or customers?" 

Their answer tells me all I need to know about the Author, the quality of content they will be able to produce, and how long their career as an effective Author and a coach is likely going to last. It also reveals how much the Author truly cares about, knows, and understands their readers. 

Immediately, Lon stood out from the rest. Undoubtedly, he has been the most dedicated Author I have ever worked with when it comes to investing in, sacrificing for, and working with his audience and readers, both from paid engagements and many, many free sessions with readers wanting to and trying to support/coach them. Simply because he truly cares about his readers and has a passionate interest that drives him to connect with people. 

Lon has invested hundreds - if not thousands - of hours into the research of this book. His research was not outsourced to a virtual assistant or Google; he did his research eyeball-to-eyeball, hour-by-hour, and one-on-one with people like you.

This will be one of the most relevant, valuable, and life-changing books you will read. Embrace it, and then connect with Lon’s community when you are done. I couldn't recommend a book more strongly. I

It has made a massive difference in my life as well.

Wow! The Trade is for anyone with that gnawing feeling inside that many of us feel. That, 'What am I doing? Is this all there is? Am I settling; because it's easy?' feeling.

The trade is written by someone who has been there. The trade is written in a manner that feels like a deep conversation with an old friend. It made me think about things I didn't want to think about. Answer questions I didn't want to answer. Have the internal conversation I haven't wanted to have. 

The stories Lon tells about himself, his family, and his clients are personal, raw and moving. I found something in nearly every story that applied to me. If you are in a place, wondering whether you need more? Are you capable of more? Deserve more? Spend a few hours reading this book. The Trade may change the rest of your life.

I met Lon Stroschein about 8 months ago, but I feel like I've known him my entire life. He is just one of those guys. 

Lon was writing on LinkedIn. His posts were public and read by thousands of people, but somehow it seemed like he was writing directly to me. Funny thing about that... I've heard hundreds of people say the same thing about his posts. Why? At some point in ALL our lives, we have what Lon calls our "Normal 40 Moment". 

It's that moment when you realize the best years of your life are in the future, and you are the only one who can make them happen. 

Lon's writing and speaking provide the most down-to-earth, clear-headed, and no-BS approach to harnessing your Normal 40 Moment to not let it go to waste. 

Personally, my 'Normal 40 Moment' came about eight months ago, just before I met Lon. Thanks in no small part to Lon's friendship and guidance, I have an excitement for life, work, and health far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. 

I can't thank him enough. 

 Lon has written a book... it's called The Trade. Every single person reading this post should buy this book. It will give you a perspective you didn't even know you needed. 

 This is NOT your usual self-help midlife crisis nonsense. 

This is different. 

 This is the Normal 40.

Lon’s coaching and this book inspired me to make the trade, and I’m on my journey for my second half story. It's allowed me to articulate and communicate my feelings in a way I wouldn’t otherwise be able to and realize what I’m feeling is normal. 

 Lon is a Dude who has done it and will talk about it, and that’s what a person like me needs. It’s free of corporate jargon and academic concepts that don’t apply -- and it moved me forward.  

This book is not about quitting your job; it’s about getting you back. Figuring out what you like and don’t like, What you’ll tolerate and what you will not. 

Inside this book is the progress you’re looking for without the need for perfection holding you back. 

 You make the decision on the trades you want for your second half. The time is now.

I'm Marlon, and this is my Normal 40 Story. 

Lon's posts started showing up in my LinkedIn feed about a year ago, and they immediately resonated with me. We were in the middle of expanding our business which was really stretching my skills. After reading Lon's posts I quickly realized that it was not only my skills being stretched. I was going through a life transition and realized that the time left with my kids living under the same roof as me was rapidly declining. I did a call with Lon and realized how much we had in common. I knew I needed some help. A guide. I engaged with Lon as a coach. Lon has helped me tremendously in regards to getting my leadership skills, business practices and time management to a place that I could not get to on my own. Lon has helped me realize my strengths and passions. This has helped me focus on leading from my strengths, which in turn allows others to thrive in their careers while allowing me to take back something that had been missing in my life: time. I now value time and choose carefully how I spend it. Our relationships in life are really the most important. Healthy relationships require the investment of time. The value of the coaching I have done with Lon is immeasurable. He has helped me grow my business and design my life around it. Past that, he and I have developed a deep relationship which I certainly hope will continue for the rest of our lives. 

 If you are considering coaching with Lon, I would highly recommend it. He changed my life.

A friend referred me to Lon's postings. To say it was the right message at the right time is a true understatement. 

By the time I had reached out to Lon for coaching, I had already resigned from my Firm and decided to walk away from public accounting after 24 years. 

 I have had tremendous support from my network of friends and family. I know everything will be ok but there is still underlying uncertainty. I wanted to rush to figure this out, just like another task on my list. 

 Then I heard Lon say the words ... "It might feel irresponsible to use savings right now because you have believed it was for retirement. But what if you were really saving for this moment to truly make a change in your life to focus on having a greater impact?" That perspective changed everything for me.  It gave me my freedom back.

I am now starting day 3, and I am slowly starting to relax and give up my addiction to stress and having to always be frantic with things to do. I'm not there yet, but I feel the change starting. I also realized as I am talking to others with this new energy - and it is fantastic. 

I want to help more people start to wake up from this trance so many of us are stuck in.

Thank you, Lon. 

I am one of the one thousand dudes!

Wow.  What a wake-up call.  Time to stop messing around.  I am in control.  I am in control.  No more excuses. Time to get out of the box I put myself in.  Pretending the walls are holding me in.  I am in control.  I am in control. 

Thank you for supporting and encouraging dudes and dudettes like me. * What five words would you use to describe "The Trade." Phrases: 

Wake up call.

I am in control. 

A hard look in the mirror. 

I am not alone.

My feelings are normal.

The walls around you are created, and only you can break them down to experience true joy and freedom The Trade saved me eight years. I define my future not “regular retirement age” 

I felt like my true self was speaking to me. Like a friend that has known me forever and spoke the truth in love to my inner core. 

This is for anyone feeling restless, trapped, unfulfilled, knowing they have more to give, just not in their present situation. 

Quotes that struck me:

"At thirty, all you had to lose was time as you chased money. Now it feels like you have all your money to lose as you chase time."  

"Will I regret it if I don’t try?"

"Remember, you don’t have to quit to start, but you have to start if you ever want to quit."

"By accident, the very success you chased has now become the walls of a box that hold you where you are."

"In your lifetime, you will come to know that trying won’t be judged as a failure, but not trying will be." 

"Don’t get two years older and wish you would have tried."

"At this point, you are in a personal R&D phase with your own personal start-up. Like any start-up, the pace is fast, dotted with speed bumps and obstacles, and full of learning. Two steps forward, one step back."

In the words of Harold Hill from the musical The Music Man, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering.” 

Time to make the Trade.

While seated in my truck, I found myself gazing into the rearview mirror, contemplating my current state of being. At 40, I had spent my entire life working towards someone else's retirement plan. Though I had enjoyed a successful career and an overall pleasant life, I felt miserable. But the thought of starting my own business and leaving behind the corporate world had never crossed my mind. 

At the time, my spouse and I had acquired our dream farm; we even constructed a separate house on the land for my in-laws to reside in so we could care for them. Could I really take the risk of pursuing my entrepreneurial dreams and potentially jeopardizing everything we had worked so hard for? 

Reading "The Trade" felt like an account of my own journey. I had to decide between continuing to live my current life, which was good but unfulfilling, or abandoning my aspirations altogether. 

I could not do both. 

I couldn't afford to remain stagnant, as doing so would inevitably result in misery. I couldn't turn off the dream. I wish this book had been available in 2017 when I was uncertain about what direction to take next. It serves as an exceptional guide to navigating the latter half of one's life, resonating deeply with its readers. 

I desperately needed these words of wisdom back then, and I still feel their significance now. Choosing to trade in my previous existence for a life that brings me joy has been both exhilarating and terrifying. 

I am grateful to call Lon a friend, and I hope to see you on the other side of your own trade.

I’ve been listening to Lon’s podcasts and reading his posts for several months but this book really brings his story and mission to life and goes much deeper. I loved learning about Lon’s personal journey and the thoughts he had that so many men approaching the second half of their careers also have. He asks great questions, encouraging guys to take a hard look at what they want and it’s helped me to really look at what I want and how my career fits into that. 

Lon’s heart for helping dudes shines through in his writing and any guy that’s been working a few years all the way up to approaching retirement should grab a copy of this book since there’s so many lessons everyone can learn no matter the career stage they’re in.

The Trade is a passionate, heartfelt plea to take full responsibility for your life’s path. 

It is a rallying cry to be intentional about how you approach your life so you can end with fulfillment and little regret. 

I recommend everyone read this book as you can take action on your life’s legacy at any point!

I consume a lot of books and quite frankly haven’t really been moved to take the time to pen a review. It’s not necessarily because the books I’ve read don’t warrant reviews it’s just that Lon’s book The Trade deserves to be talked about, celebrated and shared amongst peers, colleagues, friends and family. Even your kids if you have any because the message of be true to who you are is something we should all be teaching our kids. 

I first encountered Lon’s posts last summer of 2022, and like many immediately said…holy @%$#, that’s me! 

The Trade delivers a compelling narrative of Lon’s unique journey, but not only has he identified and articulated the internal struggle most of us are facing or will face during our professional and personal lives, but he has also put a spotlight on some of the influencing factors that spark the fire to make a seismic shift. 

His notion that The Awakening starts with D hits on big events, including a diagnosis and death. Losing both parents in the span of 19 months, both seemingly healthy, is a wake-up call that, while devastating in many ways to me and my family, it’s a harsh reminder that life is short, unexpected, and full of bends in the road. 

Thank you, Lon, for your inspiration, rawness, and selflessness, which serve as the backbone of "The Trade." This book will serve as my true north as I look to define my second-half story and continue down the road, ready to walk tall into the bends that I’m sure are coming.

Scott Post, Normal40 Group #587. I have been thinking and planning on making #thetrade for several years. Although I was taking some action, I wasn't moving as fast as my heart wanted me to be. When I first started following Lon, I thought this guy gets what I'm feeling. I was letting fear hold me back and take the front seat, instead of my dreams and aspirations taking the lead role. Rambling with Lon helped me name and organize my feelings, and gave me some tangible things I could work on. I've now made #thetrade, and I am so glad I did. Thank you, Lon, for inspiring me along the way; count me in the 1000 dudes!

Thank you, THANK YOU, for your fantastic inspiration and coaching. 

I recently moved my side gig, a consulting business, to become my entire focus. And I am absolutely loving it! 

Gone are the days when I have to drag myself out of bed! I'm writing my own story now, not appearing as a character in someone else's story!!

My favorite line from your posts: "You're going to ask for signs - omens - that affirms your path - Be open to the fact that this note may be the omen you seek." 

I'm now seeing signs everywhere that this is the absolute right move for me. 

One friend even commented: "I've been waiting for you to do this." 

 Thank you again for all you have done for me, Lon. 

I am one of the one thousand dudes!

I’m Tom, Normal40 Group number 459, and this is my Normal40 story. 

I had read Lon’s posts highlighted by a couple of mutual acquaintances, so I started following. I recently had the privilege to speak with Lon one-on-one, and his enthusiasm for finding clarity, and committing to a course of action jumped out at me immediately. 

Through our short conversation, I gained insight into both my short-term objectives, and Lon encouraged me to keep asking myself questions about my purpose. 

Whether you are seeking a radical departure from your previous trajectory or seeking clarity on how to proceed, Lon's coaching and Normal40 is for you. 

This is my Normal 40 Story. And I own it!

I am one of the one thousand dudes Normal 40 has inspired to own my change. 

My name is John Haar and here’s my Normal 40 story. 

I’ve spent most of my professional career as an in-house lawyer. I had come to the “acceptance” that I was comfortable. Money-wise; professionally; personally. An amazing wife; 3 amazing kids. All was right with the world….or was it? Realizing (erroneously) that I was not a leader or was simply a “producer,” I accepted that my ultimate goal was not going to be achieved. 

Then, I started following Lon and reading his posts. And something started burning in my gut. 

Slowly at first. But after every post I read, the fire grew. Ultimately, I threw all of my inhibitions out the window; I intentionally put myself outside of my comfort zone. And, within about six months, I found my absolute dream position with, what I like to call, my perfect fit company. 

Listen, I’m terrified, every day!! Did I make the right decision? Is this what’s best for my family? Is moving halfway across the country a good idea? And, every day, I remain excited about this opportunity; about my company; and, about my future….that I chose to own!! 

I don’t have it all figured out, not even close!! But what I will tell you is that I haven’t felt this ALIVE in the past 10 years. It’s scary, it’s exciting, it’s paralyzing, and, it’s unbelievably liberating!! 

 Lon and Normal 40 made me think about ME again. I’d been so busy worrying about serving others and making sure others were happy, I forgot about me. 

After I made the change, my wife and kids commented about how much happier I was; more relaxed; and more present for them. 

 If you’ve got that fire that can’t be quenched; if you have a feeling of monotony or complacency, but you know there’s more, do yourself a favor: contact Lon; join Normal 40. And start preparing yourself to feel alive again. 

Thank you, Lon!! 

There is no possible way I can repay this debt of gratitude!!! This is my Normal 40 Story. And you’re damn right, I OWN IT!!

I am one of the one thousand dudes you have inspired to own their second half story.