One of the remarkable things about reaching mid-career—or what I often call the "Power of After" stage of life—is that we have something incredibly valuable to offer: decades of relationships, experience, and the ability to bring people together around a meaningful purpose. Sometimes that purpose grows out of life's greatest joys, and other times it emerges from its deepest heartbreaks. Today's guest, Mike Gomoll, is a powerful example of that. After the devastating loss of his son Joe to epilepsy, Michael and his family transformed their grief into a mission that has touched thousands of lives. Because Joe loved music—even though epilepsy left him non-verbal—they chose music as the vehicle to create hope, awareness, and funding for epilepsy research. Through that mission, they've inspired legendary artists including Cheap Trick, The Go-Go's, Tears for Fears, The Bangles, Guns N' Roses, and many others to perform in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, raising more than two million dollars since 2011. Today we'll talk about overcoming loss, discovering renewed purpose, and how your greatest challenges can become the foundation for your most meaningful impact. More about Mike Gomoll and Joey's Song: https://joeyssong.org Full article here: https://GoalsForYourlife.com/overcoming-loss
- Chapters
- 0:00 Intro and the Power of After
- 2:45 Meeting Mike Gomoll and Joey's Song
- 5:12 The Reality of Epilepsy and Dravet Syndrome
- 8:30 Navigating Grief as a Family
- 12:15 Moving Forward Together After Loss
- 15:40 What Everyone Should Know About Epilepsy
- 19:20 The Different Manifestations of Seizures
- 23:10 Starting a Charity from Heartbreak
- 26:45 Why Music was the Perfect Vehicle for Joe
- 30:15 The Growth of Joey's Song and Early Challenges
- 34:20 Getting Legendary Artists to Madison in Winter
- 38:10 The Magic of Freezing Man and Artist Collaborations
- 42:30 How Research Funding Makes a Real Difference
- 46:15 The Future of Joey's Song and Mike's Legacy
- 50:00 Advice for Finding Your Own Opportunity
- 53:21 End of Episode
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