A lot of people come to Normal 40 because they feel a pull.

Not because they hate their life or because they've failed.

Because something inside them keeps whispering:

"There's more."

This conversation begins there.

For more than 30 years, Chris Bertrand built a successful career in healthcare. He helped people. He built relationships. He did meaningful work. And like many of us, he reached a point where he began asking bigger questions about purpose, impact, and what the next chapter might look like.

Then everything changed.

A routine doctor's visit became a diagnosis.

Stage 4 colon cancer.

In an instant, the trade he thought he was preparing for disappeared, replaced by one he never would have chosen.

But what Chris has done since is extraordinary.

Instead of retreating, he chose to share the journey openly. He chose to use his second resume—the hardship, uncertainty, fear, faith, and resilience that most people keep hidden—as a platform to help others.

This is not a conversation about cancer.

It's a conversation about life.

It's about what becomes important when time feels different. It's about how quickly titles, careers, and plans fall away when reality arrives. It's about finding purpose inside a fight you never asked for.

And it's about the quiet courage of deciding that if you're going through something hard, maybe somebody else needs your story too.

IN THIS EPISODE

--How a Stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis changed everything overnight

--The difference between your first resume and your second resume

--What Chris learned after losing both of his parents at a young age

--Why helping others remained central to his identity after diagnosis

--The role faith plays when life becomes uncertain

--How perspective changes when every day feels more valuable

--Why advocacy and early screening matter more than most people realize

KEY TAKEAWAYS

→ Your second resume often prepares you for your most meaningful work.

→ Sometimes the chapter you never wanted becomes the one that changes lives.

→ Purpose doesn't disappear when life gets hard. Often, it becomes clearer.

→ People need stories more than advice.

→ The smallest moments become the most meaningful when time feels finite.

→ Keep freaking going.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Chris didn't ask for this diagnosis.

But he made a decision that many people never do:

To use it. To share it. To help someone else feel less alone.

If this conversation moves you, don't keep it to yourself.

Share it with someone who needs perspective or someone facing a health battle.

And if you're carrying a second resume story of your own, maybe it's time to start telling it.

Because somebody is waiting for it.

You can follow and connect with Chris on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok at Chris Bertrand.

And if you’re ready to stop drifting and start living intentionally, join us inside the Normal 40 community. You can find everything related to Normal 40 here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein