Welcome back to Beyond the Mic, today we are discussing a NEW podcast series called Tailgate Chat! In the second episode of Tailgate Chat, your host, Cliff Sosamon delves deeper into the reasoning behind this podcast’s purpose and his vision for where this journey together is heading. As he reminds us, “it’s always good to know where you’re going before starting the truck”. This episode is an invitation to buckle up and join a raw, honest conversation about finding and fulfilling your purpose.
Why Tailgate Chat? Connecting, Growing, and Getting Uncomfortable
The core purpose of Tailgate Chat is to create a space for connection and growth. The host emphasizes that true growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones:
• Growth through discomfort: “We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable that’s where the magic happens baby that is where our horizons expand and we begin to climb out of that valley”. It’s a journey not always easy, even for the host, who admits that putting himself out there with all his imperfections is humbling and terrifying.
• A message of hope: Regardless of where you are right now, there are “better times ahead” and “a purpose for each of us and it can be discovered”. However, it’s acknowledged that this path isn’t easy, with its “ups and downs” – “it’s called life and it’s not always fair”.
• A shared experience: The podcast aims to build a “tribe of support” where shared experiences – ups and downs, wins and losses – can benefit everyone. The host pledges to share his own “trials and tribulations,” “prosperity and fulfillment”.
A Personal Journey to Understanding Purpose
The host shares his own story, illustrating how his purpose has evolved and remained constant throughout his life:
• Roots in a rural community: He grew up in a “small town USA,” a “rural farming community in central Illinois”. Hard work was ingrained in the community culture, with family businesses in farming, tree cutting, welding, and restaurants.
• Service in the U.S. Marine Corps: Seeking something bigger than small-town life, he joined the Marines, drawn to its challenges and camaraderie. His service included deployments to the Caribbean and prestigious assignments at American Embassies in Bangkok, Thailand, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he met his wife. He fondly recalls the unique bond formed aboard a ship: “the camaraderie that’s developed the shared experience of absolute displeasure creates a bond among individuals that literally lasts a lifetime”.
• The search for belonging post-military: After the Marines, he moved to Dallas, Texas, working for “nine different companies in nine different industries” over seven years, searching for the “meaning purpose sense of belonging being a part of something greater than myself” he found in the Corps. He admits that while he doesn’t miss the mundane tasks of military life, he “miss[es] the community the brotherhood that is developed among those serving together” every day.
• Serving veterans and a challenging setback: His prayers led him to realize he was “meant to serve those who served”. This led to a decade of work in the veteran community, forming and leading organizations to assist veteran entrepreneurs and career seekers. This was a period of “exciting things were happening” and “real change was happening,” getting veterans out of their comfort zones. However, due to funding difficulties, the organization closed, hitting him hard and leaving him in a “dark place” where his “purpose was gone”.
• Purpose found anew: Through this difficult period, he realized that “passion and purpose were intertwined” and that his core purpose had never truly changed; it had “always been there just wrapped in a different cloth each time”. This profound realization, born from reflection and prayer, led directly to the creation of Tailgate Chat.
The podcast is now his chosen platform, allowing him to “extend my reach and make a more meaningful impact by speaking directly with each of you”. All his past experiences, “the struggles and the triumphs,” have put him in the right mindset to share this journey with listeners.
Join the Tribe: Your Path to Purpose Awaits!
As the host concludes, “you are meant to be where you are right now you are not just wandering aimlessly through space and time”. He encourages listeners to examine their own lives, see how their purpose has connected through different seasons, and understand that they are not alone in their struggles. There is immense power in knowing that others care and have experienced similar paths.
He hints at future episodes that will dive into topics like “What is holding you back” and explore the meaning, identification, and relation of purpose to passion.
How to Connect with Tailgate Chat:
To continue this journey and become part of the tribe, you can find the podcast through both audio and video formats. All podcast platforms and social media accounts are accessible via the official website: tailgatechatpodcast.com.
Reach out, share your stories, and join the conversation. Hit that subscribe, share, like, or follow button and join the tribe – “we’re taking this road trip together”
Tailgate Chat YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cceokq5Db_Y&t=1s
