Rethink Your Life

Nick Thompson on a life shaped by curiosity, risk, and reinvention

Nathalie Grolimund

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0:00 | 52:10

What happens when you stop choosing comfort - and start choosing growth instead?

In this episode Nick Thompson introduces us to a life shaped by curiosity, movement, and constant reinvention. From growing up in a small desert town in California with a multicultural background, to moving to Germany as a teenager without speaking the language, to building a career across publishing, advertising, and tech - Nick’s story is one of choosing growth, again and again.

This conversation explores identity, belonging, and what happens when the life you’ve built no longer aligns with who you are. From the glamour of creative industries in Berlin to burnout, health challenges, and multiple cross-continental moves, Nick reflects on the moments that forced him to pause, reassess, and rethink everything.

The episode also considers “taste” in a world increasingly shaped by AI, the importance of mentorship and community, and why real growth often requires stepping into discomfort - on purpose.

At the heart of this episode is a simple but powerful idea: rethinking your life isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about staying curious enough to keep asking better questions.

In this episode, we explore:

  • Growing up in a small, culturally isolated town while feeling connected to a wider world
  • How curiosity became the driving force behind Nick’s life decisions
  • Moving to Germany as a teenager and learning a new language from scratch
  • Building a career in publishing, design, and creative industries in Berlin
  • The influence of taste, curation, and discernment in a world of infinite content
  • Getting caught up in a fast-paced, glamorous lifestyle - and the cost of it
  • A health wake-up call that forced a major life reset
  • Transitioning into tech and navigating career uncertainty in the age of AI
  • Moving between San Francisco, London, and back to California—and what each chapter revealed
  • Loneliness, identity shifts, and the challenge of building community as an adult
  • Choosing a slower, more intentional life after years of chasing momentum
  • Why mentorship and environment shape who you become

Who this episode is for:

  • People who feel like they don’t fully belong where they are
  • Anyone navigating big life transitions or identity shifts
  • Those questioning a career that no longer feels aligned
  • Expats, travellers, or anyone living between cultures
  • Creatives thinking about their place in an AI-driven world
  • People feeling stuck but unsure what their next move is
  • Anyone learning to choose growth over comfort
  • Listeners in a “liminal” phase - between what was and what’s next

About the guest:

Nick Thompson is a creative leader whose career spans publishing, design, advertising, and technology. Originally from a small town in California, he has spent much of his life living and working across Europe and the United States, building a perspective shaped by movement, curiosity, and cultural exploration. His work has long been rooted in ideas of taste, storytelling, and creative direction, and he is currently exploring these themes through his new platform, Liminal Standard, where he documents life in transition and the space in between.

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