When They Take Your Identity Away: Finding Yourself After the Thing That Defined You | Kyle Kingsbury

Kyle Kingsbury joins me for this Lonesome Conversation to revisit the hollow season when football ended and the identity he’d leaned on his whole life simply vanished. He describes trading elite facilities and brothers-in-arms for working out alone next to a guy doing curls in the squat rack — and how that loss of both outlet and belonging sent him searching for something deeper. An honest look at the loneliness that arrives when who you thought you were falls away, and what gets built in its place.

About Kyle

Kyle Kingsbury is a former professional MMA fighter, podcast host, devoted husband and father, and human optimization expert whose work bridges physical performance, mental resilience, and spiritual growth. As host of The Kyle Kingsbury Podcast, he explores health, consciousness, personal transformation, and human potential through conversations with leading thinkers, athletes, and wellness experts.

Drawing on his background in elite athletics and years of exploring both ancient wisdom and modern wellness practices, Kyle takes a holistic approach to personal development. Through his podcast, coaching, community programs, and transformational retreats, he helps people cultivate greater self-awareness, strengthen their mind-body connection, and create lives rooted in purpose, balance, and authentic connection.

Lonesome Conversations Limited Series

Lonesome Conversations is a special series from The Life Stylist, built around my new book, A Horse Named Lonesome (out November 17, 2026). Loneliness is something almost everyone goes through, and almost nobody talks about honestly. So I sat down with psychologists, philosophers, trauma therapists, teachers, and friends to find the truth about loneliness, and how we heal from it. Each episode is its own conversation, but together they walk the same ground the book maps out. (Pre-order your copy at ahorsenamedlonesome.com) You'll find new episodes alongside our regular show over the coming months.