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Ep 52: The Meaning of Life, Soul Contracts & Why Success Still Feels Empty — with Kris Land

Season #1

What happens when you reach the goals you were told would make you happy… and still feel lost?

In this conversation, Emily sits down with conscious entrepreneur and author Kris Land — a veteran CEO who founded 12 technology companies, led multiple exits and an IPO, and then found himself in a depression after achieving success at just 17 years old. That moment led him into a decades-long search for meaning that eventually became his book The Infinity Within.

Rather than rejecting the material world, Kris explores a deeper question: what if life itself is an experience the soul chose? Together, Emily and Kris discuss soul contracts, fear, purpose, and why high-achievers often hit a wall after external success. They explore the idea that discomfort, confusion, and even anxiety may be signals guiding us back toward alignment rather than signs that something is wrong.

You’ll hear a grounded spiritual perspective that connects leadership, entrepreneurship, and inner work — including why fear can function as a guidepost, how curiosity dissolves doubt, and how redefining success changes the way you move through your career, relationships, and decisions.

If you’ve ever felt successful on paper but unsettled inside, this conversation will likely land deeply.

Key Takeaways

  • Reaching external goals does not automatically create meaning — purpose requires participation, not achievement.

  • Fear often acts as guidance; it can point toward growth rather than danger.

  • Curiosity interrupts anxiety and helps uncover the belief patterns underneath it.

  • The “soul contract” concept reframes life events as learning experiences instead of personal failures.

  • Doubt weakens intuition; examining doubts restores personal agency.

  • Life transitions and identity crises often happen when a person’s outer life no longer matches their inner direction.

  • Alignment comes from how you live daily, not from one big life decision.

Key Moments / Chapters

Timestamp Topic Summary 00:03:20 Early Success & Depression Kris shares selling a company at 17 and why success triggered a crisis. 00:08:40 The Void After Achievement Why high achievers often feel lost after reaching major goals. 00:14:10 Coincidences & Synchronicity Encounters with strangers that changed his spiritual understanding. 00:18:15 Awakening & Discomfort How questioning reality begins a spiritual shift. 00:21:00 What Is a Soul? A philosophical discussion on the existence and purpose of the soul. 00:26:45 The “Game of Earth” Kris explains his model of life as an experiential learning process. 00:31:30 Why Life Feels Unequal Addressing why some lives appear easier than others. 00:37:00 Fear as a Signal Using fear and anxiety as indicators rather than obstacles. 00:39:20 Practical Inner Work How curiosity dissolves doubt and restores clarity. 00:42:00 Money, Power & Purpose Reframing success, wealth, and leadership.

Resources Mentioned

Listener Reflection

While listening, consider:

  • Where have I achieved something but still felt unsettled?

  • What fear am I currently avoiding?

  • What if my discomfort is information rather than failure?

  • Where might curiosity open a door I’ve been trying to force?

Invitation

If this conversation resonated, you’ll likely appreciate the deeper integration work happening inside ROOTED, where we apply these ideas in real life — leadership, relationships, and daily decision-making.

You can explore ROOTED here: try out ROOTED with a 7 day free trial