20 Questions for Tom Gentry
In the spring of 2019, I launched a podcast called The Path to Authenticity. I recognized a need to write a corresponding blog post for each episode. So, in pursuit of a simple and easy way to do that, I composed a standard list of 20 questions that I posed to each podcast guest. The following is my list of answers to those questions. It was originally published in July of 2021. Some things have changed since then, including my place of residence.
Eventually 20 Questions became a stand-alone podcast, where I interview the guests using the same list. I’ve published 14 episodes of that show, including one where the scheduled guest did not show and, instead, someone posed the 20 questions to me.
If your life were a novel, what would be the title?
Learning to Breathe
Where were you born?
Kokomo, Indiana
Where is the place you call home?
West Palm Beach, Florida
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
a baseball player
What is your profession?
I am a writer, a podcaster, and a private consultant who works with families experiencing issues with addiction.
What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
acting
What is your favorite quote?
“We can only choose whether we will feel and not what we will feel.”
-Sam Keen
What is your preferred form of creative expression?
verbal and written communication
What is your favorite movie, song, and work of art?
Movie – The Godfather, Song – my favorite new song is Living in a Bubble, by the Jayhawks, Work of Art – The Banquet, by Rene Magritte
Who do you admire most?
my son
Over the course of your life, what is an issue with which you have repeatedly struggled?
being my own worst critic
Who is your celebrity crush?
Sarah Shahi
What historical figure would you most like to meet?
Right now, I would love to interview Jesus Christ, so he could clarify some things, beginning with what using His Name in vain really means.
What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Ted Williams’ vision
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
being referred to as a man with integrity
What quality do you admire most in a person?
the ability to make the people in your life feel special
What is something you would like to learn about?
my ancestry
What do you wish more people knew about you?
If I don't know what I'm talking about, I don't talk about it.
What is your idea of success?
spending my time where I want to, the way I want to
What would you like people to say about you when you’re gone?
“My life was better because of Tom.”
Tom Gentry is an internationally certified alcohol and drug counselor (ICADC). He provides recovery coaching for individuals, family coaching for people with loved ones who suffer from substance use disorders, and transitional coaching for people amid significant life changes. He has spent more than 25 years working with people and families affected by addiction and related issues. Learn more about Tom and his work by visiting tomgentry.net.
The Key to Self-Love is Self-Respect
When our thoughts, our beliefs, our words, and our deeds align, we respect ourselves. When we don’t respect ourselves, we can’t love ourselves.
The Path to Authenticity is a podcast for people looking for more from life. It starts from the premise that our true power comes from our individuality. We talk to various types of writers and artists as well as therapists, coaches, teachers, entrepreneurs, and professionals of all kinds. Our guests possess one common trait. They’re people who know who they are. We talk about what makes them who they are, how they became who they are, and how we might become truer expressions of who we are.
I Was Not Attractive Company When I Drank
“I think we are all well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be,” Joan Didion once wrote, “whether we find them attractive company or not.”
Would also love to interview Jesus / LOVED the bit about asking him about what using his name in vain actually means!! I got a chuckle out of that - but it’s so true!