Morning, Greg here!

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In Today's Issue of Midlife Male:

• Hollywood’s Go-To Trainer, Don Saladino, on Relationships Over Rewards, Defining Success, Midlife Clarity, Rejecting Shortcuts and more…

• I Have One Goal In Life and It’s Hard to Achieve

• A 90-Year-Old in the Dentist's Office Gave us the Best Life Advice We've Had All Year

• A Big Time Fashion Designer Thinks Your Pants Are Too Small

• The Simple Chart We Can’t Stop Thinking About

• Sign Up for the XPT Crystal Peak Challenge

• PS: Check Out Our Midlife Male Approved Brands✅

Let’s get to it!

Hollywood’s Go-To Trainer, Don Saladino, on Relationships Over Rewards, Defining Success, Midlife Clarity, Rejecting Shortcuts and more…

By Greg Scheinman

Don Saladino is someone I’ve come to know and genuinely respect. He’s one of those special guys I used to admire from afar and now am lucky enough to call a friend. That’s how much I value who he is and what he stands for.

We were introduced by our mutual friend, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, and the last time I was heading to Long Island, Don invited me out to his barn to train. Not just me—he welcomed a couple of guys from the Midlife Male Inner Circle, too.

Who does that?

I’ll tell you who: men who are secure. Who are confident. Who give generously. Who respect their friends—and their friends’ friends. Who value connection over competition, who value collaboration over control, and who simply want to serve, be of service, and add value.

And this isn’t about giving your time away for free. Don doesn’t do that.

He’s one of the most in-demand trainers on the planet, working with elite performers like Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, and Sebastian Stan. But he brings the same passion and purpose to the 55-year-old man who wants to lose 60 pounds and get his life back.

Don’s a husband. A father. And everything he does—every post, every program—shows his dedication, humility, and humanity.

He’s relatable. He’s credible. He’s aspirational.

I love his basics-over-biohacking philosophy. He keeps things simple. He doesn’t try to impress with how much he knows—he focuses on helping others improve. He gives so much away that when it’s time to support his work—whether it’s a subscription or a training app—it feels like the easiest “yes” in the world. Because his work actually helps you look, feel, and live better.

That’s why I wanted to share this wisdom from Don Saladino.

Because it’s one of our best.

And because he’s one of the best. After you read this interview, be sure to check out his new podcast, Stronger with Saladino, here.

I Have One Goal In Life and It’s Hard to Achieve

By Greg Scheinman

I have one goal in life:

To be happy.

Sounds simple. It’s not. Trust me.

Happiness might be the hardest goal there is—because to be truly happy, I have to be:

• Healthy
  

• Wealthy (not just financially, but emotionally, mentally, physically)
  

• A good husband
  

• A good father
  

• A good provider
  

• A good man
  

I have to laugh. Have fun. Stay curious. Stay creative.

And none of that happens by accident; none of it is easy. There are so many distractions thrown at us from the minute we wake up and check our phones (big mistake) that our days are almost a full-on defense of trying to stay happy from the second our eyes open. So here’s an uncomfortable truth:

You Don’t Just Choose Happiness—You Build It

You don’t stumble into joy.

You don’t just “decide” to be happy.

You become happy—through effort, intention, and action, every single day.

You can’t just “be happy.” (I’ve tried...)
You have to earn happy.

And that’s the part no one talks about.

We love slogans like:

• “Just be yourself.”
  

• “Do what you love.”
  

• “Choose joy.”

But that’s all bullshit. You know it. I know it.

Happiness isn’t a switch you flip.

It’s a system you build.

A plan you execute.

A standard you live by.

Happiness is a byproduct of doing the work—in every area that matters:

A 90-Year-Old in the Dentist’s Office Gave Me the Best Life Advice I’ve Heard All Year

By Jon Finkel

I walk into the dentist’s office. It’s packed. They tell me they’re running 20 minutes behind.

The worst.

Then this older guy walks in—big energy, booming voice—and announces to the front desk:

“Tomorrow’s my 90th birthday!”

He sits down next to me and says, “You know what it feels like to be 90?”

“I don’t,” I say.

“Me neither!” he laughs. “I don’t turn 90 ‘til tomorrow! And tomorrow ain’t here yet. All we got is today.”

He looked great. Easily could have been in his mid-70s. Still sharp. Still smiling.

Then he asks me, “You know what I think about?”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“Flying,” he says. “Woke up thinking about flying. Thought about it driving here. I took flying lessons for a decade, on and off. Loved being up there. I can’t fly anymore… but whatever you love to do, do more of it. Because one day you won’t be able to. You’ll be 89, turning 90, thinking about the flying lessons you took in your 50s.”

Then they called him in. Moved him ahead of the line as a “birthday present.”

He winked at me and walked off.

Incredible. There are profound two things he said that I’ve been thinking about nonstop:

A Big Time Fashion Designer Thinks Your Pants are Too Tight

There are some fashion trends we hop on and others we stay away from. The skinny jeans, tight pants on men is one we’ve never embraced, and now a major fashion designer says he has reservations as well. If you’ve been thinking of taking a chance with tight pants, read this:

The Simple Chart We Can’t Stop Thinking About

We saw this post on social media this week and it’s one of those basic charts that seems dumb and click-baity… but upon further review, it’s pretty deep. In fact, if you made most of your life decisions based on this, you’d probably make mostly great choices because the more we do things that we believe in, we’ll spend our time on what matters most. Here it is:

Sign Up for the XPT Crystal Peak Challenge

I recently spent a week with Laird Hamilton in Hawaii at an XPT event and I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was a perspective-changing, incredible experience. In addition to events in Hawaii and Malibu, XPT also puts on several 2-Day events throughout the year, with expert trainers at beautiful locations and with challenges that enrich and excite you.

That’s what XPT Crystal Peak is about: a two-day expedition that includes an 11.1 mile trek to 3 of Colorado’s near 14,000’ peaks. You also get 5-star meals, peak recovery, mindset work and training along the way.

Interested? Hell yes, you are. And we’ve got a great deal for you through Midlife Male if you sign up today: $300 off with code MidlifeXPT. Use this link. Spots are going fast!

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MLM Founder: Greg Scheinman / Follow Greg on Instagram & LinkedIn

“You either define midlife, or it’ll define you.” - Greg

MLM Editor-in-Chief: Jon Finkel / Follow Jon on Twitter/X and Instagram

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.” - Teddy Roosevelt

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