I just got back from Manhattan Beach with my family. I get up at 6am wherever I am in the world, and from 7–9am is “my time.” My family sleeps in. I have a different morning routine. It works for me.

First, I hydrate with 20 oz of water with creatine and aminos (I use KION). That’s followed by a large decaf cappuccino with MCT oil powder and collagen peptides (I use BUBS Naturals). Then I do 15–30 minutes of mobility and fascia release. I’m really into Jules Horn and Mike Holland’s programs right now, which I follow on YouTube. After that, it’s usually an Epsom salt bath, where I do some writing (yes, I have a bathtub desk) and plan the day, and then a three-mile walk.

During this trip, I set up morning “walk and talks” each day. I have a few coaching clients and friends who were willing to make the drive and meet me, which was great. I call these “2 for 1s,” where you get great conversation and some exercise. I look for these opportunities as often as I can.

Each morning, we talked about how the year had gone, what we want for the year ahead, and how we plan to earn it. What we need to start, stop, and continue doing. We questioned and challenged one another.

Annual goals are great. But when you reverse engineer them down to quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily action steps, achieving your goals becomes measurable instead of hopeful. That’s the process you need to fall in love with, not the end game. Over three miles along the beach, coffee in hand, that’s exactly what we talked about.

That’s the system. No fancy frameworks. No endless masterclasses. No majoring in the minors. Just the basics.

But before you can do anything, you have to know where you stand. You can’t build on an unstable foundation.

And this is the time of year to assess how stable your foundation really is.

Here’s what I’m doing this December:

Most middle-aged guys don’t want to hear this, but at some point, you have to be honest with yourself about the life you’ve been living and what your daily habits have gotten you.

If you’re stuck, you’re stuck for a reason. And that reason is you. Bigger dreams and bigger goals demand healthier habits, and healthier habits require more self-discipline. If you’re not willing to do the work, don’t expect change.

If you are, everything you want is possible.

What gets scheduled gets done.
It’s that simple.

Finish strong. Start stronger.

In health,

Midlife Male
52. Husband. Father. Entrepreneur. Coach. Mediocrity happens by default. Maximization happens by design.

PS: Still hunting for a last-minute holiday gift that actually matters for guys? My Midlife Male book isn’t fluff or feel-good nonsense. It’s a straight-talk guide to living happier, healthier, and wealthier in the years that count most. Get it here.

At 52, I’ve learned what I wish I knew in my late 20s and 30s, that fertility isn’t just a women’s issue. Men struggle too, often silently. I did and I didn’t know it. We assume our virility and vitality will always be there until they’re not. Fertility is about more than making babies. It’s about hormone balance, energy, and long-term health.

I’m done having kids. Mine are already in their 20s. Ironically, you spend a lot of years as a parent hoping your sons don’t get anyone pregnant, and then in your 50s, you start envisioning becoming young grandparents. I want my boys to be educated.

That’s why SwimClub matters. It’s science-backed, built for men, and focuses on the key drivers of male fertility: sperm health, testosterone support, and reducing oxidative stress. It helps you feel better, perform better, and preserve what matters most.

If I’d known then what I know now, I would have started taking care of this part of my health much earlier.