I was sitting in my dermatologist’s office yesterday, checking off the final box on my annual maintenance list: Clear + Brilliant. Mole check. Botox. Yes, Botox, because while I don’t mind being bald, I do mind being bald and having a wrinkly forehead. We all have our things. As we wrapped up, I asked my doctor a question I ask a lot of people I respect.

“What are you doing next year? Any races, mountains, or adventures planned?”

He’s one of us. Athlete. Husband. Father. High-performing professional. Private practice owner. The type of guy who’s always carrying a lot. Responsibility. Expectations. Ambition.

His answer surprised me.

“Honestly? More time for me. Relaxing vacations. I’ve been in private practice for ten years now. Carrying everyone on my shoulders. Training hard. Doing all these physical challenges at the same time. And I think I just need a break from adding more. My kids are six and nine years old now. We just built a house. It’s a lot.”

Nothing was wrong with what he said. In fact, it was honest. Earned. Real.

But it stuck with me.

Because what I’ve learned, both personally and from the men I talk to every week, is that the answer to more fulfillment usually isn’t doing more. It’s more often about doing less of what you don’t want to do. Less obligation. More options.

More intentionally. More sustainably. More connected.

That’s what this past year was for me.

Not a year of extremes. Not a year of pulling back. But a year of choosing things. Habits, tools, and experiences that quietly stacked on top of each other and made everything else work better.

And when I look back at my best recommendations from the year, what stands out isn’t individual products or trips. It’s how connected they all were. Because actual midlife doesn’t live in silos.

That became the foundation. Three miles a day, not even all at once. A mile with the dogs in the morning. A mile at night. Sometimes another mid-day just to clear my head. No pressure. No metrics obsession. Just movement.

Walking led to adding load. A GoRuck pack. An Aion weighted vest that’s the most balanced I’ve ever worn. Weighted walking turned into hiking. Hiking turned into real adventures.

That path took me to my first Skyline Traverse in Boulder, my fourth 29029, this time in Jackson Hole, and a ruck marathon in Sedona. Hard things. Beautiful places. Good people.

XPT expeditions continue to be some of the best-run experiences out there. I’m partnering with them for two great events in 2026 and I’d love you to join me. Doing cool shit with cool guys is our mantra for the year. 29029 remains one of the strongest communities I’ve ever been part of. I’m taking twelve guys to Sun Valley in September. New year, new mountain.

I’ll also be facilitating at Modern Elder Academy in Cabo in April, where we’ll spend five days surfing, doing yoga, morning hikes, eating incredible food, having great conversations, and writing our midlife action plans. This was three years in the making from my first interview with Chip Conley and the first time they’re doing something exclusive for midlife men like us. That feels like progress.

Fitness wasn’t about pushing harder. It was about supporting my body better.

The XPT app lives on my phone for breathwork and mobility. Ladder makes it simple to train anywhere without overthinking it, and I use it a few times a week. Cold plunges and saunas became part of my rhythm because they help me recover and feel better, not because they look cool on social media. I see a chiropractor and physical therapist regularly, not after I’m injured, but so I don’t get injured.

Family grounded everything.

We spent ten days in Italy visiting our son. Those are the trips that matter most. We choose Airbnbs over hotels whenever we can. I like having a kitchen. I like immersing ourselves in neighborhoods and living like locals instead of tourists. We’ve done that everywhere from Italy to Manhattan Beach and Palm Beach, and it always changes the quality of the experience.

I sit in row seven on airplanes. Always the aisle. Poor man’s first class.

Food stayed simple and consistent.

Everyday basics for me were BUBS Naturals, Manukora honey, Primal Kitchen sauces, Purity coffee, Kion aminos and creatine, Mindbodygreen protein powder, Good Culture cottage cheese and sour cream, and Siete tortillas. Nothing extreme. Just fuel that supports training, recovery, and real life.

Surround that with high-quality meat, chicken, fish, good carbs, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, no alcohol, and limiting fried foods and sugar, and you’ve got a lifestyle, not a diet.

Even the boring stuff mattered. A Philips Sonicare toothbrush. Dr. J’s toothpaste. An Omron blood pressure monitor. A Hypervolt. Quiet tools that support long-term health.

Style followed the same philosophy. Classic. Durable. No noise.

I love my RRL Emil dungaree coat. The James Perse sherpa shirt I wore every day in Manhattan Beach. Roark workout gear has become my go-to. Buck Mason tough knit tees in the two pack. Vintage Levi’s 511s. Katin chinos. Red Wing Iron Rangers. Clean Nike Air Force 1s. NADS underwear because it’s the best. And a Tudor Chronograph I picked up for my birthday. Iconic. Functional. 

I simplified skincare too. High quality. Great results. Precision Skincare. Atwater Skincare. And a touch of Clarins self-tanner when I want to look like I’ve seen the sun without paying for it later.

And fun still matters most. If it’s not fun, I’m done.

Live music included seeing Counting Crows, Gaslight Anthem, Psychedelic Furs, and Metallica. I had a lot of great conversations; guested on Gabby Reece’s, Judd Lienhard, the Great Unlearn, and Chip Conley’s podcasts and got to interview some of incredibly inspiring men like Chris Pronger, Laird Hamilton, Jesse Itzler and Mike Lazerow. Shared great meals at places like Silk Road for dim sum, Gjelina in Venice Beach, Nick’s in Manhattan Beach, and an In-N-Out burger in Sedona after a ruck marathon, which is always awesome.

My favorite meals are still at home. Grilling steaks on the Blaze or making pizzas on the Ooni and eating with my family.

When I zoom out, what I see isn’t a list of recommendations. It’s a system.

Walking led to fitness.
Fitness led to adventure.
Adventure deepened friendships.
Doing difficult things with people I respect.
Presence strengthened family.
Simplicity improved health.
Good taste in food, clothing, and experiences made everything feel intentional.

The goal isn’t doing less or doing more.

It’s doing what actually supports the life you want to live.

It’s mastering the middle.

And putting it all on a Big Ass Calendar in advance.

Seek things out. Commit. Schedule. Pay. Show up prepared. Look the part. Live your message. Do the thing.

Because what we schedule gets done. How we perceive ourselves, and how we want to be perceived by others, matters.

That’s what I’m carrying forward into 2026. That’s not a resolution. It’s resolve.

If you want first access to our Excellent Adventure Weekends, invite-only events, and the brand/event partnerships that fill up fast, here is a link to our full 2026 Calendar. These are the real-world experiences that help you live happier, healthier, wealthier, stronger and have more fun in midlife.

In health,

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

PS: Want to set the tone for the best year of your life?

Let’s talk. I have a few openings left for 1:1 coaching and my private adventure group. It’s not about resolutions, it’s about resolve. Book your call with me to see if we’re a good fit 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.