Morning, Greg here! Welcome to Issue No. 25 of Midlife Male, the lifestyle magazine for midlife men, by midlife men. I wanted to personally welcome all our new readers, and if this newsletter was forwarded to you, subscribe below.
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How I See It with Jonathan Goodman, author of The Obvious Choice
Jonathan Goodman.
Algorithms Change, People Don’t
In a world obsessed with chasing algorithms, Jonathan Goodman reminds us of an essential truth: human nature remains constant. As the author of new book, The Obvious Choice, Goodman has mastered the art of building sustainable success by focusing on people rather than platforms. I was introduced to Goodman through Midlife Male Editor-in-Chief Jon Finkel, and his story immediately resonated with me both personally and professionally.
When we connected, Jonathan was speaking from Sayulita, Mexico—one of the international locations where he and his family spend four months of the year. As we wrapped up, he made a point to mention he was heading out for tacos. For the remaining eight months, he’s based in Canada. This lifestyle, which he’s maintained for over 13 years, exemplifies entrepreneurial freedom. Approaching 40, Jonathan has built multiple successful businesses, all of which he owns outright, giving him complete control over his time, energy, and output.
The central message of his book aligns perfectly with our mission at Midlife Male: to become the obvious choice as the leading newsletter for midlife men, by midlife men. Jonathan’s philosophy of becoming “famous to the family” focuses on building a tight-knit community that trusts and advocates for you—rather than chasing the largest possible audience. Learning from one of marketing’s brightest minds about creating lasting success by prioritizing human connections over algorithmic trends was a privilege. There’s a lot to learn from Jonathan in our interview and I encourage you to buy his book, The Obvious Choice, here.
How I See It with Jonathan Goodman
MLM: Great to meet you, Jonathan! Where are you based right now?
Jonathan Goodman: I'm in Sierra Leone in Mexico.
MLM: Your journey has taken you around the world. How has travel shaped your perspective?
JG: Travel has been transformative for me. One of the most pivotal experiences was spending six months in Hawaii and Maui. I was in a tough spot—feeling unfulfilled and stuck in Toronto. I needed space to figure things out.
I rented a room off Craigslist and spent days, even weeks, in near isolation. It gave me the clarity to reassess what I wanted from life. That time helped me design a life that aligned with my values, and it laid the foundation for what I’m doing now.
MLM: Was designing your business to support that lifestyle intentional?
JG: Partly. Early on, I realized I wanted flexibility, so I focused on writing as my main platform. Writing doesn’t require high bandwidth, which means I could work from remote places.
But it wasn’t all planned. I experimented a lot—some things worked, some didn’t. I’ve always been curious and willing to try different things to see what sticks.
MLM: What advice would you give to someone looking to create their best midlife?
JG: First, figure out what really matters to you. Block out the noise and focus on designing a life that aligns with your goals and values. Second, don’t be afraid to experiment. Success often comes from trying different things and learning along the way.
MLM: Your life and career seem to embody this idea of designing life intentionally. How has your perspective on growth and purpose evolved over time?
JG: It’s interesting because so much of what we put into the world evolves as we do. My messages today are very different than they were before I had children. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned—and it’s a chapter in my book—is understanding the difference between good information and bad advice.
There’s a lot of great information out there, but not all of it is right for you. For instance, if you’re single and in a hustle mentality, you probably won’t resonate as much with someone running a business while raising kids. Conversely, someone without a family might not understand the challenges of balancing parenthood and entrepreneurship.
You have to put the advice you consume through a filter, figuring out what applies to your unique circumstances. It’s a perspective that evolves as your priorities shift over time.
MLM: You mentioned the concept of “seasonality.” How does that apply to how you live and work?
JG: Seasonality is a huge part of how I approach life. I believe it’s natural and necessary to shift focus between the different areas of your life—whether it’s work, family, or health—at different times.
Think of life as a triangle with three arms: money, family, and health. The goal is to strengthen one arm at a time without letting the others collapse. But the key is not trying to do everything at once.
For example, if I’m in a season where I’m focusing on fitness, I’ll train six days a week, track my food, and make sleep a priority. That’s not sustainable year-round, but for 12 weeks, I can go all in. Then, once I’ve leveled up, I can return to maintenance mode, knowing I’ve built a new steady state.
I even create “off-season checklists” for areas I’m not prioritizing. For family, it might include having breakfast and dinner with my kids daily, dropping them off at school, and spending at least 15 minutes of one-on-one time with each child. It’s not about perfection—it’s about being intentional and consistent enough to maintain those relationships.
MLM: What advice would you give to men who feel stuck in routines that aren’t serving them?
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*Partner content
Being Jason Statham: How to Cast Yourself as the Hero of Your Midlife Story
I’ve discovered a secret about midlife that’s completely transformed how I approach each day: I’ve started treating my life like an actor reading scripts, and it’s changed everything for me. Instead of seeing my future as a narrowing path of diminishing possibilities, I now see it as a stack of potential scripts, each offering a new role I might choose to play.
I’m not an elite athlete, special forces operator, professional adventurer, or rockstar musician. What I am is an introverted, shy, insecure yet athletic, weekend warrior, recreational hiker, and decent bar band guitarist. I’m a generalist, not a specialist, and that’s exactly what I love about this approach to life. Like an actor moving from role to role, I enjoy the freedom of stepping into different characters, trying new challenges, and exploring various aspects of life without the pressure to master any single one. It’s not about being the best in the world; it’s about being better than I was yesterday in whatever role I’m currently playing…And this gets me out of my comfort zone. It’s still me, but it’s me playing to a bigger me. Like a me, on steroids (And in full disclosure, I am on steroids – TRT)
The Transformative Power of Roles
When an actor receives a script, they don’t just see words on paper. They see a transformation waiting to happen. Sylvester Stallone didn’t just act the part of Rocky; he became a boxer, transforming his body and mind. Keanu Reeves spent months mastering firearms and martial arts for John Wick. Tom Cruise’s legendary commitment to authenticity has him learning to fly fighter jets for Top Gun. Mark Wahlberg trained like a Navy SEAL to honor the real-life heroes he portrayed in Lone Survivor. Jason Statham has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Judo, Krav Maga and other martial arts to make his fight scenes explode on screen.
This mindset isn’t limited to Hollywood. Jesse Itzler cast himself as an elite athlete and completed ultramarathons. Michael Clinton reimagined his life story to include becoming a pilot and scaling the world’s highest peaks. Dr. Garth Davis transformed from physician to Ironman triathlete. These examples prove that with dedication and the right mindset, we can all become the protagonists of our own transformative stories.
Millions of stories are posted online every day and 99.9% are noise. We sifted through the nonsense to find experts and thought leaders who will share deep dives in one of our 6Fs every week: Fitness. Family. Finance. Food. Fashion. Fun. These are powerful essays by our team or guest writers designed to make you think, grow and maximize your midlife starting now.
This week: FINANCE
Figuring Out Your Net Worth (It’s Not What You Think)
by Ron Speaker
Americans have always been curious about the wealth of others, from The Millionaire Next Door to who’s on the Forbes 400 list each year. This preoccupation with a fictitious (and often estimated) net worth number reported by the media sets us up for unhealthy comparisons. It takes a strong sense of self not to feel less than those in the elusive 1%.
While we’ve been told by parents or grandparents that there is far more to life than financial riches, it’s rarely been clearly defined. My father may have come close when he frequently reminded my brother and me, “Something is only worth what another would pay for it.”
In my view, the standard net worth calculation is short-sighted, flawed, and narrow-minded. We compare ourselves to others monetarily while ignoring our most precious assets. We give credit for financial riches but no debits against failings.
I propose a modern version of personal net worth that’s more dynamic than a single financial metric. This formula highlights the priceless assets you likely already possess:
**(Wellness 10) + (Relationships 10) + (Knowledge 5) + (Finances 1) = True Wealth
Health
Good health is an early and often underappreciated share of wealth. We rarely value it until it’s compromised. Think of poor physical or mental health as the equivalent of a millionaire who overspends and ends up bankrupt.
During a late night at the Peninsula Hotel bar in Beverly Hills, one of my mentors, Ron, said, “What wealthy people really want is what they can’t have. They’re used to getting what they want.” Years later, I heard it firsthand from one: “I’d give up my net worth to be young and healthy again.” Youth and health are priceless.
What would you pay to be free of a debilitating disease? To have a functional, mobile body capable of adventure? These are the invisible assets that rarely make it into “wealth” calculations, but I’d assign them a value of $10 million to $100 million.
Relationships
Relationships are risky yet invaluable assets, requiring time, patience, and energy with no measurable return. A healthy, loving partnership can add years to your life—literally. Married men live longer than single men, and many successful men attribute their achievements to supportive spouses.
Parent-child relationships, friendships, and extended family connections provide joy that no financial milestone can replicate. Conversely, the pain of a toxic or broken relationship underscores their worth. Strong relationships might easily be valued between $10 million and $100 million.
Join the Inner Circle in Time for Our First Live Online Event on 1/29!
PUSH HARD: 5 Ways to Take on Physical Challenges in 2025 from Beginners to Experts with Marc Hodulich
The MLM Inner Circle is a community for midlife men, by midlife men. Our members are accomplished men over 40 looking to level-up across every area of their lives.
Some have been married for decades, others are divorced, most are fathers. All of our members seek improvement, access, insights, and support in a group of like-minded men. They are committed to making the next phase of their lives, the best phase of their lives, living happier, healthier, wealthier, stronger and having more fun in business and in life.
2025 registration is open now, and we start later this month! We’re limiting access to ensure the best possible experience for our members. Click the link below to find out if the MLM Inner Circle is right for you.
