Morning, Greg here! Welcome to Midlife Male, the lifestyle magazine for midlife men, by midlife men. I want to personally welcome all our new readers to this issue, where I share my bucket list experience training with Laird Hamilton in Hawaii, what you can accomplish when you commit to making the possible, probable, our 6Fs and more. Here’s the rundown:
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‘HOW I SEE IT’ Q&A with Legendary Big Wave Surfer & Entrepreneur Laird Hamilton.
→ Underwater weightlifting, breath control, mastering your mindset & more… -
VIEWPOINT by Greg Scheinman: 72 Hours Training at XPT in Kauai.
→ Everything you need to know: My Daily Journal, Workouts, How I Pack, Eat & approach trips like this -
THE 6 Fs
→ The New Balance Shoe We Love, Buying a Waterslide, Reading ‘Die With Zero’ and more…
In partnership with:
INTRODUCTION
I’d planned on and expected to get some time with Laird and Gabby to interview them. What I didn't expect was that I didn't need to. They were so present, so open, so conversational, engaged and collaborative throughout the entire experience that I was just able to be present, and eavesdrop on the countless conversations they were having with other attendees throughout the three days. I found myself sitting there, listening, absorbing, thinking, and quite frankly, recording it all in my mind (and a few things on my phone).
Here's what struck me most: Laird could just surf all day if he wanted to. He has enough money, enough acclaim, that he could do whatever he wants at this point. Instead, he and Gabby choose to be there – morning, afternoon, and evening – sitting right next to that cold plunge, beside that pool, coming into the sauna to check on us, talking about anything and everything. Not once during those days did I feel like either of them was just doing a job.
This wasn't like going to Michael Jordan's basketball camp where the star shows up for the last five minutes to say, "Hope you had a good week." It was the opposite. They were actually moving their coaches aside so they could immerse themselves more deeply in the experience of teaching themselves. They acknowledged and thanked their teams at every opportunity, but they kept pushing their way in to share their experience, perspectives and how they see it: "How about you try it this way… now try that way…" before passing you back to the other coaches. You could see their genuine excitement when they'd give you a tip and watch you execute it just a little bit better.
This week, you’re getting a special ‘How Laird Sees It’. These are my favorite answers and quotes gleaned from Laird Hamilton after spending three days with him.
Laird Hamilton facilitating at XPT last week.
How Laird Sees It
On Making Changes
"I think it's incremental. People talk about consistency all the time… we're all consistent. Like 'oh, I'm not consistent' – it's like, you are. We're all consistent. You're just consistently making poor choices. If you could consistently start making better choices, things start getting better." There's something powerful about reframing consistency this way – acknowledging that we're already consistent, just perhaps in ways that don't serve us.
On Family & Risk
"People ask me, 'Well, now that you have a daughter, do you do this?' and I go, 'Well, no, I wouldn't stop because first of all, I want them to see me, what that does for me, how I am about it, what the aftermath of me doing it is like… don't stop being who you are and don't stop doing what you do that makes you you, because first of all, they didn't ask you to be here.'" Laird distinguishes between using family as an excuse versus genuine concern, noting that many people say, "Oh, you know, I have kids now, so I don't." But actually, they just wanted to stop, and now they have a disclaimer.
On Age & Limitations:
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My XPT Life Experience – A Journey (and Journal) of Transformation in Kauai
By Greg Scheinman
Day One: Learning to Fail Forward
The XPT experience began with a simple but powerful premise: “You’re not here to succeed – You’re here to learn how to fail, and then level up.” This isn't about immediate victory; it's about getting better at learning itself. In moments of high stress, we were asked to challenge ourselves to return to certain words that ground us. To become in touch with what we were feeling, experiencing and living in the moment. Words that entered my mind were: scared, anxious, questioning, imposter. But then I remembered other words: breathe, persevere, and patience.
I thought of my anchors – family, Auden, Harper, Kate. I reminded myself that I am capable, that this is possible.
And after all, we’re in paradise. Everyone here chose to be here. And pressure is a privilege.
The morning started with Gabby Reece setting our expectations, followed by team introductions. Then Laird led us through breathwork – a session that would set the tone for what was to come. Laird's philosophy is beautifully straightforward: no sunglasses, methylene blue eye drops, no sunscreen, natural movement. It's about stripping away the artificial, returning to what's real. At 60, he’s a specimen.
Watching Laird up close, he's a fascinating contradiction – a really interesting dude who defies easy categorization. There's something almost nerdy about him, this quirky tinkerer wrapped up in a cool aesthetic. He's constantly building shit, obsessing over details. You can see his mind working, processing, innovating. And then you remember – this is the same guy who willingly gets dragged into 100-foot waves by a jet ski, choosing to either surf it or die. There's something beautifully "off" in that brain of his, a unique wiring that most of us can't quite comprehend. It's like the extreme precision of his tinkering nature finds its perfect expression in the absolute chaos of giant waves.
Today we took a stunning stand-up paddleboard journey down the river, past Laird and Gabby's house. Lunch turned into one of those unexpected life moments – sitting alongside Gabby, listening to her talk about family supplements, morning routines, nature, parenting, marriage, and the intricacies of building a business and brand together with your partner. What struck me most was how normal it all felt – just another couple, a few years ahead of me in life, dealing with the same things we all face.
Looking at Laird, it's impossible not to feel inspired. Here's a man showing no signs of slowing down, yet talking openly about getting his hip replaced – his second one, the first was 7 years ago. These are the realities of life – aging and evolving but not giving in. There's a surrender happening, but not to complacency or fear. Even when they talk about slowing down, it's about down-regulating – not stopping because you can't, but slowing down so you can do better, do more. It's about moving smoother, with less stress and anxiety, truly mastering the moment.
The honesty in their relationship dynamics was refreshing. They spoke openly about boundaries and roles:
FAMILY:
How to Talk to Your Kids When You HAVE to Miss a Big Event
I recently missed senior night at my son's school. He plays basketball, and they had moved senior night to a date I had already blocked out of my calendar. This is how we handled it. There were tears involved. From me.
FITNESS:
$99 for the year is a steal to get a wealth of knowledge, workouts, breathwork, and functional, practical and useful action items right on your phone. I’m a big proponent of how they practice total life wellness at XPT.
FINANCE:
Read Die With Zero Today
When my kids were younger, they went to Montessori school. They were in class with Bill Perkins’ kids. I didn’t really know him, then I went to a dads poker night, played across from him and realized that I was way out my league. Fast forward and he’s written one of the best books I’ve ever read: Die With Zero. Give it a read HERE.
FOOD:
Our Dog’s New Favorite Food
Not my food; my dogs’ food. We recently switched over to WeFeedRaw and Roxy & Riley love it! We went through the 10 day transition, eased them into it and now they’re fully on board, happy, energetic and healthy. Check it out here. All sorts of reasons why… And the service is exceptional.
FASHION:
My new favorite sneaker. Sturdy. High Quality. Basic and stylish AF. Not your dad’s shoe.
FUN:
This is the waterslide I’m buying. Yes, a waterslide.
I’m getting a waterslide. Why? Because it was the highlight of the XPT Experience. It was a stark reminder to not forget how to play and behave like a kid. You can’t look cool going down a water slide. And that’s the point. Stop caring that you’ll look stupid, that you’re too old for this, or worrying that you’ll get hurt… Just throw yourself down the waterslide and laugh your ass off at the absurdity of it all. Here’s the one I’m getting. I have no idea where, when or how I’m going to use it, but I’m committed.
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Join the Inner Circle
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.
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MLM Founder: Greg Scheinman
MLM Editor-in-Chief: Jon Finkel
