Episodes 11-20

Craig Williams: From Royal Marine sniper to prison — and back. Resilience, reinvention and running

What does it take to rebuild your life from the ground up? For Craig Williams, a former Royal Marine sniper with 15 years of elite military service, the answer involved surviving combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving time in prison, and discovering — in a prison yard, running laps in flip flops — that movement could be medicine. His story is one of the most extraordinary we’ve featured on Don’t Let The Old Man In, and it speaks directly to something many men in midlife know all too well: the weight of a past mistake, and the question of whether reinvention is really possible.

Tim Hewson: Why Men Need Mates More Than Advice

For many men in midlife, the question isn’t just about surviving the pressures of work and family — it’s about whether there’s something more. Tim Hewson knows that territory better than most. After 27 years in high-pressure banking and finance, navigating panic attacks in corporate bathrooms, a marriage breakdown, and the slow unravelling of everything he thought defined him, Tim didn’t just rebuild. He created something remarkable: a movement that is changing the way Australian men think about mental health, community, and what it means to be a bloke.

Matt Bunker: Do you have the courage and strength a man in midlife needs?

We often think courage is charging into battle or standing on a podium. But the hardest kind of masculine strength? It’s quiet. It’s choosing to start over when everyone thinks you’re crazy. It’s admitting you’re struggling when you’re supposed to have it together. It’s walking away from success that might actually be killing you inside.

Gillian Coote: Navigating Divorce with Wisdom and Compassion

When your marriage ends in your forties or fifties, you’re not just losing a relationship. You’re losing the future you imagined: retirement plans, grandchildren gatherings, the life you built together. Everything suddenly vanishes, leaving you wondering who you are without it all.

Gillian Coote has spent more than 30 years helping people navigate this transition.

Matthew Lumsden: When the call gets too loud: finding simplicity in midlife

Sometimes the universe forces us to pause. For Matthew Lumsden, that moment came during the COVID-19 lockdowns when the constant travel and relentless pace of his corporate career suddenly stopped. What began as an enforced break became a profound reckoning with what truly mattered. After 13 years at Vanguard, including roles in London, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia, Matthew faced a choice at the fork in the road: return to the office as if nothing happened, or embrace the gift of introspection and choose a different path.

Dr Andy Tay: If you could reduce your chance of dying from cancer by 28% would you?

Here’s a fascinating statistic, studies from all over the world suggest a better educated person can add years to their life if they ever get cancer. And if you’re a guy in midlife, understanding why could literally save you. Education doesn’t cure cancer. Let’s be clear about that. A university degree won’t shrink a tumour. But here’s what research shows: people with higher education have significantly better cancer survival rates. We’re talking about a 28% reduction in mortality compared to those with the lowest education levels.

Professor Andrea Maier: Why Healthspan vs Lifespan Matters

Is it possible to slow down time? What if you could measure your body’s true age and understand exactly which parts are aging faster? For Professor Andrea Maier, a global expert in longevity and a leading voice in geroscience and precision medicine, the future of healthy aging isn’t about extending lifespan — it’s about maximising the years where we can do what we love, pain-free and fully engaged.

Aldo Grech: From Love Addiction to Authentic Living. When success becomes your prison

What happens when everything you’ve worked for—the career, the partner, the material success—suddenly feels hollow? For Aldo Grech, it took losing everything to discover he’d never really had himself.

Bill Ang and Richard Bleasdale: Composing Your Symphony - Finding Purpose in the Third Transition

What happens when you’ve built a successful career and suddenly find yourself asking, “What now?” For most men in their 50s and 60s, this question can feel daunting. But what if this moment isn’t an ending—it’s actually the beginning of your most important act?

Ross Youngman: swimming beyond limits, finding purpose through challenge

What drives a man in his sixties to swim 15 hours across the English Channel, battle currents around Manhattan, and traverse freezing Tasmanian rivers? For Ross Youngman, the answer isn’t about proving anything to anyone else. It’s about staying curious, building connections, and discovering what’s possible when you refuse to let age define your limits.

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