Mentorship can seem daunting, with people assuming they’re unqualified to guide anyone else—maybe because their own lives aren't always in order. That hesitation helps explain why so few people have mentors right now, despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests young people benefit from mentorship, whether it's in the workplace or in their personal lives. What most people don't realize: mentorship isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about showing up. Coaching a kids’ sports team, meeting with a younger colleague at work, or offering peer support—all these things help drive success among younger generations. Workplace mentorship is linked to better retention and advancement, while youth mentorship has measurable effects on confidence, opportunity, and long-term outcomes. So why do so few people volunteer—especially midlife men? We dig in on this week's episode of The Midlife Guys.

Midlife has a way of pulling attention in a dozen directions at once. Work, kids, aging bodies, and constant low-grade stress leave many men feeling physically present but mentally checked out. Brain fog creeps in quietly, fed by poor sleep, relentless pressure, and habits that once felt harmless. Research points to familiar culprits—stress overload, disrupted sleep, and diet and alcohol patterns that no longer match a body in its forties—but recognizing the problem doesn’t make it easier to fix.

What emerges is a picture of men recalibrating in real time. Sleep becomes non-negotiable instead of optional. Old routines around food and drinking start to look less social and more costly. Ultra-processed meals, skipped rest, and “powering through” take a measurable toll on focus and presence, especially for parents of young kids running on fumes.

So what's the way out?

Mike and Andrew are joined by their old friend Braxton, who works for a large tech company, and has spent a fair bit of time figuring out how to balance constant responsibilities with self-care in 2026.

As another year turns over, enthusiasm for grand New Year’s resolutions is fading—especially in midlife. Fewer people bother making them at all, and most of those who do quietly abandon them before February. The reasons are obvious: vague promises, zero accountability, and goals that collapse under real life.

What’s replacing the old resolution mindset is something more pragmatic. With economic anxiety front of mind, saving money has overtaken fitness and self-improvement as a top priority, reflecting a broader shift toward stability over reinvention. It feels more viable to make smaller, clearly defined goals that cover work, family, health, and finances, with room to reassess along the way.

Mike and Andrew tackle these issues, along with trendy new concepts like "The Midlife Edit", in the latest episode of The Midlife Guys.