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Today, I am going across the Atlantic Ocean to interview a man who found purpose making people laugh on Facebook, and he also coaches others to enjoy a better life.
Mike Coote lives in the United Kingdom where he has served as an executive business coach working with very senior people in government and business.
In 2020, he founded a group on Facebook called “Uplifting, Inspiring, Informative and Funny Quotes for Everybody.” It’s a mouthful, but being a member of Mike’s group has greatly enhanced my Facebook experience.
He spends about 20 minutes a day finding material, but still manages to post an enormous amount of content designed to make people laugh or cause them to think.
He started the group during the COVID mess just to help people feel a little better about themselves. Today, he has 4,300 members.
Humor is tricky today in a world where people are so easily offended and the cancel culture is so prevalent. But, Mike manages to make his group safe and wholesome by keeping drama out. You won’t find any political posts, but he does share material related to his strong Christian faith.
In the interview, Mike talks about his varied life, which included time serving in the South Africa special forces, as a Baptist minister, a crisis counselor and life coach.
Mike was absolutely correct in noting that anyone who has achieved anything of importance, especially in sports, has done so because they have had strong coaches. They tend to speak directly to their clients to help them see situations from a different perspective.
Coaches aren’t likely to accept excuses for thinking and behavior that hold people back from achieving what they say they truly want in life.
I think Mike shows us that, because of our vast life experience, people over 50 make ideal coaches. It’s not that they know everything and are the experts. Rather, people over 50 have such a wonderful perspective on life that would be invaluable to younger people – even those just a few years behind them.
The key to being a good coach is to establish trust with others. Coaches are instrumental in helping older people to see their lives still have value, and that they have important roles to play.
Mike offered some excellent advice on how people over 50 can regain a sense of purpose when something, like a job or business, is taken away. It involves working with a coach who can ask the right questions to point their lives in a different direction. Coaches bring clarity, even to difficult and confusing situations.
One way Mike keeps his mind sharp, even at age 67, is through reading. He has completed more than 3,700 books during his life and currently has about 300 waiting to be read. He also attends workshops put on by other professionals, which means Mike is continuously learning.
Mike loves to mentor other people. He estimates he gives away about 20 percent of his time, and he has clients all over the world.
One of the best ways Mike likes to honor and support other people is by sending them personalized birthday greetings. It’s just another way he likes to uplift people and make them feel better.
People can connect with Mike on LinkedIn and on Facebook. Be sure to join his wonderful Facebook group, “Uplifting, Inspiring, Informative and Funny Quotes for Everybody.”
That’s all I have for this week’s show. If you’d like help in identifying a purpose for your life or to get help planning your next steps, I’m offering a complimentary brainstorming session to members of the Forward From 50 Facebook community. For details, connect with me on Facebook or visit www.forwardfrom50.com.
I’ll have another inspirational interview on the next episode of the Forward From 50 podcast. Thanks for listening. If you like this show, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.

After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.