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Today’s guest is Michael Jones, a Navy veteran, former healthcare executive who is now a clarity coach and author of the book “The Career Secret.”
Michael’s journey is a great example of how life can pivot unexpectedly, yet beautifully, when we lean into purpose and let go of outdated expectations.
Here are three key takeaways from my conversation with Michael:
- First, hard work alone is not enough. Michael discovered that success in today’s workplace requires more than effort. It takes self-awareness, personal branding and intentional career design, especially for people over 50.
- Second, reinvention is possible and necessary. After experiencing toxic leadership and being forced out of a corporate role, Michael stepped back to reassess his values, write a book and launch a clarity coaching business to help others avoid similar pitfalls.
- Finally, you are never too old to step into your calling. Now in his 50s, and recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Michael is more focused than ever on helping people discover their life’s work through purpose-filled guidance, reflection and bold action.
Michael’s “RISE” model is helping people of all ages break out of the rut and build careers that matter. RISE encourages people to:
- Recognize the problem
- Identify what you want
- Step into the stretch, and
- Elevate your personal brand
Michael spent decades climbing the corporate ladder in healthcare administration. But it wasn’t until that ladder collapsed beneath him that he discovered what truly gave his life meaning and purpose.
After surviving a toxic workplace, Michael experienced anxiety, burnout and professional betrayal. But, instead of staying stuck in disappointment, he chose to write “The Career Secret” as both a healing process and a roadmap for others.
The book is more than a memoir. It’s an implementation guide for people who feel like they’ve hit a wall in their career. Each chapter includes reflective prompts and actionable steps to help readers move forward with clarity.
Michael challenges the belief that hard work alone will get you ahead. Instead, he encourages people to understand the unwritten rules of modern workplaces, recognize the traps of corporate politics and intentionally build a personal brand that communicates their value to employers.
That journey led Michael to step fully into his calling as a clarity coach. He now helps others discover what he calls “your life’s work,” which is the thing you were uniquely created to do. He does this through one-on-one coaching, speaking engagements and resources like his second book, “Purpose in the Pause,” which is a 21-day devotional for people in transition.
What fuels Michael today is the joy of watching people wake up to their potential.
“I see this as my mission and my ministry,” Michael told us. “I don’t just do coaching, rather I am a coach.”
That mission became even more urgent when Michael was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2024. But instead of letting it derail his purpose, he embraced it as part of his story.
With treatment, exercise and faith, Michael continues to coach and write, encouraging others to step boldly into their next chapter.
When asked what advice he’d give to others over 50 who are struggling to find new purpose, Michael said it starts with asking the right question: “What were you created to do?”
He encourages people to revisit what brought them joy as children, to reflect deeply and to stop drifting from one job to another. He believes life after 50 is not about fading out. It is more about stepping up and finally living on purpose.
You can connect with Michael through LinkedIn or visit his website at www.purposeframe.com. His book, “The Career Secret,” and devotional, “Purpose in the Pause,” are available on Amazon and in other bookstores.
That’s all for this week’s show.. If you’d like to start living a more meaningful life, I encourage you to download our free guide to finding purpose, which is available at 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.
If you order a copy of Michael’s book from a link above, Forward From 50 may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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.