Our Guest Is Better Than You

Midlife Crisis, Meet Late-Life Purpose.

In this episode of Mum! Dad’s Got Another Tattoo, we speak to John David Graham, a man who didn’t just reinvent himself in midlife—he reinvented his entire purpose. After being homeless at 53, John founded a nonprofit supporting ex-offenders, earned a doctorate at 61, published a bestselling novel at 75, and made a TV appearance at 76. His story is one of resilience, purpose, and what happens when you stop focusing on self-improvement and start improving the world around you.

Rich and Marc reflect on what midlife means in the shadow of someone who’s still accelerating at nearly 80. There’s honesty, humility, humour—and a challenge to reassess what you’re really doing with your time.

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Mentioned:

• Running As Fast As I Can by John David Graham
• Good Samaritan Home nonprofit project
• The power of second chances and restorative justice
• Why midlife might be the start of your story, not the end

⏱️ Chapter Markers

00:00 – Intro: Midlife Self-Help vs Actual Impact

01:00 – Late Bloomers: Stan Lee, Mary Wesley & Co

02:10 – Meet John David Graham

03:12 – From Homelessness to Helping Others

05:00 – Failing Fast, Starting Late

07:56 – Second Chances and Building 20 Homes

10:35 – Class, Luck & Structural Barriers

13:07 – Nimbyism and the Fight to Do Good

15:05 – Faith, Purpose, and Midlife Service

17:33 – Boundaries, Trust, and Accountability

19:15 – Theology on the Street

21:19 – Midlife Crisis or Midlife Calling?

22:54 – Running As Fast As I Can – The Book

24:52 – The Social Media Illusion

26:12 – Everyone Has a Limp: Finding Compassion

27:45 – On Voice, Accent, and Letting Go

29:12 – 200 Rejections Later: Becoming a Bestselling Author

30:49 – Hollywood Dreams & Deleted Scenes

34:48 – Final Thoughts: Just Start

36:23 – Post-Interview Chat: Humbling, Funny, Honest

40:18 – The Hidden Cost of Doing the Right Thing

43:25 – Do We Regret Starting Late?

45:03 – Reflections: Midlife Urgency Reconsidered

47:36 – Faith, DIY, and Doing Right by Others

49:00 – Wrapping Up & What’s Next

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