Profile: Luke Mathers
Luke Mathers is curious, creative, and generous. The youngest in the family with three older sisters, he grew up obsessed with football, music, and surfing. He says he’s not particularly good at any of these; but what he lacks in talent, he makes up for enthusiasm.😊
He studied to be an Optometrist and owned multiple businesses and had multiple exits, retiring for the first time at 31. When he's not surfing, golfing, cycling, or hiking, he works with businesses to make them better at stress. He is the author of three books: Stress Teflon, RESET - Choose your story, and Curious Habits. Helping people take the stress out of change is what drives him, and he helps people all around the world to be ready for anything.
Luke resides in Queensland, Australia. You can connect with Luke on LinkedIn.
In which generation do you belong?
Gen X: 1965 - 1980
Do you work? If so, what do you do?
Author, speaker, and coach
What would the 25-year-old version of you think of you today? How are you most different from him?
He would be stoked I finally did it. The mysteries of life, leadership, and happiness have always been something I was curious about. He'd be really surprised that I've written three books. I probably hadn't read three books at age 25.
The 25-year-old me was obsessed with goals, achievement, and the need for extrinsic validation. 53-year-old me is more accepting of who I am, and how I contribute to the world and has a lot more intrinsic motivation.
What has not changed about you?
Still curious, fun, and love being around people.
Good or bad, what about midlife has surprised you so far?
Mostly that I don't feel old. I still like new music, can relate to the kids, and have a bunch of fun. The head is bald, and the knees are a bit dodgy, but the light of curiosity still burns bright, and I still have so much to learn and give.
What one habit are you actively working on these days?
Balance! Building stability in my body. We need to stay strong and balanced physically. We need to still work hard but also play on purpose and rest deliberately.
What brings you the most joy these days and why?
Coaching. Finding new ways to help people look at the world is such a buzz. As an Optometrist, I have asked: "Which one is clearer 1 or 2?" 9.5 million times. As a coach, I ask them to imagine another version of themselves and get clear about which one they want. Coaching is a real joy and privilege.
What are you most excited about these days?
Helping people thrive in the second half of life.
If you could give a 20-year-old some words of wisdom, what might it be?
Try everything. Love hard, live fully, and don't be afraid to mess shit up. The great thing about being 20 is you have time to try something else if you mess up. Fear of never trying is worse than fear of failure
And the most important question: Who was your favorite singer/band growing up?
Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters — Everlong. “You gotta promise not to stop when I say when.”
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