Michael Clinton, 72: The Accidental Longevity Role Model

Michael Clinton is a man on a longevity mission—not just to extend lifespan, but to deepen the quality of life itself. When we first sat down with him in 2022, he talked about his dynamic career with Hearst Magazines, his travels, finding his life’s purpose, living a meaningfully fulfilled life, and what inspired his then-new book, ROAR. Since then, he’s been practicing what he preached in the pages of that book. The result: more traveling, a new book on the way, and impactful projects, such as ROAR forward, a platform dedicated to redefining what it means to live a meaningful second half of life. 

Drawing from his own experience of running marathons on seven continents and launching a photography career post-50, Michael stands as both an advocate and example of what he calls “life layering,” adding new interests, skills, and communities as we age, rather than subtracting. And it’s this expansion that he sees as both intrinsic to and indicative of the “New Longevity.” As more and more people are living longer, in better states of health, this reality is making individuals like Michael rethink what aging is and can be.

Whether it’s launching a new business, traveling solo, or simply re-engaging with community in more intentional ways, Michael is building a movement that champions vitality, possibility, and purpose well into our later decades. From where he stands, successful aging isn’t about luck. It’s about mindset, proactivity, and personal agency. Michael speaks with the conviction of someone who views aging not as a retreat but as a runway, and he’s living proof that the best chapters of life are still ahead. So while Michael didn’t set out to become a longevity role model, that is what he has become for his peers, who are aging in stride with him, and what he hopes to be for the younger generations. There’s more life to live—and Michael is living it.

It’s been a few years since we last spoke. You’ve been busy—new projects, new adventures. What’s been the most exciting development for you lately, personally or professionally?
It’s been a busy two and a half years…. ROAR forward, a joint venture with Hearst Ventures, was launched as a B2B business intelligence platform about the New Longevity. We have a thriving business with over 50 clients and a team of 10 who are engaged in a variety of ways.

In the spring of 2026, my new book will be published. Unlike ROAR, which was focused on personal development, this one is about the global phenomena of the longevity movement in medicine, technology, higher education, and more. [Editor’s note: Stay tuned for more info on Michael’s upcoming book in a future newsletter.]           

You’ve been one of the loudest and most effective voices in the “rewriting aging” conversation. What’s changed the most in how people talk about the second half of life since ROAR came out?
What we call “the New Longevity” has hit the global zeitgeist. Individuals are realizing that if they are 60 and healthy, they may live another 30 or more years. It’s creating a major rethink. Redefining aging has become the activism movement of the Boomer Generation and Gen X is right there with creating the new role models of what living longer will mean. The first Millennials turn 50 in four years. It’s a huge generation that will enter the second half of their lives with 132 million Americans over 50 by the 2030s. They are rejecting a lot of what they were told to do, as many of them are healthy, fit, and motivated to start something new.

When you think about the New Longevity, what still feels misunderstood or under discussed?
There is a new social construct being created in the realization that we may all live past 90 or even 100 and what will that mean for society, communities, families, and individuals. While more and more people are understanding it, we need a global awakening on that front, particularly from government leaders who will need to create policies and programs to support longer lives for everyone.

When we first talked, you described “life layering,” building multiple identities beyond your career. How has that concept evolved for you since stepping further into your post-Hearst chapter?
I’ve added a lot of layers and built on some existing ones. I became an entrepreneur with ROAR forward, went back to school and got a master’s degree at Columbia, became vice chairman of the International Center of Photography, and built on my adventure layer by hiking to Everest base camp and running the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon down! It’s how I celebrated turning 70!

Tell me about ROAR forward—how it started, what it’s become, and what kind of impact you’ve seen it have.
It started organically, when companies started to reach out to me to come in and talk to them about the longevity trend. Our paid subscriptions of the ROAR Report and bulletins for C-suite leadership have been a big hit, as have our webinars, seminars, and now our ROAR Studio that produces longevity content and more. We are engaged in over 10 sectors within the business world, along with academia and nonprofits.

You’ve always led by example, be it running marathons on every continent, traveling the world, taking on new challenges. Has anything surprised you about how your body or mindset has adapted over time?
I call myself “the accidental longevity role model.” I didn’t set out to play that part, it’s just who I am. As I’ve gotten older, somehow I’ve been able to avoid the self-imposed ageism that many people impose on themselves. My attitude is that we can do anything at any age and that mindset drives me. I’m always looking for role models who are older than me, who are doing interesting, new things. They are my source of inspiration, and I hope I might do the same for my peers and younger generations.

You’ve been to 126 countries. What recent trip reminded you most of why you fell in love with travel in the first place?
This past summer, a group of us went to Malta, a country rich in history, art, and culture. I didn’t know much about it before I went there. The marvel of discovering something new is what continues to excite me about travel and one of my goals has been to add travel writing to the topics I cover. My most recent story was on Santa Fe, my part-time home. The piece was published in Esquire. I’m writing this [interview with AGEIST] from the Sydney airport, having just spent a week here giving keynotes about the new longevity at SXSW Sydney and other events. It’s such a magnificent city that I had visited before, but there is always something new to discover whenever we return to a place we love.

You’ve said before that “reimagining should be a way of living.” What’s something you’ve reimagined about your own life in the last year or two?
I’ve been spending a lot of time with the next generation in our family, helping them to realize that they may live to 100 and how reimagining and reinvention should be a part of their everyday mindset. With much longer lives, the possibilities are endless. At Roar forward, we collect stories of people that we call the “re-imagineers,” those age innovators who are living a reimagined life. My own reimagination is to embrace being an entrepreneur after a long-time career as the president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines and a full company career before that.

A lot of people in their 50s, 60s, and even 70s still feel unsure about what’s next. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone who feels stuck or uninspired in midlife?
Ahhhh. At Roar forward, we have a whole curriculum on that front! One great way to think about it is to go back to your younger self and reclaim something that you were passionate about in your teens and twenties. My friend McGarvey Black became a mystery novelist in her late 50s. She had always had the dream to be a writer from a young age, and she acted on it. Now, in her late 60s, she has written over 10 novels. Go back and adapt your young passion to your life today.

You’ve accomplished more than most people could fit into three lifetimes. What drives you the most in this stage of life? Has your idea of ambition changed?
Unbridled curiosity. I’m always interested in learning and maintaining a student’s mindset. As we live longer, time also takes on a new meaning. That has actually enhanced my ambition to continue to experience and achieve more at this stage of life. I honestly don’t think I’m that unique on that front, as I meet so many people who feel the same way.

You’ve often talked about generosity as one of your guiding principles. How has that shown up for you lately, either through your foundation or in more personal ways?
Generosity has so many forms, from the simple act of a daily act of kindness to thanking someone who performs a small act of generosity to giving your time to those that are important to you or supporting causes that you believe in. Our foundation, Circle of Generosity, will celebrate 15 years of giving grants to those in need who are in a difficult time in their lives.

I feel a bit cosmic about generosity as a guiding principle. You get what you give. It has served me well throughout my life.

What’s your current fitness or wellness routine like? Has it shifted as you’ve gotten older?
We all know that exercise and movement is the number one element for a long, healthy life. Motion is lotion! I continue to run, cycle, lift weights, ski, and hike. My regimen is to do something six days a week, often times with family or friends. I’ll hope to maintain some semblance of that routine until my last day on earth. What’s important is that someone can start a fitness regimen at any age and will see great health benefits as a result.

Last time we talked, you said you hoped to be a role model for what the “new 95” could look like. How do you imagine that version of yourself now?
Well, that is 23 years from now, and I hope that I’ll still be hiking and running (I watched the first 100-year-old cross the finish line at the Toronto Marathon.) One of my goals is to spend the rest of my life as a voice in the new longevity space. I’m a regular contributor to Esquire and Men’s Health to help get the word out. I’ll continue to meet with business and government leaders to raise the topic and help them to figure out how they can play their part in building a future that can support a 100 year life for everyone. There’s a lot of work to do, but it is exciting to think that I may be able to be an influencer in the movement, along with so many others who are passionate about the topic.

At this moment in your life, what are your three non-negotiables?
Maintaining a healthy and fit regimen to stay strong, balanced, and flexible; to only spend time with those that I love yet be open to new friendships; be a pro-age advocate, not just for myself but to inspire people to join the movement.

In my role on the advisory board of the Stanford Center on Longevity, I’ve learned that today’s five year old has a 50% chance to live to be 100. Those of us who are ahead of them need to show them what’s possible as they manifest that life expectancy.

Editor’s Note: Some answers may have been condensed and/or edited for clarity.

Connect with Michael: ROAR forward Website

Read Michael’s first profile here and listen to him on The AGEIST Podcast here.

Cover image courtesy of Michael Clinton