About Dave
About Dave
“A Likeable Rogue with a Unique Vibe”
I’ve been called a lot of things in my life—coach, executive, writer, father, speaker. But the one that’s always stuck with me?
Rogue.
Not because I’m reckless.
But because I’ve never been able to settle for “good enough.”
Because I believe life isn’t something we manage—it’s something we live.
And living requires honesty, courage, and sometimes… a willingness to go off-script.
For years, I did what most people do.
I built a career. Chased success. Played the roles I was supposed to play.
And from the outside, it looked great. But inside, I was running on fumes.
Eventually, I had to stop. To step back.
To ask myself the question that changes everything:
“What do I really want? And what would it take to actually live that way?”
That moment didn’t bring an easy answer.
But it started a powerful unraveling.
And that unraveling led me back to something true.
Today, I help others do the same.
Not because I have all the answers—but because I’ve walked the road.
Because I know what it’s like to question everything, and still find the courage to take a step forward.
And because I believe you deserve more than just surviving the life you’ve built.
You deserve to feel alive in it.
Whether it’s through one-on-one coaching, honest conversations on the podcast, or the stillness of a retreat—I create space for people to remember who they are… and to start living from that place.
I don’t believe in fixing people.
I believe in freeing them.
Freeing you from the roles you’ve outgrown.
From the pressure to perform.
From the fear of what might happen if you tell the truth about what you really want.
That’s what Living Rogue is about.
It’s not rebellion for rebellion’s sake.
It’s about trusting your gut, honoring your story, and giving yourself permission to live the life that’s been waiting for you all along.
More about David the Rogue’s Story
How a lifetime of success, breakdowns, and truth-telling turned me into the coach I am today.
I didn’t set out to be a rogue.
I set out to win.
To do the work. Build the career. Provide for my family.
To be respected, accomplished, capable—because that’s what I believed mattered.
And for a long time, it worked.
I spent nearly four decades in the corporate world—sales, leadership, performance coaching, executive advising. I was flying to meetings, closing deals, helping others reach the next level. I was the guy who made things happen.
But somewhere along the way, despite all the success, all the accomplishment, I lost track of myself.
It didn’t happen all at once. It happened slowly, quietly.
In the moments when I couldn’t sleep.
When I was in the room but completely somewhere else.
When I found myself wondering how much longer I could keep pretending this was enough.
The truth?
I was successful… and empty.
Respected… but disconnected.
I had built a life that looked great from the outside, and yet inside—I felt like a stranger in my own story.
Then came the breaking points.
The moments that forced me to stop performing:
– Family trauma that disrupted my world.
– Relationships strained under the weight of emotional distance.
– A struggle to maintain physical and mental health
– The realization the man in the mirror wasn’t who he was.
That’s when the unraveling began. Not the fall-apart kind. The wake-up kind.
I started asking deeper questions—ones I’d spent years avoiding:
– What am I holding onto that’s actually holding me back?
– What parts of me have I buried under all this performance?
– What does peace actually look like?
That’s when I started living rogue.
I gave myself permission to start telling the truth.
To get still. To let go.
To trade in performance for presence.
That’s also when I became the coach I am today.
Not a coach who gives you a program or a checklist.
But one who helps you slow down, listen deeper, and lead yourself back to who you really are.
I work with people who feel what I felt:
– “I’ve done everything I was supposed to do… so why do I feel this way?”
– “I want something more, but I don’t even know what that is.”
– “I’m exhausted by the life I built. How do I start again?”
I coach because I’ve lived the confusion. The fear. The unraveling. The freedom.
And because I know how to walk beside someone as they do it for themselves.
Why “the Rogue” life?
Because I don’t buy into surface-level change.
Because I believe in dropping the act and choosing what’s real.
Because I’d rather be honest than polished.
And because I know that sometimes, the most courageous thing you can do is choose you.
That’s the work I do now—helping people let go of what no longer fits and step into a life that finally does.
You don’t need to blow it all up.
But you do need to get honest.
And you can live the life you’ve been quietly craving.
That’s what it means to live rogue.
Let’s go there…together.
Dave – The Likeable Rogue
Dave Cooke is not your typical coach—and that’s exactly the point. He’s a tour guide for those ready to stop performing and start living. With a life rich in success, reinvention, and self-discovery, Dave founded Living Rogue Today to help others break free from societal expectations and reconnect with what truly matters.
They call him a “likeable rogue” because he blends radical honesty with deep compassion. He doesn’t preach answers—he helps you find your own. His approach is grounded in real experience, humility, and a whole lot of heart.
“You don’t need fixing. You need truth, courage, and a little companionship on the way back to yourself.”
Dave invites you into the work of authentic living. He’s not here to make you fit in—he’s here to help you finally belong to yourself.
Core Values & Beliefs of the Likeable Rogue:
- Authenticity over Performance
We’re not here to impress—we’re here to be real. Life gets richer when you stop playing roles and start telling the truth. - Curiosity over Certainty
Growth doesn’t come from being right. It comes from being open—especially to what challenges us. - Love and Acceptance—First with Yourself
The journey begins when you learn to love who you are, where you are. That same compassion extends to others. - Humility as Strength
Being a leader doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means showing up honestly and being willing to learn. - Permission is Yours to Give
You don’t need anyone else’s approval to live the life that’s calling you. You are allowed to want what you want. - Rebel with Purpose
Being rogue isn’t about reckless defiance—it’s about bold alignment. You get to rewrite the rules if they were never yours to begin with.