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I just turned 45... for the 20th straight year. That means I’m old enough for Medicare, but quite frankly, I don’t need it and I don’t intend ever to use it. I’ve got a plan to live to age 104, with my health, energy and mind intact.
If you’d like to do the same thing, follow the three simple rules I’ll share with you now.
1. Don’t die of something stupid
That’s the advice of William Kapp, M.D., co-founder and CEO of Fountain Life, a pioneering precision medicine firm. Dr. Kapp says that most of the diseases that afflict older people – heart, lungs, brain and various types of cancer – aren’t usually detected until it’s too late to treat them. Bummer!
I like to joke that they did a brain scan on me... and found nothing.
So Fountain Life does an annual half-day deep dive into their members’ health, sequencing their genome, doing brain, lung and heart scans, and doing the most complex level of blood work available today. The result – you can often catch otherwise fatal illnesses while they’re still easily treatable. You can diagnose things like leaky gut or other health matters before they cause harm. A half day of tests can add decades of longevity. I like to joke that they did a brain scan on me... and found nothing.
Now that your body’s squared away, let’s talk about your spirit. Banish loneliness. Get out of your home, your comfort zone, and your Zoom room and be useful one-on-one with someone who could use your attention, wisdom or sense of humor.
Volunteer at a hospital or school. Walk around the park and say hello to people. (That will freak them out!) Buy a plane ticket and go see an old friend. Write a letter of gratitude to someone and hand it to that person. See how much better you both feel.
Being "social" used to mean, well, being social. Today, it means being antisocial. How boring. We now live with the greatest communications tools in the history of humanity literally at our fingertips. And yet, we hide behind screens... at work, while out walking, in coffee shops, during yoga, and, for some, even during sex. (Don’t ask me how I know this.)
Email, texting, Whatsapp and other options have made calling people, just to hear their voice and see how they’re doing, as boring and old-fashioned as black-and-white films. Your phone has a really cool app. It’s called... wait for it... the phone. What if you actually called someone? And had a real-live, real-time conversation? Of all the stupid things to die of, loneliness might be number one.
2. Don’t give death an assist
This guidance comes from Strategic Coach CEO Dan Sullivan. He tells his highly successful entrepreneur clients that they must have a shiny, new 25-year plan to motivate them to grow, seek new horizons, and add greater levels of excitement, contribution, success and satisfaction to their lives.
Yes, that’s right – a 25-year plan! Otherwise, we’re basically preparing ourselves and minds for an early demise. Dan’s overall plan is to live to 153. Someone once asked him whether he’d be disappointed if he didn’t make it. You have to laugh.
Turn retirement into rewirement. Find something you would love to do. Prepare yourself for the fact that your 2.0 will take years to develop and enjoy. Start that new business. Write that symphony. Do something. By contrast, people who retire without a plan often face the "3 D’s" in the first year after they get the gold watch: divorce, depression and death.
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It’s tough to go from being Dr. Frederick Jones, calling the shots in the operating room, to just plain Fred trying to figure out how to fill the empty hours. If you don’t have a plan for your 2.0, you might as well call the guys with the shovels.
And stop saying "I’m too old." You’ll never be this young again! Colonel Harlan Sanders sold his first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise at age 70. Giuseppi Verdi was composing legendary operas well into his 80s. Warren Buffett’s still investing at 92. Tony Bennett was singing past 90. Architect Philip Johnson retired at 97.
And comedian George Burns was performing into his 90s. He joked that his doctor told him to quit smoking cigars. So what happened? Burns would grin and deliver the punchline: "My doctor died."
What made all these people successful for so long? It’s not just "good genes." It’s because they were out there doing what they loved, without regard for what the calendar or well-meaning loved ones and friends might have suggested. You can always go into politics. These days, the Democrats seem to have a new battle cry: "Don’t trust anyone under 80."
3. Don’t act your age
I did my 10th Boston Marathon and 43rd distance race (marathons, half marathons, triathlons) this past April and am training for my 11th next April. But isn’t that bad for your joints? I’ll tell you what’s bad for your joints: not using them.
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If you aren’t building your body, through movement, weight training, nutrition, supplementation and adequate rest, you’re tearing it down. Instead of getting bummed by your actual age, ask yourself this: if you didn’t know how old you were, how old would you think you were? If that number isn’t lower by a few decades than your chronological age, go directly to the gym, do not pass Go, and do not collect $200.
Avoid people who talk about physical ailments, money problems, ungrateful grandchildren or anything else that’s negative. Surround yourself with people who act and think young and who are generous, growing and grateful. If someone tries to engage you in "hard times" talk, get in your exercise for the day by fleeing rapidly from their presence. Decide what age you want to reach. Me? 104. Cause of death? Shot in bed by a jealous lover.
Mark Twain said, "I don’t need a new friend until an old friend dies." Well, if you’re planning on living to 100 or beyond, you’ll need new friends, because you’re going to outlive your old, boring ones.
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So there you have it – my three-part plan for getting you (and me past) 100. And here’s the best thing about living past the century mark...
Less peer pressure!
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