From No-Go to Go-Go

Over the summer I attended an event for a family friend. During the reception I caught up with an acquaintance, a senior business executive, who told me he was retiring at the end of the year. I asked him if it was due to mandatory retirement, or if he was sick of the grind after so many years. His answer really caught me off guard.

“I love my work,” he said. “It has nothing to do with that. But here’s the thing, I’m turning 64, and I want to enjoy my life while I still can.”

“You know the saying,” he went on:
“Sixties is go-go.
Seventies is slow-go.
And eighties is no-go.”

“I only have so much time.”

I’ve been stewing on this ever since. Here’s a guy in excellent health who loves his job, gets to travel all over the world, and he’s resigned himself to having just a handful of active years left. I can understand retiring to enjoy life - he no longer needs to work - but his motivation to retire comes from a belief that over the next ten years he will markedly slow down and continue his decline into frailty.

Contrast this conversation with one I had yesterday with a friend at the tennis courts where I play. After our match, he asked me if I wanted to drive to a local ski resort on Monday for a last day on the slopes before the spring thaw. I demurred… “I have to work Monday.”

“Come on!” He persisted, “We can do it in half a day.”

“We leave early from DC and drive to the mountain. We skin up the trail and ski down a couple of times, then we take a few lifts before it gets too warm, and we can be home by 2:00 and have you back at the office for the afternoon.”

For those who don’t know, “skinning up the trail” means you put your skis on at the base and then trudge up to the top of the ski run. No chairlift. High exertion for anyone.

But Charlie will be 82 years old this year! Not only is he a good tennis player, he’s also a strong skier and as active and vital as anyone I know. Charlie is a go-go guy!

Genes and socioeconomic status have an impact on how long we live - no question. But research shows lifestyle and mindset are huge contributors to longevity.

Let’s not buy into the outdated beliefs around aging. Once you become aware of it, you will notice how often you and your friends bring up the limitations of getting older. It’s a well-worn trope that we need to avoid!

My dad celebrated his 96^th birthday last week. Lori and I went to an Italian restaurant with him for dinner. He’s as sharp today as he was thirty years ago. He uses a cane and a walker to get around and is unsteady on his feet, but he works out twice a week with a trainer and reads three papers a day.

Sure, he’s had his share of medical issues. But he doesn’t complain or wallow in the negative. He’s curious and engaged in the world around him. I think the secret to his longevity, aside from being physically and mentally active, is his attitude.

There are lessons here for those of us on the front end of our second fifty years. There will be aches and pains in our future, but why conjure up limitations before they appear?Genes and circumstances are forces we can't control, but we can control our attitude and our commitment to a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Here’s to extending the go-go years and pushing out or eliminating the no-go years as much as possible!

Shingles vaccine linked to lower demential risk. I had a physical last week and was reminded that I have not yet received my shingles vaccine. I plan to get it next week. In addition to protecting against a very painful viral infection, which can lead to blindness and permanent nerve damage, the Shingrix vaccine appears to decrease one’s chances of developing dementia. 

One out of three people will get shingles in their lifetime. Adults over fifty are urged to get the vaccine, which is given in two doses some months apart. It’s a simple injection much like the flu shot. Even so, less than 20% of Americans have received at least one dose.

News flash! As I write this, I see that Harrison Ford has dropped out of presenting at tonights academy awards because he has shingles!

Yikes!

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Who Sent this Newsletter:

I’m George Harrop, founder of SecondFifty — an online resource for people who want to prioritize their health and wellbeing by taking a common-sense approach to nutrition and fitness.