In my last newsletter, I reflected on our core desires at various stages of our lives. I shared my @70 plan…how I want to craft a life of vitality as I begin my 8th decade. (I shudder even typing that). To me, a life of vitality, i.e. one of energy, passion and purpose is my ambition and I’ve designed a strategy to that end.
Part of my inspiration came from Dr. Peter Attia’s book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity. In the book Attia shares a very simple graph to illustrate the relationship between healthspan (my word for that is vitality) and lifespan (note my flip chart version below). He maintains that most folks’ vitality begins to wane and then drop precipitously the older they get (solid line). His thesis is that it is possible to extend a high level of healthspan far longer than the typical person and maintain it until the body says “no mas”(dotted line). The bulk of his book is spent explaining, in great detail, the kinds of strategies to accomplish such a high level of vitality. Attia’s recommended tactics involve exercise, supplements and nutrition with one short chapter on emotional health. Of course I am vastly oversimplifying his content!
The book got my attention, in particular his emphasis on the importance of exercise at any age and the absolute necessity of it in our later years. And when I say exercise, I mean strength training and mobility work. When I read the book, I was doing 0% of either. I walked a few times a week but that was about it. I determined to roll up my sleeves and get after it as a part of my @70 strategy. Then I had a sobering realization…I did not possess the motivation to go to the YMCA on my own and follow some routine I found online. I knew myself. So, I bit the bullet and hired a personal trainer to coach me in this one aspect of my physical vitality development. It is expensive, no doubt about it, and I’ll have to go it on my own eventually, but right now Andy McGinnis is my guy, and he is guiding me as I lift ever increasing weights and stretch my body in ways it hasn’t gone in years.
Look, at any moment I could wake up and find that my body is faulty, or I could hurt myself and limit my capacity, but right now I feel better in many ways than at any point in all my years. Yes, I certainly wish I would have begun doing this decades ago. Looking at you, 30 somethings.
And that is just one factor…physical health…that must be addressed if we have any hope of living an extraordinary life, one of vitality for the long haul. How is your physical health? The way I see it there are five more health factors that we must consider in our move toward vitality. That’s a total of six life factors that will determine if our healthspan transcends our lifespan!
There’s our emotional health. This is a big bucket that contains our feelings, our mental condition and our spiritual lives. In a future newsletter I’ll let you in on my musings here. But we muust be ruthlessly honest about our fears, our depression, our anxiety and our self-worth. These are the quiet dysfunctions that eat away at our vitality. How is your emotional health?
There’s our relational health. I just heard an intriguing quote. “Isolation is a liar.” What it reminded me is that I am vastly mistaken if I think I can go it alone. I may wish to cocoon but it will cost me dearly. Loneliness has been linked to various physical health problems, including increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Studies also suggest that chronic loneliness can lead to elevated stress hormones, increased inflammation, and poorer sleep quality! How is your relational health?
There’s our behavioral health. How I manage my time is just one aspect of behavioral health. Do I ever experience the wonder of “flow” when I am working so well and so productively that lose myself in it? That’s a product of behavior. And what of the mindless scrolling and addictive behaviors that make us waste our lives away. “We live in an attentional pathogenic culture.” Dr. Joel Nigg, Oregon Health and Science University. We just can’t pay attention anymore. That’s a behavioral health problem. So, how’s your behavioral health?
There’s our financial health. Recent surveys indicate that 77% of Americans feel insecure about their financial well-being. We’re worried about saving for retirement, managing debt, affording purchases with a growing cost of living, and keeping our jobs along the way. The American Dream is increasingly out of reach. Some key questions to consider in determining financial well-being are these. “How much financial margin do you have?” “Are you living paycheck to paycheck?” “What is your debt load?” “How much have you saved?” How is your financial health?
Then there’s our vocational health. And by vocation I don’t just mean job or career. I mean calling and purpose. Do you know the thing that you were created to be and do? Your calling is the most ancient thing about you. You were given it before you had a name and a body. Your purpose will also far outlast you in the form of the legacy you leave. Yeah, I’d say vocational health is kind of a big deal. Do you have a “why” to live for? How’s your vocational health?
Considering those 6 health factors…how would you assess your overall healthspan or vitality? And, assuming that one or more of those 6 is suffering, what’s your plan? How are you going to address them? Over the upcoming weeks, I will return to each of the 6 health factors to help you diagnose your concerns, dream about what you truly want for that aspect of your life and then set some goals to get you moving in the right direction.
I want to live a long life, but I also want to live it well. I’m thinking you do too.
