What powers the 100 year life?
What are the chances of living to 100?
A child born in the UK today has a 50 percent chance of living to be over 105.
If you are 40 you have a 50 percent chance of reaching 95.
If you are 60 there is a 50 percent chance of living into your 90s.
You might see this as good or bad.
For the last few years, I think my Mum’s main purpose has been to reach her 100th birthday and receive a congratulatory message from the Queen. Inconveniently, the Queen didn’t quite make it; and a message from the King may take some time yet.
My Mum’s perception
Although I’ve had to interpret the words she used, my Mum’s belief is that there were 5 main reasons why she reached 100. They might not all be what you initially guessed:
· Nutrition
· Purpose
· Independence
· Mobility
· Adaptability
Let’s have a closer look at why these might be important for you:
· If you are of mid-life working age; or
· If you are planning to retire soon (future life), or have just started future life
1. Nutrition
Well, my Mum said her No. 1 reason for reaching 100 is “vegetables”. To her these are the vitamins of life. She’s not vegetarian – eats all food groups in abundance. For her food is front and centre of enjoyment: and her love of cooking has been her real hobby for many years – living alone, thinking, organisation, decisions, preparation, implementation, mobility and enjoyment. You can make the best out of almost anything.
Did you see the article the other day on the 109 years old lady? Her secret - she has a bacon sandwich for breakfast every morning!
As for those of us working and retired – you can draw your own conclusions, but “fussy eaters need not apply”.
2. Purpose
This could be a problem in your 90s – but not if your main purpose is to reach 100. The only problem there is that you don’t want a purpose with an end date; better to be a goal within an overall purpose.
In April this year HBR published a McKinsey article entitled “Help your employees find purpose – or watch them leave”.
In the wake of the pandemic, it showed nearly two-thirds of US-based employees reflecting on their purpose in life; and nearly a half reconsidering the kind of work they do.
The pandemic caused many people to think deeply. Previously they may never have considered their purpose during working life – too busy with just living and children.
Retirement is a jolt into a new reality, maybe a new identity. Purpose (connected to your values) is the vital integrator in creating a brilliant future life. It is frequently referred to as your “guiding light” or “North Star”.
3. Independence
Well fiercely independent in my Mum’s case, but you can over-use a strength.
You see, too much independence can equal always being right and it’s a bit dogmatic. So, it can sometimes be difficult for friendships – and that gets even worse when you start out-living friends; it can be a bit lonely.
But the other side of that coin is massive grit and determination. It was borne of living through war and very tough times. Fundamental changes in what my Mum had anticipated her life would be. The plan was University to study Chemistry (not the norm in those days) and marry a “Gentleman Farmer” (?). The reality became – married to an ex-soldier without money, eeking out a living as parents in a new country – with all the time taken by work and a large garden to home-grow all the vegetables (cheaper) – yet with 3 growing children to bring up.
She would probably say that younger people now should focus on what they want and make sure they get it. What she wouldn’t fully understand is the huge lifestyle, technology and cultural changes that mean growing up today is even more experimental than it ever was.
As we retire, we suddenly gain our independence. 24/7/365 is all yours – and that can be scary. To have a great time we need to understand ourselves, our values and our identity – and, of course, have that clear purpose.
4. Mobility
Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit all of my Mum’s sporting genes. As teenagers, she and one of her sisters were top level 100 metres sprinters and long jumpers. Had there been Olympics in 1940 or 1944, they would have been participants.
Post-war and children that didn’t continue, but that strength, stamina, speed and single-mindedness still played a large part.
In spite of 3 hip replacements (1 didn’t work properly) and advanced years, mobility did not become an issue for my Mum until the last couple of years.
For most of us the situation is different – it is clear we need to exercise to maximise our balance, mobility and suppleness in order to get the most out of our life. Even the Government has climbed on this bandwagon. The issue for us, of course, is usually one of motivation; until something happens that makes the point clearly. But listening to 100 years old on this topic could be useful.
5. Adaptability
I asked my Mum for 5 reasons and this was almost an afterthought, long after the initial 4. There was less conviction – but I think it’s relevant.
Through a long life, transformations are almost inevitable. The ability to adapt will certainly make those transformations easier.
Perhaps the partner of adaptability is resilience. Having both of these enabled my Mum to “make the best of things” as situations changed. In many ways the most taxing for her has been living alone after my Dad died about 25 years ago. It’s a long time to be on your own.
Anyone who is contemplating finishing full-time work needs to include adaptability and resilience in their thinking ………… but this can be better summed up in a single word “attitude”.
On the wall in my home Study, I have one poem which means a lot to me – with this title “Attitude” (by Charles Swindoll). If you don’t know it, I’d urge you to find it on Google. It tells you all you need to know.
Briefly, and finally, I have 2 other aspects that I believe are important:
· Friends and family – interrelationships with people on a regular basis have been shown to be key for healthy longevity
· Curiosity – arguably for me this is the most important of all the aspects. Look at the future and be curious about all sorts of things. I find great joy in novelty – new places, new ways of looking at things etc. It brings inspiration, motivation and fun.
We are all individuals with different views and you might have a completely different set of aspects that you view as key.
What is your list of essential ingredients for healthy longevity?
By the way, the book shown in the picture above is well worth reading