by Peter Diamandis: I normally blog about technology… everything from AI to epigenetic reprogramming.
And in the past I’ve gotten seriously criticized for promoting expensive longevity treatments that “are only for billionaires.”
Yeah, some stuff today is expensive, and some of the most promising tech may not be available for many years…
But there is a super powerful therapeutic available right now—that is cheap and accessible to everyone.
Before I share that therapeutic, let’s begin with a simple question.
How long do you think you’ll live?
Seriously, what is your number?
Somewhere in your mind, you’ve buried a number, an expectation of your lifespan.
That age—when you expect to die—came from someplace… perhaps your parents, grandparents, or something you read.
Like it or not, that internal belief impacts your life and healthspan, and it’s time for you to re-negotiate and change that target, to reprogram yourself. It’s time to develop what I call a “Longevity Mindset.”
How? First off, it involves being excited about your life and your future. As my friend Dan Sullivan says, “You need to have a future that is bigger than your past.”
Need evidence? In a study of 69,744 women and 1,429 men, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, it was found that optimistic people live as much as 15 percent longer than pessimists. The study was conducted over three decades, controlling for health conditions, behaviors like diet and exercise, and other demographic information.
“Optimistic people live as much as 15 percent longer than pessimists.”
IMHO, that is seriously impressive. You get a double dividend out of being optimistic.
Here’s another story, from the annals of American History, that demonstrates the power of the will to live.
Two of America’s founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, willed themselves to live long enough to see the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Even though the average life expectancy was only 44 years old in the early 1800s, Jefferson (who was 83) and Adams (who was 90) made it to July 4, 1826, both dying on that exact date: the 50th anniversary of the nation they had founded.
Clearly, they had a goal in mind, something to live for.
So, how long do you think you’ll live?
Will you make it to 80 years old? Maybe 100? What mindset or purpose would you require to set a target of 120 healthy years and make it there?
Consider changing how you discuss your lifespan (healthspan) with others. Make it known to friends and family (with conviction) that you’re shooting for 100, 120, or even 156. Pick a number that inspires you and program that into your mind.
One of the most important conversations you can have with yourself, your friends, and loved ones is to ask the following question:
“What would you do with an extra 30 years of healthspan?”
Having a clear vision—and emotionally connecting with why you want those extra decades—makes all the difference in the world. The results are powerful.
To give you some hope, it’s worth noting that an organization I founded 30 years ago, the XPRIZE Foundation, is currently running a $101 Million Healthspan XPRIZE challenging teams to reverse the ravages of aging by 20 years. Incredibly, we now have over 550 teams competing from around the world. The results will be epic!
In Health,
Peter
