20 - Develop a long life mindset . . . and planning how to live to 100!

Reason for this Goal: Have you ever asked "how to live to 100?" There are so many wonderful things to do, be, have, and experience in your life, and the setting of your 100 Life Goals is just the beginning.  

Why not set a goal to live a healthy and long life?  With the power of your mind being such a significant influencer in what you will achieve in your lifetime, the mere act of setting this goal, and believing in it, will help you live longer, so that you have as much time to experience as many things and goals as possible. 

I’ve noticed that most people, when asked how long they plan on living, do not expect to live to an old age, nor desire to do so.  They associate poor health with their later years.  

My perspective and challenge to you is to set an expectation that you will live not only a long life but live in such a way that your long life will be accompanied with great health until your last days.

Contemplate "how to live to 100" often.  Set a goal.   Believe it.  Live it!

How to live to 100 - strategies to live a long life

In addition to the 10 health and fitness goals featured at the 100 Goals Club (see below) other recognized strategies to live longer include:

  • Eat less  - There is ample evidence to support the science behind this, related to metabolic processes.
  • Learn to breathe deeper - Increase the percentage of blood oxygen circulating through your body
  • Increase your sleep quality - Consistent, uninterrupted, full sleep cycles) and duration
  • Spend more time outdoors  - Taking in ample sunlight in itself has numerous health restorative affects related to boosting our immune system and feelings of well being
  • Have a strong sense of purpose  - Setting and working towards achieving worthy goals will help.
  • Be socially active  - There are numerous studies that suggest people who feel socially isolated have up to a 40% chance of higher risk of death compared to people who are socially integrated.
  • Worry less - Just about everyone nowadays understands the link between high stress and disease.

Live a long life . . . why not target age 100??

I’ve have had a goal since the age of 30: I expect to live to the ripe old age of 100 years old.  I expect to ride a bicycle on my 90th birthday.   Will I achieve this goal . . . who knows?  

I’ve seen several gurus in the health field (who teach how to live a long life) die early; so there are no guarantees.  If I don’t make it, I’m fully accepting of that, knowing that I’ve fully lived and achieved so many well-planned goals, with so many good friend and family experiences.   But I firmly believe I will live longer and healthier as a result of setting this goal and believing in it. 

If you have a long-time perspective you are more apt to take care of your health and wealth so that you're able to enjoy your latter years actively.  

How to live to 10010 strategies to live a long life (including mindset)!

One of the best books on longevity that I’ve come across is, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer, From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest,” written by Dan Buettner.  This book studies the world’s longest living people, and finds out the things in common with centenarians around the world. Check out their Blue Zones website.

The best information I've discovered on longevity and becoming a centenarian is found here based on extensive research around the world with people living beyond 100 years old.

At the time of writing this book, I’ve been reading about the potential, within the next 1 or 2 decades, for lifespans to be significantly extended due to research and advances in health care and life extensions.   

There are some people speculating that within our lifetime, people may live an additional 10, 20, 50, or even another 100 years!    Who knows what the future holds, but it’s exciting to think that if we look after our health and bodies, we may be able to live an even longer life and accomplish even more goals!

KEY POINTS

According to Dr. George E. Burch of the Tulane University Sc tool of Medicine, an expert in the study of human longevity, many things determine how long you will live: weight, heredity, diet, psychic tension, personal habits. But Dr. Burch says, "the quickest way to the end is to retire and do nothing. Every human being must keep an interest in life just to keep living" . . .  pg 203

and

Goals, intense goals, can keep a person alive when nothing else will. Mrs. D., the mother of a college friend of mine, contracted cancer when her son was only two. To darken matters, her husband had died only three months before her illness was diagnosed. Her physicians offered little hope. But Mrs. D. would not give up. She was determined that she would set her two-year-old son through college by operating a small retail store left her by her husband. There were numerous surgical operations. Each time the doctors would say, "Just a few more months." The cancer was never cured. But those "few more months" stretched into 20 years. She saw her son graduated from college. Six weeks later she was gone. Use goals to live longer. No medicine in the world - and your physician will bear this out - is as powerful in bringing about long life as is the desire to do something. - pg 204

From the book The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz

Key Take Away:  Set a goal to live to be 100 and passionately believe in it!

Develop a goal and the mindset that you want to live to a healthy old age.  That is the starting point for all of your actions to follow!

Suggested Target Goal:  Live a healthy and long life to age 80 (or more)!
Outrageous Goal:  Live healthy to age 100.

Return to health and fitness life goals. 

Other strategies on how to live to 100

Of the 100 Life Goals, ten are strategically designed to maximize your chance on how to life to 100.  Are there guarantees, absolutely not!   Will they increase you changes . . . yes!

11 - Eat Healthy

12 - Maintain ideal body weight

13 - Be aerobically fit

14 - Be strong - lift weights

15 - Develop a calm mind

16 - Learn how to prepare healthy meals

17 - Learn self defence

18 - Complete an endurance event

19 - Play a Sport

20 - Develop a long-life mindset

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Last updated: May 15, 2020