"Aging is biological, getting old is a state of mind"
So begins one of the chapters of my new book, "Don't Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body" (details below).
What is age, really? It's merely a number we use to keep score of how much time we've spent here on earth or, as a friend suggested, "the number of passes we've made around the sun." If you believe Albert Einstein who said that time does not really exist, it's all irrelevant.
Today, more than ever, age has become a non-issue. People of all ages, from the very young, 8 to 10 year olds, to pretty seasoned folks in their 80's and 90's, are reinventing themselves and creating in every area of life.
The advent of the Internet has made it possible for anyone, regardless of age, gender, or country of origin, to make their mark. Advances in health and fitness enabled Dara Torres to win silver medals in swimming, against women young enough to be her daughters. After winning, she remarked, "The water doesn't know how old I am!"
I like to compare it to the cartoon showing two dogs in front of a computer screen. One dog looks at the other and says, "They don't know we're dogs."
The advertising agency who represented more than a million dollars in ad sales for Web site WhateverLife.com didn't know Ashley Quall, the founder of this hugely successful enterprise, was a teenager until Fast Company magazine called to interview them for the story they were doing on Quall's success.
Success magazine recently featured a cover story about David Foster who, at 60, is still making hits in the music industry, a business dominated by young people.
It's interesting to note that one of his "secrets" to his enormous success is to "work." What a concept!:-)
My young friend, Carl Ocab "Kid Blogger," was earning a six figure income at age 13 showing other young people how they could create income with Internet Marketing.
In researching "Don't Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body," I found example after example of people of all ages who were leading full, creative and productive lives. This, by the way, is one of the big "secrets" to life-long success - find something to get excited about.
Create a strong sense of purpose. Years ago a friend taught me that the definition of purpose was, "A reason to expend energy." Purpose is what gets us up in the morning, excited to begin our day. It's the "juice" in our life.
What's your purpose?
Are you living it, at least in some part of your life?
What excited you? If you're not sure, ask yourself what makes you feel good when you do it? What comes naturally for you?
What is it that, when you talk about it with friends and family, gets you excited?
No matter what else you're doing in your life, by finding time to devote to the activities that tie into your true purpose, you will be moving toward your ideal life.
For me, it was the joy I got from writing my "Jim's Jems" newsletter that gave me that feeling and, over time, has led me to the life I now enjoy.
Over time, everything that is not part of my life's calling simple fell away, until I am left devoting all my time doing what I am meant to do.
If you're not sure what your purpose is, just pay attention to the actions and activities that bring you joy. Ask how you might do more of these. Start now incorporating your purpose into your daily life and just let the dream unfold.
