Don’t let the old man in!
In explaining his longevity and huge success in his later years, Clint Eastwood famously said, “I get up every day and don’t let the old man in.” Seems pretty simple. It speaks to state of mind and controlling the narrative of your life. I will be honest, getting older scares the shit out of me. The thought of losing my independence terrifies me. But fear can be a powerful motivator!
As a kid, I don’t think I would have ever been described as “lean” or “fast.” Remember the “Husky” jeans sold at Sears? Those were what my mom was buying for me when I was a kid. I played basketball and tennis with some success, but I was slow and never in good shape. It really bothered me. Most of my friends were thin and fast and I wanted to be like them. I was afraid that I would never be able to keep up.
There is a lot of talk about how people “identify” these days. Well, I needed to “identify” as an athlete. Which meant a change of habits. I needed to commit to being disciplined about my exercising, eating, and mind-set. Being an athlete needed to become a major part of my life. Thankfully, I made the commitment when I did and have continued that commitment for over 40 years. I took control of the narrative and changed my story. I played three sports in high school and after high school became a dedicated runner competing in countless road races, multiple half-marathons and even five triathlons. Fear continues to motivate me today. I have traded in my running shoes for an elliptical machine, but I still identify as an athlete. That may sound a little silly at my age, but you must continue to redefine what “athlete” means as you get older. I can’t do what I could do at 35, but I can do everything that I can at 58 to push myself to be better.
Finding motivation helps me stay committed to taking care of myself. I have always loved the “Rocky” movies. I think the character is so identifiable because he is not the most talented or naturally gifted, but he has the ability to continue to push himself and fight when all others would quit. He takes full responsibility for his outcome by giving everything thing he has. He wills himself to continue. He wills himself to take more and keep moving forward. Watch this and tell me the hair doesn’t stand up on the back of your neck. I love this.
A little closer to home is my good friend Wayne King. Wayne is 75 years old and still runs 4 or 5 days a week, lifts weights, and is still an athlete. He is an inspiration to me and many, many others. Wayne and I ran together for over 30 years and even after my knee forced me to quit, he still pounds the pavement every morning. I hope at 75, I can inspire others as he does.
I know I cannot beat Father Time. But I am going to do everything in my power to keep him at bay. I will control my story as long as I possibly can and being an athlete will always be part of my identity. Keeping my body healthy, improves my mind, my attitude, my life. Fear can be a good thing sometimes.