Becoming 'evergreen'
Changing how we age and ensuring we remain healthy, productive, and engaged for longer.
Greg and I started the Mid Life Athlete podcast because we felt something had changed. Our parents were not running marathons, doing ironman events or rowing across the Atlantic in their middle age. They, and more importantly society, considered them ‘too old to be doing that sort of thing’. People who regularly exercised in middle age and beyond were considered ‘unusual’. Now the amount of people who are doing not just regular exercise but pretty hard core stuff in their middle age has grown considerably. Mid life athletes.
Pretty much every mid life athlete we have interviewed has talked about the why. Sure there is a short term goal - the next event - but there is always a long term goal to remain as healthy as possible in older age. To remain mobile. To enjoy playing with grandchildren. To be independent. Mid life athletes are the early adopters of the sort of ‘radical change’ that Prof Andrew Scott believes we should all be considering.
We interviewed Andrew in one of our first episodes way back in January 2021. You can listen to the interview here. He has just released a new book, The Longevity Imperative. Professor Scott, is a leading expert on the economics of longevity, and he argues that humanity stands at a crossroads. While increased life expectancy is a triumph, simply living longer isn't enough. Andrew proposes a "longevity imperative": ensuring these extended years are healthy, productive, and fulfilling. This requires a radical shift in how we approach midlife and beyond.
Today we are in an ageing society. An ageing society means there’s been a change in the age structure in the population, but we haven’t changed how we age, so older people are less likely to be productive, more likely to be ill, and face a host of other challenges. The change Andrew proposes is to become evergreen – to construct a society that “prepares us for longer lives and ensures that the quality of life matches its newly found quantity.”
In writing the book, Andrew has pulled together the many different strands that need to come together to achieve a longevity society. From ageing biology and the economics of ageing, through to the changes needed in human beliefs, culture and psychology. The book seeks to integrate many different perspectives and themes into a single coherent framework, starting with recognising that humanity has already achieved a longevity revolution. Global life expectancy is now greater than 70. As we’re now living to 80 and beyond, we must start thinking about our life course differently, which opens up this need for radical change – to become evergreen in Andrew’s words. Given the probability of becoming old is now so high, we have to behave differently; we have to invest more in our future.
The Middle-Age Mindset Shift
Andrew emphasises that middle age is a crucial turning point. Many traditional views about life stages are outdated. Retirement at 65 may no longer be financially or personally sustainable with a potential 30+ years post-retirement. Instead, Andrew advocates for an "evergreen agenda" – actively managing our health, finances, skills, and relationships throughout our extended lifespan.
Here are some key ways Andrew suggests we can adapt in middle age:
Health: Prioritise preventative healthcare, focusing on diet, exercise, and stress management. Early intervention for chronic conditions becomes critical for maintaining future wellbeing.
Finances: Rethink retirement planning. Traditional models may not provide for a longer lifespan. Consider working longer, exploring flexible work arrangements, or acquiring new skills to stay competitive in the workforce.
Skills: Embrace lifelong learning. The nature of work is constantly evolving. Upskilling and reskilling throughout life will be essential to maintain employability and personal growth.
Relationships: Invest in social connections. Strong social networks are crucial for physical and mental health throughout life. Nurture existing relationships and cultivate new ones.
We need to adopt a more holistic approach to prioritise health, something Greg and I have been exploring in our Mid Life Athlete framework
Beyond the Individual
Andrew acknowledges that individual actions are just one piece of the puzzle. Societal changes are also needed. He highlights the need for:
Revamping healthcare systems: A focus on preventative care and age-related health challenges.
Restructuring work models: Flexible work arrangements, phased retirement, and opportunities for continuous learning within the workplace.
Financial policy reform: Updating pension systems and encouraging individual financial planning for a longer lifespan.
The Takeaway
The Longevity Imperative is a call to action. By embracing a proactive approach to health, finances, and lifelong learning in middle age, we can not only extend our lifespan but also create a future where a longer life translates to a richer, more fulfilling experience.
We all need to become mid life athletes.
For an interesting approach to preventative health, take a listen to our interview with Dr Ramin Rafei who talks about 'prevention as a service'
This is such an important topic. I think we think we’re pretty invincible, but there are certainly things we can do now, as a mid-lifer, to help us in the future. Thanks for this piece! The book sounds really interesting.
WOW!!! This is precisely what I'm sharing about in my next letter coming out on Wednesday.
Witnessing my parents age is eye opening to say the least. They are from a generation whose parents died in their mid-60's. My dad always said he wanted to live until 3 score and 10.
Well, he did that. Almost like clockwork, he significantly declined at 70 with an Alzheimer's diagnosis. No one saw it coming.
He was the healthy parent. The one who was a pescatarian, fasted on Thursdays, did yoga and pilates everyday, took daily walks and practiced music.
My mom is legally blind. We all 'planned' for my dad to take care of her. Now I'm caring for both of them and doing what I can so that IF I need care at that stage of life, my affairs are in order. AND, also preparing to not need that care.