You’re Probably Not Gonna Live To 100

Summary

• There's a common belief that people will easily live to 100, but the reality is only 3 out of 10,000 people actually do. It's a very slim chance.
• The median age of death for men in the U.S. is 74, so if you're 37, you're already at the halfway point in terms of years.
• As you age, time feels like it goes faster. For a child who's 5, one year is 20% of their life. By the time you're 40, that same year feels like just 2.5% of your life.
• If you consider how time seems to speed up as you grow older, the true midpoint of your life, in terms of perceived time, isn't 37, but closer to age 21.
• Understanding this shift in time perception can help prioritize what really matters as you get older.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest starting by rethinking how you spend your time. Since it accelerates as you age, focus on activities that truly matter to you. Reflect on what's most important: family, health, or personal passions, and prioritize those.

A good way of doing this is by creating a simple priority list. Write down the top three things that matter most to you. Make sure your daily actions reflect those priorities. This doesn't require much time but can have a big impact on how fulfilled you feel.

Another low-cost strategy is to reflect on your current age in terms of perceived time. Realize that the "midpoint" of your life could feel closer to 21 rather than 37. Use this understanding to make intentional choices instead of letting life just happen. This perspective can help you better appreciate the present and make more conscious decisions.

I also suggest setting aside a little time each week to reflect. Think about how you're spending your time and if it aligns with what you truly value. If not, adjust accordingly. These reflections can be as simple as a 10-minute journaling session or a quiet walk to clear your mind.

Lastly, embrace the reality of life's duration and use it to live with urgency and intention. Focus on experiences, relationships, and personal growth. It costs nothing but can add immense value to your life journey.

Full Transcript

three out of 10,000 people live to 100 everyone has this assumption in their mind that they're like yeah I'm at 50 so I'm going to make it to 100 yeah well you've got a 3 in 10,000 shot of doing that very unlikely more realistically you'll die at the median which is 74 for men in the US which means that at 37 you're actually at the halfway point just in years but if you adjust for the increase in speed of time so the same reason that your kid at 5 years old thinks that something takes forever when you say it's going to happen next year and when you're 40 something that happens next year feels like you blink your eyes and it's there is that when you're five 1 year is 20% of your life when you're 40 1 year is 2 and 1/2% of your life and so it very much in a rway is nine times faster than it is for your 5-year-old and so if you adjust for that time speed your midpoint isn't 37 it's closer to 21