The Back Nine

Yesterday I celebrated my 54th birthday. Go ahead, insert your best old AF joke, HBD old man, etc. I can take it ;)

But seriously, for all the self deprecating jokes I make about my age, especially as I increasingly become the old guy in the room/company/friend group/etc, I really don't feel old. At least not in a bad way. I guess I do feel wise, but rarely old or losing a step, or stuff like that. This is not me evangelizing my health and wellness routine (you get enough of that from me IRL or via LI/FB posts), this is me saying if you do live right, 54 just isn't that old. As the title of this article indicates, I think I'm only half way done. Possibly even less than that. To continue the golf metaphor, I'm hanging out at the turn, replenishing and getting ready for an amazing back nine!

I'm not just launching a startup post 50, I'm launching the first of at least 3 more I'll do over the next 25 years! I try not to bash millennials or Gen Y about their work ethic or work-life balance stuff. I can respect that. But I'm sure as hell not worried about them, other Gen Xers, and certainly not Boomers. I just believe I can continue to go at this pace for at least another 25 years, then when I slow down a bit, maybe I'll just invest and advise. But make no mistake about it, I will never stop working!!

Ok, now the wisdom stuff. I've learned a few things in the 54 years I've been on this planet. I've done a lot, and not all stupid or immature. But I have done a lot of the stupid stuff. And for the record, I don't think anyone reading this will learn not to make dumb mistakes, so I won't even go that route. I don't think it's me or the readers. I just think humans can't learn from being told. We have to experience shit first hand to learn. At least for most things. So here's what I've learned that I hope will help other, even if just a little bit.

Nothing is Forever

First, and IMO most important is this. Nothing lasts forever. Nothing! Not your life, not your friendships, jobs, phases of life, not even your family. Everything is fleeting. But don't take this as depressing, or even negative. It just is. The message here is to enjoy, engage, and live every moment. Wring every last drop out of everything at every stage of your life. Have I done this for all 54 years? Hardly. In fact, not even close. But I'm learning, and trying to live my life by this mantra.

One thing I can say with confidence to the younger generations, is you will never look back and appreciate things more than experiences! Take the vacation, travel, do. Just do, don't sit back and watch. I've been saying for a long time now, that a great trip changes you. It's just not possible to be the same person after experiencing an amazing journey. But I need to revise this statement. It should be, "great experiences change you!" As fast as life flies by, and it does fly, experiences are all we really have in the end.

And look, I like things. I can't deny that. But I truly believe I've been able to recognize they are just things. It's kinda like money. It won't necessarily make you happier, but sure can make it easier to be happier and make your situation better. And it helps create amazing experiences. And that leads me to the next thing.

Always take the money!

About 28 years ago, my boss at the time said something to me that I had no idea would become such an important guide in my life. "Always take the money" he said. The context was a discussion about a job offer I received. I explained it was much more money and higher level job. He couldn't match or beat the offer, couldn't really offer anything to make me stay. But he wasn't angry or negative about it. In fact, he was quite the opposite. He was happy for me. Every time I offered up a question or comment about the offer and if his statement was always the best option, he would never let me complete what I was saying, each time interrupting with "always take the money!"

Does this mean money is the most important thing in life and we should always put money before anything and everything in life? Of course not. And he didn't need to point that out. But we should, when presented with these choices, always take the money. Go for the promotion. Raise money for your startup. Find your dream job. Don't settle in life. If you are completely content and satisfied with your current job/and or place in life, and truly have no desire for more or different, then you already took the money. It's a different number and different opportunity for everyone. But remember, if you're looking for, or even presented with opportunities, you're probably not satisfied with where you are.

Learn

Not much to say here. Be a lifelong learner! I try to read every day. Books, blogs, news, anything I can find to learn more. Please don't be a sheep. While it's great to be educated and continually learn more, it sure doesn't help when too many of our fellow citizens don't do even the minimal amount of learning to avoid spreading disinformation. I don't know what the right answer is to fix that, other than encouraging everyone I can to read and learn.

Read, learn, listen!

Live Right

Ok, I couldn't get through this entire article without some heath and wellness thoughts. It's just who I am :)

What does "Live Right" even mean? To me, it means living in harmony with nature. Be a good human. For you, your family, friends, and other humans. I'm not gonna get political or preachy, instead keeping this on the health and wellness track. Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night, exercise daily, meditate, be mindful, live in the moment, eat a complete diet consisting of whole foods, minimize or eliminate sugar, alcohol, and all the obviously unhealthy stuff, and supplement where necessary with the right nutrients. Yeah, there's a ton of details I'm leaving out and of course there is disagreement on the best/right nutrition or exercise, but this really isn't that hard. Take care of your mental and physical health.

I guess I can't/don't understand why many people don't prioritize their health. I don't expect everyone to be an obsessive maniac like me, but why do people continue to do things they know are bad for their health and longevity? And please stop with the "I don't want to be old and feeble, would rather not live like that" nonsense. If you live right, you'll have both lifespan AND healthspan. Again, not that hard to understand, is it? Well shit, there I go getting all preachy.

I'll just leave you with this. Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night, exercise daily, meditate, be mindful, live in the moment, eat a complete diet consisting of whole foods, minimize or eliminate sugar, alcohol, and all the obviously unhealthy stuff, and supplement where necessary with the right nutrients. You WILL feel and look better. It's impossible not to if you do these things consistently.

Ok, the foursome behind us is pushing us to tee off

Sorry, that's my lame metaphor for having to get back to it. Took a break at the turn, now it's time to tee off at the tenth. For me, that means getting VelocitiPM ready for our launch June 20th, then growing and scaling it into a unicorn. Then doing that a few more times. Then advising, investing, and helping the next generations do this. Professionally, that's what fuels me. That's what I'm passionate about! I absolutely love (just about) everything about startups. It's what I was put on this planet to do.

And everything else? I'm gonna eat my own dog food for the next 50-60 years. Love and live every moment with friends and family. Be healthy. Travel. Be a good human being. And if there is just a little more daylight left after the 18th, I just might try to get a few more holes in.