Top Five Reasons I Decided to Live to 120

Recently, I published a book called I’ve Decided to Live 120 Years: The Ancient Secret to Longevity, Vitality, and Life Transformation. Often, when people hear the title, they immediately ask, “Why would you want to live to be 120?” I can understand the question, since I, too, once considered it impossible to live that long. In the few cases I knew of people living anywhere near that long, it seemed like a fluke, and not a very desirable goal since it would likely mean living in a feeble-minded and decrepit state for a long time. But, now that I’m 67, my thinking has very much changed on the topic. Here are my top five reasons why:

5. It’s completely possible. Scientists now know that a lifespan of 120 years is possible. First, there are individuals all over the world who have lived to be an age close to that. Wikipedia keeps of list of all the verified oldest people in each country where that can be determined. A quick glance at the list shows that most developed nations have individuals that have lived well past 110, suggesting that supercentenarian status is not dependent on a certain gene pool. Second, biologists have determined that the telomeres in human cells are capable of lasting for 120 years of cell replication, which indicates our biologically possible lifespan.

4. I want to age positively and proactively. After I passed 60, I noticed that my attitude toward my health changed. Instead of assuming I could get stronger and maintain good health, as I had when I was younger, I was much more likely to be passive about my physical state. It was as though I had given up on my body just because I had reached a certain age, thinking that my decline was inevitable. But now, I notice that I have changed my attitude; I once again believe that I can maintain my strength and fitness. Why? Because I decided to live to 120. Instead of thinking I will be old and dying within 15-20 years, I now plan on having a long way to go. At 67, I’m still relatively young, if I am going to live to 120!

3. I greatly admire people over 100 that I’ve known. When I was a young man, I did not know of many people past 100. I assumed that I was only destined to live 65 or 70 years, as had been the case for those I had known. Now, it is not uncommon at all to live into one’s late 80s or 90s, and there are many stories in the media of sprightly people who are well over 100. In the United States, the population of people over 100 has grown by 65% in the past three decades! These people are now role models for all of us, some of whom I talk about in my book.

2. The world needs the wisdom of older people. It’s no secret that we have become a youth-oriented world. Almost always, younger is assumed to be better. In Korean culture, this was not always true as elders were traditionally revered. Sadly, even Korean culture, as it has become industrialized and “modern,” has increasingly given into this younger-is-always-better notion. The results of this, I believe, have been disastrous as cultures around the world become more materialistic and individuals become more isolated and hopeless at all stages of life. That’s why we need a return of the elder, as person who brings deep wisdom from a life of experience and growth. Does that mean that every older person is automatically a great elder? No, that is something that must be developed deliberately, as I discuss in depth in I’ve Decided to Live 120 Years.

1. I am called to complete my vision. Another thing that prompted me to change my thinking about aging is pragmatic: I still have a lot to do here on earth. I have accomplished much in life, but there is still so much more to do. I want to live to see my visions fulfilled, especially my Earth Village in New Zealand. Determination to fulfill your own vision can give you the motivation to move forward with passion and confidence, too.

I hope that you will consider reading my new book, I’ve Decided to Live 120 Years. I believe it will completely change your perspective on the later years of your life, which I believe are much more important than most people realize.