One Thing to Age Better

One of the most worthwhile efforts I make is cutting through the noise—the pseudo-fitness gadgets, miracle supplements and time-wasting trends. The problem is, most people don’t have the time or the patience to separate what works from what’s nonsense.

So I do.

At age 40, I needed medical clearance to qualify for arduous duty as a wildland firefighter. Because of my family history—my father died of a heart attack at 53—I was required to pass an exercise stress test.

I remember sitting with the cardiologist, Dr. Smith. He sensed my anxious thinking. “I have 13 years?” After confirming that my heart and circulatory system were healthy, he said something that stayed with me: “Your father’s heart attack is not prophecy. It’s information. If you choose to live differently, your outcome can be different.”

I’ve been developing and testing that idea—living it, refining it—for nearly 30 years.

In my March newsletter, I wrote that the longevity I’m pursuing is performance longevity. I don’t want to simply live longer, dependent and limited. I want to be hiking, climbing, and fly-fishing in remote, roadless places regardless of age.

That perspective aligns with what physician-researcher Eric Topol said in a recent interview: “If we could live to 85, totally intact, that would be a phenomenal advantage.”

But that kind of outcome doesn’t come from fascination with longevity. It comes from commitment.

Today, many people are captivated by the idea of living longer. It’s compelling. It’s marketable. But it pulls attention away from something more important: living better now.

Most of the flashy tools—biological age tests, full-body scans—create the illusion of control without meaningfully improving daily life. They measure, but they don’t move the needle. What does?

Effort.

Here’s a personal update: all four of my brothers—both older and younger—have had stents or bypass surgery. I have had neither.

During my most recent 2025 exercise stress test, the physiologist remarked: “I’m impressed how you continue to exceed the expected maximum heart rate for your age.”

That’s not a story about genetics. It’s a story about alignment.

And here’s the real takeaway:

I am not the story. The human body is.

When you align your lifestyle with biology—how your body is designed to function—it responds. It adapts. It reveals capacity you might not expect.

The leverage isn’t in a device, a test, or a trend. It’s already in you—latent and waiting.

You activate it with consistent, deliberate effort.

If my work has changed how you think about aging, consider sharing your thoughts.

A review of my book The Ageless Angler helps others find this work and see what’s possible.

Stay Well!

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