Are You the Tom Brady of Your Field?
Category: Health and Wellness Issues
January 3, 2023 – Tom Brady, QB of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (or cousin Tom as we call him in our family), is 45.5 years old, having a pretty darn good season, with his team atop the NFC South standings. By all historical measures, he is a freak, performing as well or better than his peers who are 10 and 20 years younger. But he is not the only “older” person who is breaking records in a younger person’s field. How about you, are you still going strong in some vocation or avocation, astounding your peers with your ability to hang in there?
The NY TImes just profiled a group of senior aged citizens who are doing great in some physically and mentally demanding jobs. They wrote about Jesse Izaguirre – a paramedic who is 70, an 84 year old NYC City tour guide, a doctor who is 85, and a 95 year old artist, among others. Earl Pollock, who at 82 is still in the logging business, summed it up this way: “I keep the job on my mind 24/7, I guess I’ll stay till I can’t get up in the morning.” The Times used Census Data to help identify these outstanding specimens of tenacity.
Comments on "Are You the Tom Brady of Your Field?"
Patricia says:
And he has lost his family because he refused to retire. Not all positive. As an attorney I saw this often in couples when one was so obsessed with their job that the spouse felt abandoned and moved on to a more balanced life.
Daryl says:
And for those of us who don’t aspire to be a Tom Brady: Barbara Walters. Talk about grabbing the ball and blasting through the opposition, inspiring and mentoring generations into her nineties. But even she admitted her family life suffered at the expense of her achievements. Gotta have that balance if you want it all.
BillyBogey says:
Still think I am!! However, getting smarter in my old age!! Having a Lady around brings a smile to my Face!!
Jan Cullinane says:
I started writing books about retirement after leaving my primary career in academia (I taught Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Healthy Psychology and ran the science/math department at a community college). My husband had several corporate transfers, so I started thinking about all the Boomers, and where we (I'm in that demographic) would retire, and how to make the "rest of our lives the best of our lives." I wanted to write books that were holistic, not just about the financial issues affecting retirement (and my husband is a CPA, so that helped).
And, I had what I call the "5Ps" to increase my odds of success: Product (a book people would want); People (a huge demographic for my books); Persistence (I know it's not easy to get a traditional publisher, but I felt I would get one, and persevered); Platform (I gave free talks about retirement at local business meetings that were looking for speakers, so I would have groups I could contact once I had a book to promote - and publishers want to know you have a way to sell your books), Patience (it took a little time to find an agent who would represent me - I used "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published" to write my book proposal, and Passion (loved the topic, and knew I'd be helping my audience, as well as myself!).
So, have published five books, beginning in 2004, and my last one was just published in 2022. I'm also the "Healthy Living" columnist for a magazine that is directed primarily toward Boomers.
keith says:
I have no desire to keep working, just retired at 62 and damn happy about it. 44 yrs of solid work, I'm ready to relax...
Scott R Lucado says:
I'm part of the opposite.
I was forced into early retirement by a disability (stroke).
My new "career" is recovery. It's more than a full-time job relearning stuff like walking, driving, using my right side, etc. And I'm one of the lucky ones -- I am improving (slowly) and I have a loving, supportive wife.
Well, work if you must, but keep in mind that life is short and we're fragile beings.
Daryl says:
My grandmother lived to be 99.5, of sound body and mind right up until the last month. She was 4’9” and 175 lbs. At that time I was an aerobics instructor, mother, had a full time job frantically running in the rat race. I remember asking my grandmother whether having “piano legs” as she called them, bothered or embarrassed her. “No, they get me where I need to go.” And that was her philosophy of life. She walked everywhere and took public transportation into her nineties, ate plain foods although to excess, didn’t drink, wasn’t religious, had no chronic diseases and didn’t sweat the small stuff. There’s no plaque on a building in her honor, or book in the library, but she raised 4 great kids while working full time. So every time someone dangles a carrot in front of me today, or dares me to keep up with the Joneses, I think of her.
Admin says:
Just came across a book on how to age better by a Swedish author in the NY Times. Margareta Magnusson offers 3 life lessons to age "exuberantly". Embrace kärt besvär is #1 - which means get the most out of painful things that you can still cherish. For example, paying bills is no fun, but be glad you have the money to pay them. Secondly, surround yourself with younger people to stay young yourself. Lastly, try to say "yes' more often. Too often we get stuck in our ways and avoid new things. Go for it!
Bill Bamber says:
Buy in on all 3!!. #1 is just right! Was raised to pay your way. #2 Like; because I learn & grow!! #3 It still Ticks Me Off to say "Yes Dear"!! more often than I need to. Do it as "Peace in The Valley" leads to a desired result!!