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I’m Terrified Of Becoming That Crotchety Old Man Everyone Despises
Seven behaviors and mindset shifts that stifle old age thinking
When my peer celebrated his 51st birthday, he said something that nearly crushed my soul.
I had wished him a happy birthday and then asked what was next for him. He mentioned his laser focus on his 57th birthday. That’s how old he’ll be when his youngest child graduates from college. “Eight years of work after she graduates,” he said. “And then I’m off to the golf courses.”
That wasn’t the comment that punched me in the gut. It was his next statement. “Fourteen more years,” he said. “If I keep my mouth shut and kiss ass, I can survive fourteen more years at this place.”
I asked what else had going on his life. He shrugged and said he was tired of the bullshit.
He may not be old in chronological years, but he’s old in spirit and mindset. He has surrendered his ambition, his dreams, and his hopes. He now lives only to run out the clock.
The seven mental shifts to keep you young
Sure, it’s sad when a guy in his prime decides to coast through the remainder of his life. When you’re in your thirties or forties, you see people like that and vow never to…