Fifty-five thoughts on turning double nickels.
Almost two weeks ago, I celebrated my birthday, and, as it always is, the day was filled with many good wishes, a flurry of Facebook posts, and a quiet celebration with my family. For the most part, getting older doesn't bother me or make me feel much of anything; it's really "just another day." However, that number – 55 – just feels different. Not in a bad or negative way, mind you, but it is different. For the first time, I know that I have a myriad of discounts at attractions all over this great land. Truthfully, it's almost as if the world is looking at me as if to say, "Hey, old man, we know it's not going to be too long until you're on a fixed income."
While I'm in the best shape since the first Bush administration, there are still days when every single joint reminds me that I was born in the 1960s. Sometimes, when I sneeze, it feels like someone is stabbing me in the lower back with a hot poker. Hell, I've noticed that walking will be near impossible if I sit the "wrong way" long enough. If I knew the "wrong way" of sitting, I would surely avoid it.
Despite all that, I am clearly on the back nine of my time here on earth, which gives me perspective and appreciation of what I have, the life I've lived, and what the future holds. As renowned philosopher Ferris Bueller famously said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Below are my 55 thoughts on turning 55:
There is no "easy button." If you want something bad enough, be willing to work hard intentionally for it.
Knowing what's important and what isn't is critical; it's even more crucial to learn how to sacrifice what is not important.
Integrity is everything – protect it as you would your most valuable possession.
Above all, your family is "home."
I wish I had a better relationship with my parents, and I hate that they missed out on the wonderful adults my kids have become.
If I drop off the grid, there's a good chance you'll find me in Positano, Italy, or sipping coffee on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Outside of my family, the things that give me the greatest joy in life cost next to nothing: serving others, listening to music, and spending time with people I truly love.
I love the access streaming music services afford, but loathe the way it has crippled artists simply trying to earn a living.
As a marketing and branding guy, I continue to be transfixed by packaging and how merchandise is displayed. In other words, I tend to linger at stores, trying to correct marketing and branding errors.
I can't comprehend why anyone would eat a steak cooked beyond medium rare. Really, what's the point of that?
Don't suppress big emotions. Allow yourself to laugh and cry with reckless abandon.
Be generous – with your time, money, and compassion.
The only way forward is forward. No one ever got anywhere by burning calories worrying about what happened in the past.
Be curious and ask questions to really get to know people.
Every single one of us is making it up as we go along. Me, you, the successful person you admire. Everyone.
It's okay to say "no" sometimes. Not doing everything that everyone wants is not only reasonable but essential to maintaining one's sanity.
Do things right now. Emails and texts that can be dealt with immediately should be. If there's something that I know needs to be done, rather than make a note to do it, I do it. It helps me create a mindset of efficiency and productivity.
Give freely, love freely, and receive freely. As it turns out, no one is keeping score.
I'm never as right as I think I am. Ever.
There are times when you won't have it in you to finish an important task, but it's essential to recognize the difference between when you need to give yourself grace and when you need to bear down.
Being vulnerable and sharing yourself is a superpower in a society where so much of life feels phony, scripted, and contrived.
It seems dumb, but I truly believe there is a direct correlation between making your bed in the morning and having a successful day.
I wish I had gotten into the band Rush sooner so I could've seen them live.
Turn off the work email notifications on your phone. I'm not suggesting that you don't check it from time to time when you're not in the office, just do so when it's convenient for you. It will help you stay focused on the present.
If someone asks you for help, do everything in your power to assist them. We were all beginners once, and it takes a ridiculous amount of courage to ask another human for their time.
Let shit go. Holding on to a grudge because someone wronged you wastes energy on something that is bringing you down. Trust me, the other person doesn't care one bit.
Your job doesn't define you; it's what you do to earn a living. Spend some time getting to know what ignites your passions.
It's not about you. The world isn't plotting against you when things go wrong. Find the lesson, learn from it, and move on.
Speak up. Your voice matters, and if you have a seat at the table, then you have value to share.
Watching my beloved Texas A&M Aggies play football is never, ever "fun"; it's a painful endurance test to see what creative ways they can crush my soul on any given week. Even so, I can't wait for the next game.
Intentional time spent disconnected, offline, and alone has allowed me to truly understand the person I am today.
Time is precious, which is why I have zero patience for those who refuse to respect it. If you can't be on time for something, be responsible and communicate BEFORE you're "officially" late.
The Beatles will always be better than the Stones.
It's NEVER too late to start something new. I started brandivate when I was 50, and it's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
Allow 15 minutes of silence – without distraction – every single day. Boredom allows the brain to find creativity.
I find it odd that "Black Friday" is now a week of online shopping deals. Does anyone even participate in the mall madness that used to happen?
Nothing is either as bad or good as it seems.
Everyone is incredibly creative, but expressing that part of ourselves takes enormous courage. Be brave.
Whenever possible, do the hard thing – and do it as soon as possible.
Movement is critical. I've never felt worse after a run, dancing, or even a walk.
There are times when being completely silly is necessary for both yourself and others.
There is a huge – and important – difference between selfishness and self-preservation.
No one owes you a damn thing. If you want something, go out and earn it.
You cannot force people to like you.
We all experience loss – especially the season of life when parents begin passing away. Grief is complicated and unpredictable.
Every stage of parenting has pushed me to grow and evolve into a better person.
Few things are better than waking up in the morning with the knowledge that there are no deeds to do and no promises to keep.
When possible, find a way to include the excluded. Not everyone has been afforded the same opportunities as you.
Until you believe in yourself, it's incredibly difficult for other people to believe in you.
Randomly tell people in your life how thankful you are for them and what they mean to you – you never know when that's the precise time they need to feel loved.
If I had to choose only one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be eggs.
Success is what happens between failures. You simply can't have one without the other.
The earliest (and, arguably, best) art form I ever mastered was that of the perfectly curated cassette mixtape.
"Ours" and "we" are infinitely more powerful than "mine" and "me"
Slow down and enjoy life. I've spent far too much of my time on this planet hurrying through one thing only to get to the next thing that I'd invariably rush through. In retrospect, that was dumb.
To be clear, I cobbled this list together over the course of a week, and I am not going to edit it to try to make these thoughts "perfect." In my mind, there's beauty in the imperfection, so I ask in advance for your grace if there are some overlapping thoughts or even flat-out redundancies.
Here's to what the future holds for all of us - just don't forget to stop and look around once in a while.
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