What I Want for the Rest of My Life

"What do I want for the rest of my life?"

I've asked myself this question dozens, perhaps hundreds of times for the last 49 years and 364 days. Today started at 3:30 AM Pacific Time with that very question.

But this day was my birthday—another year older (actually, just a day older but who's counting?).

Most people see aging as a diminishment of "who they were" rather than an unfolding of who they are yet to become. Candidly, I've been one of these "most people" at times (I think it started at about forty-nine and a half).

I have lot of diminishments—I sure can't run as fast as I used to. I can't do a powerlifting squat worth a damn anymore. I jump about as high as I did in my early teens and it sucks when it comes to sports. To make it worse, as an athlete "the older I get, the better I was" memories make it harder to accept I won't be turning "pro" anytime soon at anything in sports. Most nights, I have to "try" to sleep, and I take longer to wake-up, warm-up, and put-up than I used to. I have to "think" to remember facts I could recall in nanoseconds in my thirties. The "remind myself" lists now fill a page almost daily.

And a host of other creaks and quirks have crept into my physical and mental being that I don't remember having fifteen years ago (I could make a list but a catalogue of complaints would serve no useful purpose).

 

Today, it started with that question…

"What do I want for the rest of my life?"

 

… and ended with a declaration.

"What I want for the rest of my life is…"

 

Perhaps turning 50 today has steered and steadied my focus from the question to the answer.

The unfolding of who I am about to become.

At first, this morning I thought about what I didn't want for the next 50 years of my life; useful in creating a contrast between "what is" and what I would like to change--useful yes, but inefficient AND ineffective. Then I moved into making a list of things I "could" do. The list was almost overwhelming since I believe we live in a universe of infinite potential and I've been blessed with incredible opportunities. Next came the list of "should" do's—WAY too daunting and it felt more like a necessity than an inspiration of passion and purpose. Finally, I came down to was… THE LIST…

"What I Want for the Rest of My Life…"

No, it wasn't a goal list. It wasn't a list of dreams filled with "like-to-have's" or "want-to-be's"—or "would-like-to-do's". It was a list of what I want, who I will be and what I will do for the next fifty years of my life. A personal promise, a solemn vow…

…A Declaration!

I worked and I wrote. I got choked-up a few times (I'm not much of a crier), I giggled to myself. I reflected and I wrote some more. I scribbled and I mind-mapped. I added to the list and I scratched stuff out. But, at the end, I had it. What I ended up with was a list of things I will strive for, live for, and maybe even die for. These things will be the overarching guideposts of the next fifty years of my life. It wasn't simply about receiving; much of it was about giving--giving to others, giving to myself, and giving to a purpose and a cause higher than myself.

You'll be seeing and hearing a lot about what's on the list as my list comes to life. I invite you to the unfolding of who I am about to become, but in the meantime, I have a question for you...

 

What do you want for the rest of your life?

 

 

Comments

[Paul Simister, Your Profit Coach]

Happy 50th birthday Spike.

It's good to hear that you are asking the big questions and coming up with the answers.

I know people who are in a vacuum. They don't have any direction to aim for so there is no drive or purpose to get there.

Sad.

May your next 50 years be even better than the last.

[Mwangi - the Displaced African]

At the risk of being redundant....happy happy birthday yet again. Interestingly enough as soon as you asked the question, the answer that jumped into my head in an instant was:

"A life where quality far exceeds the quantity"

And I love that as a metaphor.

[Joel Bomane]

Spike,

Happy to see you've wrote the post FASTER
than I expected:-)

Incidently, the theme you are writing about
has kept me awake the past 3 NIGHTS.

You've made ONE step - the hardest -

and it surely helps bring life's priorities
into perspective...

with no feeble mind or tong twisting...
but with the tears of HOPE.

Yes a CAUSE greater than ONESELF!

A CAUSE in TOTAL alignment
(mental & emotional) with WHO I AM.

A CAUSE that will so MUCH exhaust
ALL MY ENERGY that in the end of my days

I could say:

"WOW! What a ride! What a journey!"

I have chosen to FOCUS on:

A) MY FAMILY: PRIORITY! being of VALUE to them...

B) MY MAIN CAUSE FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS:

"-THE VOICELESS- Indigenous Voices":

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/index.html

The works of ICRA INTERNATIONAL,
Claude Levi Strauss (100 years old -Anthropologist)
and people like PAUL POLAK have already paved the way.

Never before in the HISTORY of Humanity so much
choice, power, education was opened to EARTH
CITIZENS...to CHANGE his internal world,
and the world at large.

- to whom much has been entrusted, much will be required -

Spike have a safe day, thank you for sharing!

Your inner examination requires LUCIDITY and COURAGE.

Cordialement

Joel Bomane from Sunny Sudden France

P.S: We are waiting forward to see your list unfold
and blossom.

[Clay Franklin]

Happy Birthday Spike!
Interesting I have been thinking
about the same thing this year
as I age and realize some things
are not getting better like arthritis
and some are getting much better like
business and marketing skills.

I had a dizzy spell today that
really scared me because I never
had one before. It was the first
time I thought about calling 911
or going to the emergency room.

I have more thought to put into
what I want for the next 45 years
of my life. I am very glad I stumbled
upon your blog today from Twitter
and will be accessing in a different light
"what I want for the rest of my life".

One thing for sure is to create a successful
livelihood with all my new found marketing skills
and be a good Dad, Husband, Brother and Son.
I need to dig deeper to find the essence for each.

Thanks for the thought provoking post.
I look forward to meeting you in person one
day.

Clay

[Alex Kitingan]

Hi Spike

Happy Birthday again. Well, you and Jay have both certainly been positive catalysts in my life and business which I emulate and pass on - daily.

Thank you.

Blessings and abundance

Alex Kitingan

[Toshiyuki Okamoto]

Happy Birthday , spike .

I 've joined your seminer with jey ebraham in tokyo japan
last month .
I ' ve got a lot of inspiration from you during 4 days .
I 'm loking foward to see you next seminer in japan
near future .

Thanks and Good day
Toshi

[jyoti]

Hi Spike,

Happy birthday (belated).

I know that you are already doing significant things by having impact in a positive way to so many people. I also know that the rest of your life has just begun..it gets even better (I was watching Oprah sometime ago....smile).

God bless...

Jyoti