#33 What if you live more than 100 years?
The odds are higher than you think. The best time to prepare is now.
Welcome to 3X, the publication about living a meaningful life, read by 3000 people every week
1. You’re underestimating how long you’ll live
Most people assume they’ll live to around 75–80 years old because that’s today’s average life expectancy.
But that number reflects people dying now—people born in the 1940s and 50s.
If you’re in your 30s or 40s today, your real life expectancy is much higher.
Life expectancy has exploded in the last century.
With the number of centenarians growing fast— from just 23,000 in 1950 to over 600,000 today, and potentially tens of millions by 2070.
The biggest mistake? Planning your life as if you’ll only live to 80. A 25% longer life changes everything—your health, your relationships, your work, and your money.
2. How to reach 100 in good shape
Two ways to look at aging
Aging isn’t just fate. It’s something you can influence—slow down—and possibly even reverse.
Scientists see aging in two main ways:
Aging as a disease — David Sinclair sees it as epigenetic degradation. Over time, your cells lose their ability to read DNA properly. If we can reset this system, we might delay or even undo aging.
Aging as a risk factor — Peter Attia focuses on avoiding the “Four Horsemen”: heart disease, cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic dysfunction. His approach: push them back as long as possible.
"Aging is not the problem. It's how we age that matters." — Peter Attia
Different lens. Same goal: Live longer and better by taking control now.
The science-backed formula for longevity
Here are the proven levers to slow aging and stay healthier, longer:
✅ Exercise
VO2 max (cardio fitness) is the #1 predictor of how long you’ll live.
Strength training builds muscle. Muscle keeps you moving, steady, and independent.
Balance and mobility protect against falls, one of the biggest killers in old age.
✅ Nutrition
Control blood sugar. High insulin = faster aging.
Intermittent fasting lowers inflammation and activates repair systems.
Protein intake prevents muscle loss.
Nutrient-dense foods (greens, eggs, fish, nuts) support DNA and epigenetic health.
✅ Minimize epigenetic damage
Avoid chronic stress. High cortisol ages you from the inside.
Limit toxins. Pollution, alcohol, smoking—all accelerate damage.
Protect from excessive sun. UV light breaks down DNA and cellular repair systems.
✅ Hormesis: Stress yourself to get stronger
Cold exposure boosts cellular resilience.
Heat exposure lowers heart disease risk.
Fasting triggers autophagy—your body’s natural cleanup system.
✅ Sleep
Deep sleep clears toxins from your brain.
You need 7–9 hours every night. No negotiation.
✅ Track your progress
Check glucose, insulin, inflammation markers regularly.
Measure VO2 max, strength, and muscle mass.
Track your biological age, not just your birthday.
Sounds like too much? You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with a few habits, build consistency, and grow from there. Progress beats perfection.
Every habit matters. Every day counts.
"Small habits don’t add up. They compound." — James Clear
(Just a heads-up: we’re not doctors or scientists. This is a list we’ve researched and personally found valuable. Results may vary, so we encourage you to do your own research. Helpful links below.)
3. You will live longer—So replan your life
Most people are living on a 70-year plan. But you might hit 100.
That means new rules. New choices. Starting now.
You can’t afford to live like your parents did: Retire at 65, rely on pensions, and work one job forever.
That playbook is gone.
If you don’t make different choices today, you’ll pay for it later—physically, financially, emotionally.
✅ Prioritize your health
You won’t enjoy a long life if your body gives up on you. Don’t wait for a health scare. Eat better. Move more. Sleep enough.
Start now.
✅ Prioritize relationships
Loneliness is already a public health crisis. Extend that over a 100-year life, and it becomes a silent killer.
You’ll outlive some friends. Lose touch with others. That’s why you need to build deep, lasting connections—starting now.
Have kids—not to live longer, but to live with purpose. Imagine being 90, surrounded by grandkids. That’s not just aging well—that’s living beautifully.
✅ Prioritize learning over promotions
The world is changing fast—and it’s only accelerating. Now add a 60-year career to the mix, not the old 40-year one. That changes everything.
Your goal isn’t just to succeed now. It’s to stay relevant—decade after decade.
So forget chasing titles. Chase adaptability. Because your job title won’t matter if your skills are obsolete.
Prioritize learning over promotions. Learning is what keeps you employable—and alive on the inside.
✅ Prioritize assets
Let’s be blunt: you won’t retire on a pension.
If you don’t want to work into your 80s, start building assets now.
Own things that grow: stocks, real estate, businesses.
Create income that doesn’t depend on your time.
Build wealth. Don’t just earn.
A salary stops when you stop. Assets don’t. That’s your 40 year freedom plan.
(Some time ago we wrote about owning and building businesses)
Purpose
A long life is only worth it if it’s a life that matters.
And the best way to live longer is to live better—starting today.
Take care of your body, so you have energy.
Take care of your people, so you have love.
Take care of your mind, so you keep growing.
Purpose gives today meaning, tomorrow direction, and a longer, richer life in the years to come.
"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." — Friedrich Nietzsche
A long life isn’t something to fear. It’s a chance to love more. Learn more. Contribute more.
The choices you make today won’t just give you more years.
They’ll give you more life.
Thanks for reading 3x!
If this resonated with you, hit the ❤️ and leave a comment—it means a lot. And if you know someone who’d appreciate it, share it via email, WhatsApp, or on social media. Good ideas are better when shared.
Subscribe just below to stay in the loop. 👇
Related articles
Useful links:
Magnífic article!