The Longevity Mindset: Overcoming self-imposed age restrictions

Why is it that as we age, we become more likely to attribute aches, soreness, or joint pain as a product of our age? We comfort ourselves with the notion that we feel it more as we age and tell each other, “Once you hit 50, it’s all downhill.” Raising teenagers who compete in full-contact sports, I can attest that they feel just as much and arguably more pain and body soreness, and they have a completely different mindset.  When they come home sore and bruised, instead of viewing these pains as signs of decline, they see them as challenges to overcome. They push through the discomfort, recover, and come back stronger. In contrast, many older adults begin to believe they’re simply “getting old” and that there’s nothing they can do to change it.

This contrast highlights a crucial truth: our adopted mindset makes all the difference. When young athletes get hurt, they don’t view it as an inevitable consequence of age. They persevere, knowing that pain is part of the growth journey. However, as older adults, we often allow discomfort to hold us back, which leads to muscle loss, reduced strength, and a weaker cardiovascular system. We pull back from training as hard or engaging in activities that once brought us joy, focusing more on our limitations than our potential. Though with age, there may be real challenges with heart health and wear and tear on joints, these challenges have solutions available to explore (i.e., incredible advances in surgical joint replacements and clear pathways to better cardiovascular health).

Reflecting on my own life, I realize that soreness has always been a part of growth. Whether through intense workouts or minor injuries, discomfort was never a reason to stop—it was simply part of the process. Every time we tell ourselves that our age limits us, it will.  But it doesn’t have to. We can continue building strength, fitness, and endurance with the right focus. The key is shifting from a mindset of defeat to resilience and opportunity. When we embrace a "longevity mindset," we understand that our bodies are more capable than we often think. Yes, soreness and injuries are part of life at any age, and though we need to focus more intently on recovery and injury prevention as we get older, we can still choose whether to let these challenges hold us back or inspire us to adapt and push forward.

My challenge to adults is this: when you feel the inevitable soreness from exercising and strength training, first recognize it as a positive sign that you’re moving forward, growing, and challenging your body. Second, instead of settling on your own aging as an explanation for the aches and pains, stay curious about how you can still recover better, where you can get stronger, or even maintain strength at whatever age you are. Finally, let’s recognize that younger athletes sometimes need to visit their doctors to explore options to help them recover better and get stronger, and so should we. Let’s engage great doctors to help us in our health journey and explore the advances that longevity and sports medicine offer. The battle isn’t with our bodies but with our mindset. It’s time to let go of the idea that we’re "too old" and replace it with the determination to grow stronger, fitter, and more resilient at any age. The Longevity Mindset is the key.