06/02/2025
LIFE SPAN vs HEALTH SPAN vs WEALTH SPAN
Life Span - How long are you physically alive?
Health Span - How long are you alive while having the capacity to live in a fulfilling physical capacity?
Wealth Span - How long are you capable of living life in a high capacity physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, spiritually, and financially along with the impact you make in your world?
At first most people want to live as long as they can (extend their life span). But what most people don’t realize is that with technology and medical advances we might be living longer than ever but that doesn’t mean it’s a great life and the end of that life. Many times people that live into their 90s or 100s have had decades of inability to enjoy the things they love most.
If we stepped back and asked the question “If I could live to 120 with the last 30 years of life not being able to do most things I love OR if I only lived to 100 but was able to do most of what I love at moderate to high level, which would I choose?”.I know that I would rather take the shorter life span at a high-level capacity, than the longer life span with low-level capacity.
The third aspect of this concept is the Wealth Span. I’ll save the details of that for my future book , but the short version is, on top of our physical capabilities, add in what makes us wealthy. Not just wealthy in the financial sense, but in the sense of being the best version of ourselves and adding the most value to those around us. A well-rounded ability to have a great social life and relationships, fulfilled soul and positive impact to those around us, financial freedom, balance and availability of time and energy to spend how we want, and a few other aspects.
So going back to the idea of Life-Span vs Health-Span:
How do we extend our health-span?
I believe it starts with realizing what it is you actually want the capabilities to do when you are 100+ years old. Then start training for them now.
This is a list from Peter Attia’s book, Outlive, where he introduces an idea call the Centurion Decathlon. (Side note: I highly recommend the book! - https://a.co/d/aZK7mFC)
• Hike 1.5 miles on a hilly trail
• Get up off the floor with minimal support
• Pick up a young child from the floor
• Carry two five-pound grocery bags for five blocks
• Lift a 20-pound suitcase into an overhead compartment
• Balance on one leg for 30 seconds (or 15 seconds with eyes closed)
• Have fun (I replaced a different 3 letter word Dr. Attia used to keep it family friendly!)
• Climb four flights of stairs in three minutes
• Open a jar
• Do 30 consecutive jump-rope skips
It pretty obvious and natural that as we age, most things in our life will decline. So our goal isn’t to be able to do the above things as they are written, but to do them at such a high-level now, that with continued training, exercising, nutrition, sleep and living life in a healthy way, that we maintain and slow the decline so that when we do hit 100 years old, these activities are in our reach.
Another side note: I recently had the opportunity to see AC/DC in concert and to see the band, ages 70-77, bounce, run, dance, sign and do a 20 minute guitar solo was inspiring. There is definitely something to be said about doing what you love and loving what you do!
So the question is “What’s on your Centurion Decathlon list?”
I know I would add: be able to swing a golf club, have the ability to punch and kick, drive a car, and speak to an audience with presence.
What makes life worth living to your future self? The answer can be your motivation to push yourself now and inspire you to the next level of your fitness and health!
Looking forward to a great summer at FGHTR! FGHT FORWARD!
- Justin Scarsella
