HOW TO LIVE
ENJOY AND MAXIMIZE
YOUR SECOND FORTY YEARS
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

Our mortality
is a fact of life.

To spend too much time
preparing for death
wastes our biggest asset
life.


The Two-Life Life


Why not?

Are you nearing retirement age
and feeling dissatisfied
with your accomplishments so far?

Join the club.

There's always room
for more.

Don't jump just yet.

You do have another choice.

The Two-Life Life.

How to change the pattern
of too early death.

This book is a constructive set
of procedures to follow.

Steps you can take
to enrich and lengthen
your "second forty" life.

This book is really about
your future and the future
of your children.

You can accomplish
nothing more important
than setting a good example
for future generations
to follow.

You have been involved
in an economic and cultural
struggle to provide
for your family.

This book proposes
concrete ways to enlarge
your own objectives and rewards.

You can show your children
a more positive way of life.

Most of us have been
furiously dealing
with the daily necessities
of life.

We haven't taken time
to consider the choices
we have available.

Too often we have been
reacting to work pressures.

We haven't had time
to know what was going on
in our lives.

This book contains
common sense approaches
to the dilemmas and opportunities
of growing older.
-----------------------


DEDICATION

Dedicated to the class of 1949
or any other class
that wants to keep living life
to the fullest.
------------------------


INTRODUCTION

This book is dedicated
to those over 50
who wonder
"Does it really make sense
to act your age?"

My answer is no.

Never.

Unless you think
that society knows best
when you should die.

If you have doubts
about that idea read on.

If you feel better
than that inside read on.

If you still are curious
to see what happens next read on.

This book is for you.

This book is also
for children who don't want
to see their elders die
just yet.

This book is for them too
to tell them they're right.

We elders can and should
set our own clocks and
dance to our own music.

We should shrug off any
societal folklore that says
"nice people are supposed to die
at 70 or 80."

The goal of anyone's life should be
to live it full blast
until each individual clock
really runs down.

In this book I'll try
to share with you
the thrill of realizing
that you really can
extend your life's limits.

You can continue life experiences
and broaden again your horizons.
----------------------


ALREADY 25 YEARS
INTO THE "2ND 40" NOW?

WHAT CAN YOU DO
AT THIS LATE STAGE?

Speed up your timetable and
get on with the program now.

So you're not 30, 40, or 60?

Read on and never say
"No one ever warned me."

Winston Churchill
was a late bloomer.

Why should you join
the "over the hill gang"
when you've got so much
going for you?

You no longer have
to define your second lifetime
with marriage and children.

You probably have enough children
with some terrific grandchildren
on the way.

You no longer have
to define your second lifetime
with marriage and children
unless you want to.

Your marriage is probably doing OK.

You probably don't need
any more kids
if you already have grandchildren.

By the way
those grandchildren
could really benefit
from some extended live-in
time with you.

Some parents value
getting a break from the kids.

Money making.

You probably have a lot more
than you think coming in.

If you enjoy making money
take a small piece of your cash
and make some more.

Make sure that making money
doesn't interfere
with other more important goals
like your learning and growth.

Tomorrow can be a forever
if you live it fully.

Tomorrow may be
the best day of your life.
----------------------


THE SECOND FORTY YEARS
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
CAN BE THE BEST LIFETIME
YOU EVER DREAMED OF.

Most of us graduate High School
age 16 to 18.

Some of us attend college and
then work several 1 or 2 year jobs
until we make a serious career choice
around age 28 to 33.

Some of us bypass college
and after several jobs
take a steady job for many years.

Most of us start to plan
for the next 30 years
after age 30.

Many of us retire
or are working at reduced levels
by 57 to 60.

Most who have good jobs
retire by 57 to 62.

Those who change jobs
or occupations between 33 and 45
usually have to work
a few more years to make up
for lost retirement benefits.

Many women today started careers
between 35 and 45
after their children
were in high school
or because of divorce.

Childbearing women may
get a later start.

Any late starters
should realistically plan on
only 25 to 30 years
for the first working lifetime.

If we can afford it
most of us stop
our main occupation
about 40 years
after high school graduation.

After all
we did what we were told to do.

We worked.

The bad news.
--------------------


WHEN WE STOP WORKING
WE START DYING.

Instead of dying
we should plan
for two 40 year careers
after high school.

40 career years and only a
few years of retirement
is a waste.

We'll get more out of life
if we contribute and fix clear goals
as actively in the second 40
as in the first.

Accidents or health
might terminate
the second 40 years.

We're much more likely
to live out the second 40
if we take our new goals
as seriously as those of the first.

The quality of life
in the second forty
will be much greater
if we plan and strive
for new successes.
---------------------------


YOU CAN LIVE A BETTER
SECOND LIFETIME.

Count how much you own
and have accomplished.

Count how much
you need to accomplish.

Stop being afraid of death
and preparing for death.

Plan and strive
for the second forty
and you'll probably get
what you want
or come a lot closer.

In any case
you have nothing to lose.
--------------------------


LIVE FROM 57-60
TO 100 OR MORE.

What a big opportunity.

Just consider how often you've said
"I haven't got time."

Now you do have the time.

If you work out
your own plan now
you will probably realize
much of it.
-----------------------


YOU SHOULD HAVE
A SECOND LIFETIME.

Live like you care for LIFE
with the experience and education
you now have.

You can have a second lifetime.

You have many assets.

You can transcend problems.

You can accept others
as they are.

You know how to live
within your means.

You know when silence is golden.

You have raised your children.

You know ways to handle stress.

Love is SO much easier
in the second 40 years.

You understand the difference
between love and infatuation.

You can maintain real appreciation
for those who provide continuity
and acceptance in your life.

You have the time to get
most of what you wanted.

Now that we know
we're going to live
let's make sure we live well
and accomplish what
we didn't have time for before.
-----------------------


PUT THE OLDISMS ON HOLD

One of the most important ways
to make sure we live well
during our second 40 years
is to put our "oldisms" on hold.

Permanent hold.

What is an oldism?

Its a time and energy-wasting habit
people get into
when acting old before their time.

"Oldisms" are stereotypical
behaviors that say we're older.

Example.

Walking slowly or shuffling along.

Knees spread apart
instead of striding along
with knees close together
as young people do.

Acting fragile as if the
next stiff breeze
would blow us over.

It won't.

Refusing to take
all the exercise possible,
regardless of any aches and pains
that may ensue at first.

(Admittedly
the older we get
the more we are subject
to aches and pains
we never had before.

The best way to ward off
many of them and
to lessen others
is regular exercise.)

Walk if you can't jog.

Swim if you can't walk.

Always strive to keep arthritis
and other physical
manifestations of aging
on the defensive.

Never give arthritis
an even break.

Don't insist
on new privileges of rank
as a result of aging
and (supposedly) superior wisdom.

Those who really
have superior wisdom
don't want to be
treated differently.

Listen to the
views of others.

It is increasingly difficult
to be patient as you get older.

We may have heard it all before.

The only way to know for sure
is to listen awhile.

One of the greatest gifts
elders can give the young
is simple willingness
to listen for awhile.

(Then we can tell them
we've heard it all before.)

Being childishly unbudgable
on issues where the sky
will not fall if you budge.

One of the greatest advantages
of getting older is that
(most of the time)
we know better than the young.

We know when the sky
really will fall
and when it won't.

We should use that wisdom
to save ourselves
unnecessary hassles.

Being over-opinionated.

I find it extremely difficult now
to hold back when I see
so many situations
where my superior wisdom
is so badly needed.

I have recently learned
one proof of superior wisdom.

Hold back until someone asks
for your opinion.

They may give you
perhaps all of 30 seconds
to state your case.

What more can you ask?
------------------------------


YOUNGISMS

Shoot for a second 40 years
of productive life.

Revive traits that launched
you into your first 40 years.

I call them youngisms.

Follow the advice
of the old song
and "elim-i-nate the negative."

"Ac-cen-tu-ate the positive."

Be imaginative.

Dream up new ways to solve
or get around old problems.

Ask questions of those
who know more about a situation
than you do.

Find persons with
a different background
or point of view.

You won't learn much
from talking with those
who agree with you.

Be flexible.

Start over when
your first approach
to a problem doesn't work.

Attack head-on the few big problems
that really call for it.

Some young persons
don't know any better
than to attack
all problems frontally.

Be more selective
and save your energy
for the big stuff.
------------------------


OLDISMS

Here's a review.

Acting fragile.

Being too serious.

Not listening.

Blaming others.

Never budging on budgables.

Being difficult and opinionated.
--------------------------


YOUNGISMS

Imaginative.

Asking questions.

Being too serious.

Negative youngisms.

Oldisms

honorable
careful
safe
serene
detached
settled

Youngisms
change careers
keep up appearances
chronological youth
vigor
risk taker
dreamer.
---------------------

HOW TO LIVE
A SECOND LIFETIME.


WE ARE LIVING LONGER.

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Within the last 200 years
the life span of Americans
has increased sharply.

Since statistics
lag behind reality
these numbers may be
too conservative.

Currently a couple
on social security
is allowed to earn _____ per year
and still keep benefits.

Out of many options for age 62
many choose
low social security payments.

Some choose this option
because they think
they will die soon.

They have limited belief
in their future
and the availability
of social security.

Because statistics
often lag behind reality
the following numbers may be
too conservative.

Within the last 200 years
the average life span
of Americans has nearly doubled
from 40-plus years to 70-plus.
-----------------------------


RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS

The retirement timing
has been wrong
for some of us.

We have stopped our work prematurely
expecting a short retirement.

Then we found we had
another 25 to 40 years to live.

How minimum wage
can be a better return
on invested time.

Don't jeopardize your future.

Keep your savings in your pocket
for the first 2-3 years
of a new occupation or project.

You don't have
to "buy yourself a job."

When I was 27
I bought and sold businesses
with a business opportunity broker.

Too many of my customers
were recently retired employees
who used their home equity or
pension fund as a down payment
for a motel or restaurant.

Many made mistakes in judgement
lost their business and equity
then had to go to work for wages.

It would have been far better
if they had worked for wages first.

Had they first learned
more about the business
and kept their capital
they could have made
a more informed decision.

Only buy yourself a job
as a last resort.

Many of our decisions
have been made in fear.

Keep 80% of your cash
in safe reserves
for financial leverage.

You have worked hard
to accumulate your assets.

Don't desperately
hock those reserves
for anticipated profits.

Try on the shoes
before you buy them.

Start new occupations part-time
long before giving up your first one.

You don't have to risk a penny
to check out your ideas
on new occupations or business.

Get involved and work part time
for the competition
until you understand every facet
of their business.

Be sure you know
how to keep the books.

Get in a position to know
all the true in and out costs
and hidden capital costs.

Pay an accountant
to help you really understand
the cash flow needs
of that business.

Resist the temptation
to "off with the old
on with the new."

You should work part time
in a new occupation
until the flush of enthusiasm
has worn off.

Be absolutely certain
you want to continue
with the new project.

Owners of new businesses
usually don't make a cash flow
killing in the first year
or so anyhow.

Letting someone else train you
at minimum or nominal wages
will pay more than you can expect
to earn in your first
year or two flying solo.

New businesses almost always
need much more capital
than entrepreneurs plan for.

Especially if they're successful.

You can learn the competition's
methods and procedures.

Develop a basis
for more informed management.

Best of all you'll be receiving
some income.

You can avoid incurring
losses or a cash drain
while you're learning
the new occupation.
------------------------


SOLUTIONS:

Keep your money safe.

Eventually start a new enterprise
that really interests you.

Feed your curiosity.

Don't feed a disaster.
-------------------------


WINNING SYSTEMS
FOR LIVING A SECOND LIFETIME.

Use every opportunity
to maximize growth
and excitement.

Keep every day in focus
to collect your rewards.

Most of us assume
we have accomplished
most of our goals.

We think we are
entitled to sit back
and "enjoy our golden years."

What do we mean
by "enjoying our golden years?"

For too many of us
that means letting
our minds and bodies
become more and more immobile
until death finally provides
permanent immobility.

Many of us can't expect
to have many "golden years."
-------------------------


MY 4OTH REUNION

At my 40th
high school class reunion
someone asked when we should
have future reunions.

"Every two years?

Every five years?"

I should have stood up and asked
"What should we do in 40 years?"

That should be the question
as we near or arrive at 60.

Many of us are already living
longer than anyone expected
back in the fifties.

Many of us live to be 80 or 90.

I see no reason why
we shouldn't be shooting
for the 100s
110s and 120s.

Not all of us will live
another 40 years after age 60.

We all will live better
if we try to live
as if we have a new 40-year
career ahead of us.

Consider this.

Is there any one of us
who didn't mess up somewhere
in our first career?

Perhaps we messed up
more than once.

Perhaps we were ignorant or foolish?

Perhaps we were timid or fearful?

Think how much more we know now
about what's important
and what's not.

We know how to work with people
and how to get things done.

Why shouldn't our enrichments
of money and knowledge
enable us to plan
and start a second career?

Perhaps a second career will be
more rewarding than
our first one was?

Will we live long enough
to reach the goals
of a second career?

Who knows?

If you don't reach them
you won't be alive to know.

We do know that
most of the fun
is in the trying.

Trying to reach new goals
will certainly motivate us
to take better care of ourselves.

We can help ourselves
live longer and better
than if we sit and play
at "enjoying your golden years."
-----------------------


PREMATURE DEATH

Many of us die prematurely
because our culture
teaches us to die.

How?

It teaches us to play it safe.

To limit our exposure to risk.

To quit too soon
before we are worn out.

To withdraw from others
we might be able to help.

To withdraw from others
we might enjoy knowing.

To stop our contributions
to our community
to our city
to our society.

When we quit
when we withdraw
when we stop contributing
we are dead
whether we know it or not.

Actual death soon follows.
------------------------


OUR CULTURE
TEACHES US TO DIE

Day after day it tells us
to die.

"Don't you think
it's time you retired?"
the boss and friends ask.

"We want a younger person
in that job."

"Take it easy"
say friends and children.

"You've earned the right
to take it easy."

"At your age you've got
to be more careful..."
(of your heart or back
or whatever).

These comments are partly true.

Perhaps we should heed them
up to a point.

The best reason to retire
from your first career
is to start a second one.

You've earned the right
to take it easy.

McDonald's ditty is right.

"You deserve a break today."

It is definitely
a grandparent's highest duty
to spend some time playing
with his or her grandchildren.

If you're a hiker
there comes a time when you do
have to be more careful
of heart or lungs or feet.

You have to leave the ski slopes
to someone else
or take them a lot slower.

All those statements
are only partly true.

Skiers know
the top of the peaks
are always rocky and cold.

Sometimes they're windy too.

Often there's a great view.

But the most beautiful places
on the mountain are usually
a little farther down.

At timberline and just below it
where the forest shields the wind.

And where the views
are also inspiring.
----------------


One of life's great pleasures
is simply to stand still and
watch the puffy white clouds
float through the so-near sky.

Its a good time to reflect
on how lucky you are
just to be alive.

When I can no longer do that
maybe it'll be time to die.

I don't know.

I haven't gotten there yet.

But this I do know.

For an older person
times and places like those
are the soul-refreshing rewards
you get for keeping yourself
fit and alive.

There are thousands
of such rewards.
---------------


DON'T NEED MONEY?

For many of us
the best rewards come
from working with people.

Depending on taste or opportunity
that may mean teaching
or tutoring young people.

Maybe you should be
helping older people.

It may be paid work
or volunteer.

Sometimes it leaves us frazzled
but it can keep us interested
and useful.

The goal is to maximize
the life in your life
no matter what your age.

You can live old or live useful.

You can live old or live vital.

You can live old or live exciting.

You can live old
or live successful.

So why live old?

Avoid old age isolation
at all costs.

Dullness dooms.
--------------------


STOP DYING 40 YEARS TOO SOON.

There are illnesses
that sneak up and kill some of us
before we're aware they're around.

There are also times when death
is an accident.

In my experience
too many of us invite death
to take us away
years before we need to.

We've all known people
who felt their life was over
when they retired.

Or when their last child married
or their spouse died.

This book agrees with the famous
baseball coach who said
"It isn't over until it's over."

And until then you
might as well enjoy
keeping the ball in play.

I cannot forget the father
of one of my friends
who had been a top
government engineer.

Upon retirement he just moved back
to Grand Junction (Colo.)
to die.

All his friends and professional peers
were in Washington.

Grand Junction
is a more interesting place
to live than he made it.

Western Colorado
is full of beautiful spots
spectacular scenery
historic places
and interesting people
alive with character.

Yet John simply
went into hiding there
and vegetated until he died.

He lived for 12 more years.

No telling how long
he might have lived
had he exercised and taken
more interest in living.

It's not as if he lacked
other talents he could have used.

He could have kept life interesting
and perhaps profitable
for himself and others.

He left a few haunting paintings
done when he was young.

The paintings showed
that with more training
he might have made a living
as a portrait painter.

The man simply refused
to use his talents and interests
to make life new and interesting
for himself after retiring.

Too many of us are doing that.

Many of us take too seriously
the "golden years" guff
our culture hands out.

After retiring we plunge
into golfing or fishing
or whatever other escape
looked so inviting
when we were hard at work.

Isn't this what you're supposed
to do in your "golden years?"

We find it not nearly
so satisfying when we try
to fill seven days
a week with it.

But if we don't do that
what else is there?

For so many of us it's nothing.

Play cards or watch TV?

Too many of us feel
it really won't matter
because we won't have
many years left anyway.

Too many of us die
because others are dying
and we come to think of dying
as acceptable for us as well.
---------------


FIND NEW CAREERS

The way to make those retirement years
the most golden
is to plunge into new careers.

Do whatever it was you always wanted
but couldn't because you had a family
to raise or support.

Explore a field
you really wanted to try out
in your 20s or 30s.

Did you ever want to try
the life of a forest ranger
or an urban social worker
or a marine biologist?

Now that you have
an assured basic income
no more kids to support
why not check it out?

You're free!

Why not live that way?

You can afford
to take a job at low pay
or even at no pay
to find out how things
really are in the field
that intrigued you.

The world is your oyster
so open it!

The more you exploit
your retirement years
the more likely you will have
more years to use.

Keeping busy at something
that's fun for you
and life-enhancing.

This time you can make
more informed choices
to improve your
quality of life.

With so many years to go
its worth taking
more care and precautions.
-------------------------


WHAT TO DO?

MORE SUGGESTIONS

Volunteers or partly paid
FFA (Future Farmers of America)
scouts boys or girls
museum docents.

Start your own museum
or get others
to place their collections with you
to have a bigger show.

Cook books
craft classes
start teaching whatever you know.

Develop a network by telephone
to enroll students or tutor
in the public schools.

Plant gardens for the city.

Plant trees by the thousands.

Enlist your network
in the projects.

Conduct tours.

Carefully plan
the contents of your talk.

Plant flower gardens
in public spaces or parks.

Plan each activity
to include as many
other conversations as possible.

Start a support group
with your network.

Build a neighborhood discussion
lunch or improvement club.

Arrange tours of your home museum
with local school groups.

Positive choices will entail
exploring ideas
that could improve our society
if properly implemented.

Projects to chose from:

Legal Aide advisor.

Provide support for crime victims.

Run a boarding house.

Canvasser for charitable
or political causes.

Back room lobbyist
for causes you think worthwhile.

Mix your voice with others.

Join a choir.

Feed the homeless.

Make a year round cellar...

Can 1,000s of vegetables...

Join United Way...

Find the courage or inventiveness
to participate in community needs
communication or artistic matters.

Get a list of people
in your zip code area.

If you're physically or
geographically isolated
write somebody a letter.

Another alternative.
Have your boss make donations
to the cause of your choice
instead of paying you cash.

Seek organizations
that need part time help.

ALTERNATIVE

Pick jobs that keep you active
during the best TV hours
then you won't be as likely
to develop couch potato sickness.
-------------------------


HOW TO SPEND
THE SECOND FORTY YEARS
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Think how much you've grown.

Why not grow even faster?

What to do:

Memorialize the life
of your family
with genealogy study.

Of course you have to write
call or visit the members.

By learning about your roots
you will understand better
what made you who you are
and how you can still change.

Learning can become
your permanent profession.

Go back to school
and learn to write
to your grandchildren
and great grandchildren
when you're 60.

Quit accepting
the previous statistics.

Get free tapes for non-readers.

Make free tapes for non-readers.
---------------------


COMPUTERS FOR KIDS

Advice to parents and grandparents.

If your school doesn't have
enough computers for your child
to use at least two hours per day
buy or borrow one for your child.

(We will loan young students
a word processing computer
for one year.)

$100,00 refundable deposit
required.

Don't buy your child
any other toys and toys or desserts
until a computer is acquired.

If you buy a new but inexpensive
word processing computer
ownership cost per computer
is 100.00 per year if amortized
over a 6 year life.
----------------------


COMPUTER LITERACY IS NOT A LUXURY
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
IN TODAY'S WORLD.

IT'S EASIER TO LEARN
BEFORE YOU START 1ST GRADE.

That's why all 5 year old children
can get six weeks
of word processing training
at my school.

Inexpensive computing
is here and should
be made available
to all levels of society.
------------------------


COMMENTARY:

We must fear less
so we can experience
and understand more.

Self-discovery
can be very painful
but very exciting.

Don't give up 40 years of life
without trying harder.

Don't lose too much time
tying up loose ends.

Make a will to keep control
over your affairs
then start doing the second forty.
-------------------------


Q and A

You stayed in your occupation.

You came to dislike it.

You didn't leave.

You didn't want to risk
your livelihood.

Perhaps the promised benefits
were great or at least something.

(If the company didn't steal
the pension funds).

You might have stayed
for low cost insurance.

Didn't want to change cities
to get a better opportunity.
----------------------