People Who Stay Sharp As A Tack Well Into Their 80s Do 9 Things Almost Daily
moe magners | PexelsYears of awkwardness and self-doubt taught me something fascinating: Our behaviors reflect how we think about ourselves.
Not only that, but how we feel about ourselves also reflects our behaviors. It’s a two-way loop. This means that small actions make a massive difference to our self-respect and how we age: Those who stay mentally sharp into old age are often the ones putting in the work to keep their brains challenged. Those who don't tend to atrophy. Your choice.
People who stay sharp as a tack do these things daily:
1. They do little things to make others feel good
Show genuine kindness. Chuckle when someone tells a joke. Write someone a thank-you text — or even better, an actual letter (gasp). Take a moment to comment on someone’s photo they posted, assuming you genuinely liked it.
Most people are so preoccupied with themselves that they don’t have time to care for anyone else. But this is the problem: You'll only feel worse about yourself when you’re focused only on yourself. Focus on others, even in small ways, and you will view yourself much more positively, research has shown.
2. They give themselves a break
Yes, how we think is a habit, and often a self-fulfilling prophecy, too: There is a direct link between how seriously I took my critical thoughts about myself and my own sense of self-respect. When I turned my attention away from self-criticism, again and again, I felt so much better.
We must be intolerant of harmful thoughts. People say you need to "love yourself." Well, yes, of course, but that's often just lip service — all you need to do is let go of critical thoughts, and love will appear; isn't that magical how that works?
3. People who stay sharp adjust their posture
Vlada Karpovich / Pexels
Sit up a little more than you usually would. Walk a fraction taller with a hint of a jump in your step. Tilt your chin to the sky when you’re out and about. Feel a bold energy flow through you as you adjust your physical stature to who you know you can be. They’ve done cool studies showing how our posture influences how we feel, so walk tall and proud, even if you initially feel awkward. It'll feel natural soon enough.
4. They trust their intuition
Sounds woo-woo and fluffy and "self-help-ey," right? Right. And that’s why you’re preoccupied with the material world, your goals and targets, and how you’re coming across to other people, and then you wonder why you’re so stressed.
Most of us neglect the quiet voice guiding us beneath all the noise. (Hi, that's your intuition!) Gut instinct is indeed a thing, and it's there for a reason: because it works. We are all driven by an internal GPS that shows us each step of the way. Listen for it. You’ll realize something powerful when you do: You already have everything you need.
5. They quit that one bad thing
As Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do." So quit doing things that you don’t even respect. You know what vices you have. Identify the thing that draws you in for the short-term pleasure, which leaves you drained and depressed. Replace that bad habit (biting your nails) with something better (playing with a fidget toy).
Don’t worry about overhauling every single vice on your vice list. Focus on saying no to just one right now: If you begin viewing yourself as someone with self-control, your confidence will skyrocket immediately, and then you can work on tackling the rest.
6. They make things more fun
When you next speak to someone, be the one to make the interaction 5% more fun than it would otherwise be. Align the vibe to the appropriateness of the situation, but don’t be the guy who dampens the mood. In other words, don't be a Debbie D.
Instead: Lift it a little. You don’t need to be over-the-top in your interactions; just bring a sense of lightness to your expression, be it in person, on the phone, wherever. You'll start to notice that you'll enjoy your own company a bit more.
7. They sharpen their appearance
Gustavo Fring / Pexels
We can’t change how we look (unless you're into Botox and fillers, and all that — no judgment), but for those who prefer a more au naturale look, we can tidy ourselves up as best we can. Many give me trouble for this because they say it’s superficial. It's not.
Say what you will, but the small details make a huge difference: Notice how you feel after a haircut. When you wear a tailored outfit that looks fire. When you rock a new pair of duds. When your makeup is done professionally, all of these 'superficial' things contribute to a heightened sense of pride and self-respect. Others will feel your self-confidence radiating from the inside out.
8. People who stay sharp keep their word
Okay, little white lies to avoid unnecessarily offending others may be appropriate; that's just basic tact. But your deepest reserves of self-respect come out of your ability to live and behave authentically: Do what you say you’re going to do. Be honest with yourself and others. Say the things few others dare to say.
Whenever we lie, we're basically stabbing ourselves with a tiny knife, research from Notre Dame's "Science of Honesty" study suggests. We lose a piece of us when we hide. Lying or being inauthentic reinforces the idea in your mind that you believe you aren’t whole and you’re a deceiver. Self-respect is to live honestly.
9. They slow their roll
Something I missed for decades was how my self-respect would drop when I rushed things. When we rush, whether it’s a task at hand or how we talk (most of us talk way too fast), we’re unwittingly confirming our doubts about ourselves.
If we rush, we’re saying: ‘I can’t do this well, and I’m afraid, so let’s get through this as quickly as possible.’ Stop. Slow down. When we slow down to the speed of life, we’re acknowledging a part of ourselves that is entirely comfortable in their skin, purely at ease with the chaos and uncertainty of life. You may think that slowing down will make life harder, or you'll miss out on something.
The opposite happens. Slow down, and watch your self-respect soar. This is how you stay sharp as a tack well into your eighties, and to infinity and beyond, as Buzz Lightyear would say.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.
