The Most Surprising Chapter Comes Later

Growing older is seen as a problem to fix, with cosmetic surgery, hair dye, lotions, and potions.

The anti-aging industry knows this well: it’s on track to hit $60 billion by 2032.

What if we’ve been looking at aging all wrong?

We spend decades dreading old age... then discover it may hold more joy than we expected.

Researchers are discovering that aging isn’t a cliff you fall off.

It’s a continuum.

Your experience of it depends a lot more on how you live than what the calendar says.

Traditionally, “old age” has been defined by a number, often the retirement age of 62 in the U.S.

But the age at which someone is considered old is shifting up.

Middle-aged and older adults today feel younger than people the same age did just 20 years ago.

Two 65-year-olds could have wildly different profiles: one managing multiple chronic conditions, the other thriving, running marathons, and working full time.

While aging is the strongest risk factor for many diseases, i.e., cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, our biological age (how our cells and tissues function) doesn’t always match our chronological age (how many birthdays we’ve had).

Stress, lifestyle, and even mindset can accelerate—or slow down—how we age.

How we think about aging affects how we experience it.

People who hold more positive beliefs about getting older tend to enjoy better physical, mental, and cognitive health.

Those who dread it are more likely to develop chronic illness, cognitive decline, and even die sooner.

In the Western world, youth is often idealized. But in many Eastern cultures, age is associated with wisdom and respect.

Maybe they’re onto something.

A massive study of over 460,000 people across cultures found that life satisfaction peaks around age 70. ​

By 70, many people feel less weighed down by career pressures or material concerns. They’ve weathered storms, gained wisdom, and often have more time for what matters--connection, reflection, and joy.

It can surprise you later in life, when most people least expect it!

Sure, other studies highlight younger “happiness peaks” at ages 23 or 35, times of optimism and ambition.

The overarching truth is that happiness ebbs and flows across a lifetime. It’s not tied to a number; it’s shaped more by how we live than how old we are.

The goal isn’t just to add years to your life, but to add life to your years.

As Peter Attia puts it, the real aim is to improve your healthspan, not just your lifespan.

We don’t get to choose the number of years we’ll live.

We do have some say in the quality of those years.

That’s the part worth investing in.

Want to feel better at 70 than you did at 40? We can help.

At TrainSmarter, we focus on strength, mobility, and habits that support a longer, healthier life—and it's never too late to start.