Setting goals is important in life. In fact, it is imperative if you are going to succeed. Writing down a goal is almost magical. I began realizing what my goals should be as I read more and more articles out of established medical journals. The more I read, the more I understood that the health of our arteries determines our aging process. I began to realize I could turn my physiological age clock back quite a few years by deciding to take control of three lifestyles that would determine my quality of life. 1) I committed to begin eating the proper foods and quitting the ones that caused damage to my arteries. 2) I committed to set up an exercise program that I would do, and work it into my daily routine. 3) I also committed to get to my ideal weight. I set those three lifestyles as reachable goals. After a few years, I wondered if it really was paying off. I went to Cooper Clinic in Dallas with a friend who was younger than I. When the multiple exams were over, they told me two findings that made me realize setting goals really works. They said that from a cardiac standpoint, I was in the “above 99th percentile” for my age group. That was great, but it was the second report that meant the most to me. That statement was: “you are one year younger physiologically than your friend – who is 11 years younger than you chronologically.” I knew at that moment the plan had worked; that I could become at least 12 years younger physiologically so that I could be younger than my best friend, who was in pretty good shape. I still remind my friend of that report. One time when he reminded me I was getting older, I told him about a dream I had one night. I had to hide my smile as I related it to him as follows: “I was sitting by your bed, actually it was your death bed in a hospital. I was seated by the right side, near the head of the bed. We weren’t talking. I was just sitting there thinking to myself. ‘It’s hard to believe: I only have one year left’.” Read Prescription For Life, set some goals, and get physiologically younger – beginning today. (You may even get 12 years younger.)
