Four Lifespans of a 40 Year Old

I've been thinking about human lifespans today. I think about weird things all the time. Anyhow...someone called me yesterday and in the course of our conversation I found out they were 40 years old. For some reason, it struck me that just four forty-year life spans ago (that would make it 1848), the Civil War was still 12 or 13 years in the future. Then I started thinking about how much has happened in our world in such a short time. For example, here's a few things that had not been invented when my young friend was born in 1968:

• iPods (2001)
• Viagra (1998)
• Commercial E-mail (1993)
• The World Wide Web (1990)
• Prozac (1988)
• Microsoft Windows (1985)
• Cellular phones (1979)
• VCRs (1971)
• ATMs (1969)

Go back forty more years to 1928 and you eliminate the following things from our world because they had not been invented yet:

• Yo-Yos (1929)
• Copy machines (1937)
• Ballpoint pens (1938)
• Color TV (1940)
• Microwave ovens (1946)
• Credit cards (1950)
• Diet soft drinks (1952)
• McDonalds (1953)

Go back forty more years to 1888 and you eliminate the following things from our world because they had not been invented yet:

• Zippers (1893)
• TV (1927)
• Air conditioners (1902)
• Airplanes (1903)
• Talking motion pictures (1910)
• The bra (1913)
• Band-Aids (1923)

The forty-year period before that knocks out automobiles, bicycles, telephones and puts us right in the middle of the events leading up to the Civil War.

Now let's go back a few more lifespans...in terms of evolution a mere blip in time. Anthropologists and archaeologists use a term called behavioral modernity (also known as the Great Leap Forward) to describe something significant that happened to humans about 35,000 to 50,000 years ago. Apparently, something triggered some unusual changes in the brains of our ancestors. Suddenly, in terms of evolutionary time, homo sapiens began to think abstractly and creatively. Between then and now (an evolutionary "bat-of-an-eye") humans invented language, tools, religion, art, music, cooking, Prozac and iPods. The current world average lifespan is 67 years (the world average...not the U.S. average). I don't know about you, but I'm amazed at how much we have accomplished in only about 634 average lifespans (let's average things and say the Great Leap Forward occurred about 42,500 years ago and divide it by the current lifespan of 67 years).

Wow...a lot has happened in a relatively short time! A lot of people have accomplished a lot of stuff! It makes me want to think more carefully about what I do with my time and energy every day. After all, I'm only 634 lifespans forward of the Great Leap Forward. I think I'll spend more time thinking about what really matters in my life today and for the rest of my particular lifespan. I think it is time to let go of some of the things that are inhibiting my forward progress. I think it is time for me to make some kind of Great Leap Forward in my life. Why don't you join me!

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Chris Crouch, president of DME Training and Consulting, has spent years researching and studying both the mental and physical aspects of being productive.

Comments

[Cristin Lind]

Interesting to note that the maxim "It's not how much time you have, but how you use it," doesn't just apply to us humans, but to the universe as well.

[Chris Crouch]

Debbie,

I've been eliminating energy-absorbing things (excessive cars, guitars, golf, golf-club memberships and other grown up toys) for years and have gotten myself in a pretty good position in terms of the 80/20 Rule. At this point, I will primarily continue to work on getting better at letting go of some of the "mental attitudes" I have been working on (and making some progress on) for years.

A big issue for me is letting go of the three categories of irrational thinking that Albert Ellis talked about (he crassly referred to these issues a "mustabatory thinking"):

1. Thinking I must be a certain way (that is not really in alignment with my life path).

2. Thinking others must act or behave in a certain way (usually the way I want them to behave).

3. Thinking that the world must be a certain way.

I am on an ongoing quest to minimize or eliminate this kind of thinking (it burns up way too much of your energy to think that anything "must" be a certain way rather than accepting them as they are and dealing with them the best you can).

Here are a few other things I let go of over the years that were inhibiting my progress:

A corporate job and the accompanying benefits and monkey traps (in my case and considering my passions in life this made sense...I realize it will not make sense for everyone).

Carrying my cellphone with me everywhere I went and answering it everytime it rings.

Crazymaker people who try to enter my life.

Lots of illusions and irrational beliefs (such as being busy all the time was a good thing).

Saying "yes" to things I really wanted to say "no" to.

As you can see, I eliminated many of the grammar rules (such as ending a sentence with a preposition).

I could go on and on. But I think I eliminate any further comments at this time.

Thanks for your feedback!

[Debbie Rosemont]

Great post Chris. Really interesting things to think about. Just curious, what are a few of the things that you're going to "let go of" that are currently inhibiting your forward progress (if you're willing to share)? I have recently created a "Stop Doing" list based on the 80/20 principle and have it posted as a reminder. It feels good to eliminate some of the 80$ that doesn't really matter, or that doesn't take my personal or professional life forward so that I have more time to focus on the 20% that does.

I always like to learn from others and you've been a great teacher. Thanks for continuing to share.

Debbie