According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, author of Chasing Life and CNN’s Senior Medical Corespondent, we don’t.

“I learned that most people don’t necessarily want to live longer, unless they are of sound mind and body, without terrible illness late in life, not confined to beds or wheelchairs.”

“They want to live their lives like an incandescent light bulb, burning brightly, until they suddenly go out. No flickering at the end.”

When it gets down to it, you and I are going to shuffle off this mortal coil, to borrow a phrase from Hamlet.

The real quest isn’t eternal life on earth according to Gupta, but rather an exceptional life. Those are my words, but they fit the good doctor’s description of what he found most of us really want.

Along the way Gupta made two great discoveries that he applies personally. These “secrets” are the key to living a longer and healthier life.

Ready?

1. Weight training
2. Good nutrition
3. Positive thinking and having purpose

Go figure!

FYI — I cover all three of these subjects extensively in Fit Over 40. You can see 52 people age 40-80 who are realistic examples of “ageless” living —

Read Fit Over 40

The CNN article covers his thoughts on these three issue more extensively, but I will just quote this:

“One thing I’ve learned during the writing of this book is how important lifting weights can be to avoiding broken bones and pneumonia later in life, while improving weight control, strength and posture now.”

As an avid weight-trainer, I just love that. But any resistance will work, including your own body.

But what about genes? Here’s a shocker:

“By most estimates, lifestyle accounts for 70 percent of our life span. Our genes are responsible for the rest.”

“Lifestyle is nothing but the end result of the hundreds of decisions — large and small — that we make every day of our lives.”

Get that? 70 percent decision.

Er…”lifestyle.”

Same thing, my friend. Your lifestyle is 100 percent the product of your decisions. You can change it by changing your mind.

There are no exceptions.

Now, let’s think about this for a moment:

Here’s a guy who studied all the latest research on “living forever”. He looked at the doctors and researchers who are actively studying how we can put an end to death.

And he comes away with THIS?

Work out with weights? Think positive? Eat right? Have purpose?

Yep. But why?

“As I traveled to meet scientists and others trying to unlock the secrets of long life, I realized that we are still a long way from fully understanding aging and further still from figuring out ways to stop or reverse it.”

“At the same time, I came to learn how much we do know about ways we can chase life every day to live longer, healthier lives.”

The bad news: if you’re looking for a pill or an answer from science on how to stick around here for 150 years or more, don’t hold your breath.

The good news: who cares?

You can live a longer, more exceptional life by simply adopting a smart, realistic and enjoyable lifestyle fitness plan.

And if science just happens to catch up with Father Time, you’ll be ten steps ahead of the curve.

You’ll actually have a body you’d want to spend the next 100 years in!

Fitness is easier than you think. When you see people just like you doing it, let me tell you…it really helps.

See what I mean —

Check out Fit Over 40

I use the folks in my book as my daily inspiration. You will too.

[jB]