How an Asset Mindset Can Help Maintain Your Physical Abilities as You Age

The young person who works hard and trains typically gains the strength and abilities to be an asset in life's dangerous situations, long before they have acquired any material possessions. However, as we age, life's responsibilities -- such as providing for your family and gaining assets -- cause many people to lose the ability to be capable when there is serious risk involved.

It's a generational story that has played out many times long before me and will continue, especially as we advance into a more highly technical society.

The journey takes shape when a young, strong person gains skill and ability through work, sports and tactical training. Many of these capable young people regress after a few decades of working long hours in sedentary professions. They soon find that in certain situations, they are no longer the person people look to for help. In fact, they are now in need of help or assistance in potentially dangerous situations.

Maintaining our level of conditioning and tactical skills has to be a priority as we age, because we tend to lose it if we do not use it.

Now, ask yourself this question: Do you need help getting out of a burning house? Can you help others in that type of situation? Can you help someone from drowning? Are you an easy target in a dark and empty parking lot?

These are questions I still ask myself, as I not only assess potential threats around me but strive to ensure I can be helpful to family, friends and those in need around me. When people ask me to identify the difference between working out and tactical fitness, I inform them the goals of tactical fitness are completely different from sports and aesthetic fitness.

There is an underlying reason to train to be good at all of the elements of fitness: strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, muscle stamina, durability, flexibility, mobility and grip. It's not to be great at only a few of these (as most athletes require), nor just to look good in a swimsuit.

Playing sports and still looking good can be solid outcomes of tactical fitness, but health, wellness and capability are the true goals of tactical fitness for the tactical professions.

If you are longing to get back into training and achieve the fitness levels, body weight and abilities of your younger years but don't know where to start, the good news is that you can absolutely turn your fitness and health around with the most basic of fitness programming.

Trust me: you are not alone. Countless people face these same challenges when trying to restart their fitness journey. To get started, it's crucial to adopt the asset mindset, a mindset of focus and discipline that's common among individuals in the military, law enforcement and medical training.

By building these new habits that do not take hours a day (only minutes), you can turn the ship around and become an asset again, even if you're over 50-60 years old and suffer from decades of ignoring your health.

Take a moment to reflect on why you want to get fit. If it's to be capable of helping others and protecting the innocent, you're on the right track. From there, it's all about daily practice.

Treat yourself like a beginner for the first few weeks to avoid injury. Seriously: just walk and stretch. If you cannot find time to walk for 45-60 minutes, break it up into 10- to 15-minute segments spread throughout the day. Work to accumulate 5,000 to 10,000 steps daily.

This is your first challenge in habit building. Once you can accomplish this for a month, you can start to add in calisthenics or weight training exercises if you have the facilities and equipment. Incorporate variety into your workouts to prevent boredom and burnout.

Here is a free 45-day plan you can download that will keep you honest and on track to building the new habits you need to see success in this endeavor. By adopting the asset mindset and committing to consistent progress, you'll soon be well on your way to achieving your goals to be fitter and more capable when the time comes.

As you age and become responsible for providing for your family and acquiring monetary assets, you may find that your ability to be an asset in potential danger begins to wane. It's a natural shift that's been seen repeatedly throughout generations. It is important to remember the importance of maintaining your physical skills.

After all, you never know when a dangerous situation may arise. Consider finding a balance between your pursuit of financial success and the maintenance of your physical and/or tactical abilities.

Perhaps you can join a gym that caters to athletic and tactical training (martial arts) or make time for regular practice drills with your friends. By making this effort, you'll not only be better equipped to handle potential dangers, but you'll also maintain a sense of confidence and strength that will serve you well in all areas of life.

Remember, you're not just chasing assets when you age; you're training to be an asset, capable of handling whatever life throws your way.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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