The Shape of Dara Torres’ Life

Already the proud owner of 9 gold medals, she went to her first Olympics before the Tiger Woods, of the pool, Michael Phelps was born and now she’s qualified to swim for the US in Bejing by winning both the 50 and 100 meter freestyle—swimming’s premier sprints.

Unless you’ve been away on a very deserted island, your iPhone rendered useless by a spilled pitcher of marg’s, you’ve heard about Dara Torres’ nearly superhuman performances at the tender age of 41. 

No question, Dara Torres is at full Strength

If you’re in your 20’s, it’s pretty cool to see someone “nearly your mom’s age” kicking-ass like this. If you’re in your 30’s her record setting performance may bring relief and hope that 40-something isn’t all “that bad.” And if you’re in your 40’s or beyond, Dara’s strength is elevating, inspiring and perhaps a bit of a wake up call for your own life potential.

For it seems that for many, once across the big 4-0, age becomes the central reason (aka excuse) for why they are struggling to get in (and stay in) shape. I’m not one of those opportunistic hype-sters you often find promising you there’s no such thing as age. Age is real—what’s not is the way it impacts most people, much more rapidly and drastically than it should.

Fact is your

life, my life, everyone’s life has a shape. Unfortunately most people’s lives are shaped like a cross section of a speed bump. They rise up, arch over and through their peak and don’t wake up to their declining condition until they’re well into the descent. It doesn’t need to be this way. You can change it, at any age.

How to Create a New Shape to Your Body and Life

In Chapter 2 of my new my book, Strength for Life, I explain how we’ve been conditioned to accept this early and unnecessary demise—and how you can change The Shape of Your Life, both figuratively and literally, in short order.

Rather than blindly accepting premature demise of our vitality and
justifying it with “we’re not getting any younger,” I’ll show you how
to create a new “S-Curve” of life—a second rising of your
energy and youth. It’s much like what you experience as a natural part
of maturing only this time you’re creating this new, higher more
energized life yourself. And it’s easy to do with this clear, simple
guide to eating, training, thinking and simply being a better, fitter,
stronger and more energized, confident you.

As for the issue that seems to surround every exceptional athlete
these days (with the possible exception of Tiger Woods), drugs: I don’t
buy it, don’t think about and don’t worry about it in this case. It
doesn’t compute in this case for many reasons, not the least of which
is her voluntary adherence to drug testing.

The most glaring element of dispute is the very thing that makes her
so damned remarkable—her longevity at the top of the sport. While there
are as many performance enhancing drugs as there are sports—and then
some—one common side effect they tend to be counter to going the
distance—which is just what Dara has been able to do.

I believe Dara is an athlete, who loves her sport, who loves to
train and compete and has managed to integrate a well conditioned body
with a strong mind and all the intangibles that begin inside—a rare
combination even in the elite levels of sport.

As evidence of her mental approach, I like what Dara said this morning to Matt Lauer, “The water doesn’t know how old I am…it’s really a matter of belief. If I believe I can swim as fast as ever, I will.”

Consider how you might apply that simple genius to your life.

What is it you could be doing if you were as young and energetic as you can be?

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3. It’s Been a Very Strange Year (and some…)
4. Is the “G” boosting your “P” or just making you “F”?
5. Life Shattered Wide Open