Celebrate 100: Centenarian Secrets to Success in Business and Life

"Five thousand years′ worth of insight distilled into one extraordinary book! In Celebrate 100, my friend Steve Franklin and his colleague Lynn Adler provide us with a fun, witty, and staggeringly insightful look into the minds and hearts of centenarians."
Andy Stanley, Senior Pastor, North Point Ministries

"If you want to win with money or life, you need to take a good look at other people who are winning. If you want to know how to win over the long haul, you need to talk to people who have a lot of life experience under their belts and who′ve still come out ahead. That′s exactly what you′ll get in Celebrate 100."
Dave Ramsey, New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio show host

"Anyone who has ever listened to old men tell stories in a town square or heard grandmothers and great–grandmothers chatter in the kitchen knows the sheer joy and fascination of it. Now Steve Franklin and Lynn Peters Adler have brought us a book that crackles and cackles with just such an experience. Their compilation of centenarian stories, ′secrets′ and advice is a touching and helpful gift to our youth–obsessed age."
Stephen Mansfield, New York Times bestselling author

"Steve Franklin and Lynn Adler have helped inspire my dad, Truett Cathy (founder and CEO of Chick–fil–A), to up his game. He now wants to live to 110, thanks in part to Celebrate 100! Read this book."
Don M. "Bubba" Cathy, Executive Vice President, Chick–fil–A

"This book is an incredible treasure. Steve and Lynn have given us a well–organized look at many who have lived and experienced over 100 years of life. These men and women have experienced remarkable change, probably like nothing in the history of the world. I was impressed with several things. First of all, what wisdom and perspective they have. Secondly, how positive their attitudes are and finally, how fundamental their advice is. We hear all the time how ′this time it′s different.′ These wonderful people tell us that while the circumstances may differ, the response remains the same: ′Follow principles, not fads.′ Thank you, Steve and Lynn, for giving us a book that should be on everyone′s reading list."
Ron Blue, founder of Kingdom Advisors and author of the national bestseller Master Your Money

Foreword xi

Introduction: Century–Old Questions . . . Century–Old Answers xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

CHAPTER 1 1

TODAY S CENTENARIANS CELEBRITIES AND NATIONAL TREASURES: A CENTURY OF WISDOM

The Celebrities of Aging: Centenarians in the Spotlight 4

The Age of Centenarians: A Million or More by 2050? 8

The Wisdom of Centenarians: Authentic Experience, Not Theory 9

National Treasures: Unique Individually and Collectively 11

Cameos of Today s Centenarians 14

A Century of Progress: Th eir Century 23

CHAPTER 2 31

THE SCIENCE AND ART OF LIVING LONGER AND LIVING BETTER: EVERYBODY S DOING IT

On Being 100 32

Increasing Longevity 34

Lifestyle Improvements through Technology 40

Using Computers, Tablets, and Smartphones 41

Lifestyle Choices 42

The Big Three 42

Healthy Diet 43

The Benefits of Exercise 46

Socialization and Quality of Life 53

The Importance of Family 62

Interests and Avocations 67

CHAPTER 3 75

MONEY WISE AND TIME TESTED

How They Think We Are Doing 78

Simple Saving Wisdom: Battle of Needs versus Wants 81

Debt Is a Four–Letter Word 83

Time–ly Advice 85

Investing Today After a Century of Perspective 90

Defining Rich 97

CHAPTER 4 101

WORK WISDOM

Take This Job and Love It 102

From Success to Significance 106

Teachers Extraordinaire 112

Keeping Up and Keeping On 118

Wise Work Advice 119

CHAPTER 5 131

THE TOP SECRETS FROM OUR CENTENARIANS

Secret 1: Attitude 134

Secret 2: Healthy Eating 137

Secret 3: Faith 139

Secret 4: Exercise and Activity 142

Secret 5: Clean Living 144

Secret 6: Family 147

Secret 7: Genetics 150

Advice to Centenarian Wannabes 151

Why 100? 155

CHAPTER 6 159

THE CENTENARIAN SPIRIT: YOU VE GOTTA HAVE HEART

The Centenarian Spirit 161

The Centenarian Spirit in Action 162

Renegotiating Life 167

Sparks of the Spirit 168

Centenarians on the Go 172

Keeping Life Interesting Common Interests, Not Common Age 179

Contemporary Centenarians Thinking and Feeling Young 183

Catch the Spirit: Forget Aging Gracefully Age Excellently! 192

A Formula for Longevity 195

A Toast to Future Centenarians 195

Appendix: Sharing the Wisdom 197

100 Questions to Capture the Secrets to a Long and Fulfilling Life 198

Notes and Further Reading 203

About the Authors 207

Steve Franklin is an author, educator, speaker, businessman and centenarian wannabe. He is passionate about capturing the wisdom, wit, and advice of centenarians across America and energetically sharing it with the younger generation.  He co–authored two major business textbooks that were adopted in hundreds of colleges and universities across America, educating thousands of college students about principles of business success. His articles have been published in over 40 publications, and his research has been reported in numerous periodicals throughout the nation including The Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Dallas Morning News, Chicago Tribune and many more. He has appeared on dozens of radio and television programs, including the Gannett Broadcasting Million Dollar Dreams series aired throughout the country and watched by millions of viewers.

Dr. Franklin was a tenured professor and associate dean, and received the number one teaching evaluation by students three times at Emory University s Goizueta Business School. He has consulted with and delivered hundreds of keynote speeches to major organizations throughout North America, Europe, South Africa, and Dubai including Coca–Cola, General Electric, Federal Express, Northwestern Mutual, UPS, AT&T, Johnson and Johnson, IBM, Chick–fil–A. While at Emory, he cofounded the Emory Center for Healthcare Leadership and now serves on the Board of Regents at Oxford University s Harris Manchester College in England and is the Chairman of the Board of Governors for The American University in Dubai. For the past several years he has visited, videotaped, interviewed, dined, danced, laughed a lot, cried a little, and even exercised with centenarians all across America to capture and share their secrets and love for long and abundant life. Steve s goal is to live 120 years healthy, wealthy, and wise with his incredible wife, Elaine. He is over halfway there!

Lynn Peters Adler is founder and director of the nonprofit National Centenarian Awareness Project, and is an expert on the lifestyles of active centenarians. For over 20 years she has been an advocate of positive aging. Lynn conducted the first nationwide survey of centenarian lifestyles and is the author of the award–winning book Centenarians: The Bonus Years. She co–produced the first centenarian documentary, Centenarians Tell It Like It Is, which aired regionally on PBS, and authored an inspirational calendar featuring active centenarians, Age with Grace: The Centenarian Spirit, published by Cedco Publishing.

Lynn has been featured in major media, including a CNN special, Newsweek and People magazines, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and numerous local and regional media formats. She has appeared on all national television networks as well as various cable stations and radio programs. In 2008 she assisted the production and appeared in a Barbara Walters special, Living to 150: Can You Do It?, with four of her centenarian friends. She was a two–term member of the Governor s Advisory Council on Aging in Arizona, past chairman of the Phoenix Mayor s Aging Services Commission, and member of the Arizona Attorney General s Task Force on Elder Abuse. She founded Arizona s Centenarian Program in 1985 1986, and was instrumental in helping other states and entities establish similar programs. Lynn is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and holds a law degree. She now lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and is a writer, speaker, and consultant on centenarians and aging excellently. Her web site, www.adlercentenarians.org, includes the blog Live to 100 and Beyond and is the home of the National Centenarian Awareness Project. All proceeds she receives from the sale of Celebrate 100 will go to furthering the work of NCAP.