Content Expo Reminder

​CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) registration is open. Come join me August 24-26 in Cleveland. Open to all creators and content marketers. Use code JP100 to save $100 off registration.

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Living Longer and Better

If you know me personally, you know that when I decide to do something, I’m obsessive about it. I can’t do anything halfway. I either go overboard or do nothing.

For the most part, it served me well. It helped me start and sell multiple businesses, run a marathon and stay happily married to the love of my life.

My most recent obsession is brain health and longevity (living longer and better).

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are a thing on my father’s side of the family. I also have a few friends that suffer from this terrible disease.

I started my research journey by reading “The End of Alzheimer’s” by Dale Bredesen. This is a powerful book, and talks about a number of prescriptions to not only prevent Alzheimer’s but to reverse the effects of the disease. Alzheimer’s is not a single disease, but a condition that happens due to a number of contributors

I felt much of the advice was too cumbersome for me to do at this point (from a practical standpoint). But the key is that it’s possible to prevent and reverse cognitive decline.

From there, I did even more research on the topic, including diet and the idea of intermittent fasting. Generally, here’s what I found:

Sugar

200 years ago humans consumed about 20 grams of sugar per day. Today we eat more than 10 times that. Over and over in my research doctors will say that sugar is worse for the body than almost anything else we put into the body.

Sugar is bad for the brain. The more sugar you intake the more negative stress you put on your brain.

Fasting

Time-restricted eating, also called intermittent fasting, is beginning to be embraced by longevity-focused doctors. Eating only during an eight or six-hour window gives your body the ability to clean out damaged or dysfunctional cells. It creates something called light autophagy, which is the body’s way to reset.

Processed Foods

Bredesen’s rule is this: “If it’s in a box and has more than 5 ingredients, don’t eat it.”

Easier said than done, but you get the point.

The more non-processed foods we eat, the better. Meat, fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables and life is grand.

I’m not sure how long I’ll be on this particular path, but so far I feel amazing, am sleeping better, and it’s the easiest 10 pounds I’ve ever dropped. My current plan is:

– Eat during an eight-hour window (for example, from noon to 8 PM). If this goes well, I’ll move to six hours.

– Eat more whole foods and fewer things out of a box.

– Pass on desserts (for the most part 😉). Limit breads and pasta (this one is tough).

– Get 7-8 hours of sleep per day.

– Focus on getting enough protein (90 – 100 grams per day).

– Exercise (I run 4x per week and do three 10-minute workouts per week).

– Read every day (keeps the brain active).

– Take a daily vitamin.

And, if you are interested, here are the rules from Bredesen out of his book:

Bredesen Protocol Brain Health Cheat Sheet

1. Eat a low-carb, high-fat, plant-rich diet.

2. Fast 12-16 hours daily; stop eating 3 hours before bed.

3. Eliminate processed foods, sugar, gluten (if sensitive), and bad oils.

4. Optimize sleep (7-8 hrs.), especially deep sleep.

5. Exercise daily both aerobic and resistance training.

6. Reduce stress and inflammation through mindfulness and diet.

7. Fix nutrient and hormone deficiencies (vitamin D, B12, omega-3s, thyroid, testosterone, etc.).

8. Stimulate your brain: read, learn, and challenge it regularly.

As I told my oldest yesterday, I’m trying to find a plan that is not a diet or something temporary, but a lifestyle change. I’m sure what I’m doing will be modified at some point, but I think I’m on the right track.

If we take better care of ourselves physically, we are going to need a career longevity plan as well.

With the stock market riding a rollercoaster and traditional retirement looking less and less reliable, many people are starting to panic. But here’s the real story: we’re living longer… and we’ll be working longer.

That’s not necessarily bad news—if we play it right.

The old model was simple: work 40 years, retire, live off savings. But in today’s world, career longevity is the new retirement strategy. And that doesn’t mean grinding away at a job into your 70s. It means owning things that let you work smarter, with freedom and purpose, for as long as you choose.

If you’re a content creator, this is actually great news.

You already have the tools to build real leverage.

Here’s how:

1. Stop selling your time. Time-for-money income is a trap. Instead, own assets: a blog, podcast, email list, product, or community. These things can scale without more hours.

2. Build a personal media company. One platform. One audience. One mission. When you create consistent content and control the relationship (hint: email), you’re building something durable.

3. Specialize until you’re unforgettable. Be the best in a narrow category, not “pretty good” in a broad one. That makes you harder to ignore—and impossible to replace.

4. Think like an investor. Great investors look for compounding returns. Same for content entrepreneurs. Invest in skills, ideas, and platforms that grow over time. Don’t just work—build.

5. Play the long game. This is a career that doesn’t have to end. Think about systems, succession, and maybe even an exit someday. A true content business outlives its creator.

And maybe most important…

6. Stay healthy. Career longevity only matters if your brain and body are still firing. Protect your energy. Sleep. Move. Create with purpose.

NOTE: I go through this model in full detail in this book.

The best part? Career longevity doesn’t require permission. No HR department. No 401(k) matching plan. Just you, your audience, and the things you choose to build.

I’m fully aware that many people won’t be able to do this…or maybe you are thinking you cannot…but I haven’t met one person not capable of it.

Most of the constraints we put on our career longevity are made up. They are negative thoughts you create so your brain and body don’t have to deal with change.

But remember. The only thing stopping you is you.

You can do anything you need to do to survive. So why not this?

Here’s a thought to leave you with. Ask yourself at the end of every day, “Did I do something today that helped me take more control of my life?” Answer that “YES” everyday and you will make it happen.

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