THE NEXT 50
Building a stronger second half of life.
The Next 50 is about staying strong, curious, useful, connected, and adventurous as we get older. I write about the habits, decisions, relationships, and ideas that can help make the second half of life healthier, more meaningful, and more interesting.
THE FIVE PILLARS
A practical framework for the second half of life.
The Next 50 is built around five areas that shape how we age, grow, work, connect, and experience life. Each pillar explores a different part of what it means to build a stronger second half.
Body
Strength, fitness, nutrition, mobility, longevity, and the physical capacity to keep doing what matters.
Mind
Curiosity, resilience, learning, perspective, and the habits that help us stay mentally engaged and adaptable.
Work
Career reinvention, artificial intelligence, purpose, usefulness, and how work changes as experience becomes one of our greatest assets.
Relationships
Marriage, family, friendship, community, and the connections that become increasingly important as life changes.
Life
Travel, experiences, hobbies, money, adventure, meaning, and making the most of the years ahead.
FEATURED WRITING
Ideas for building a stronger second half.
A selection of essays on health, resilience, work, relationships, purpose, and what it means to keep growing after 50.
BODY
Healthy Aging After 50: The 12 Things I Pay Attention To
Healthy aging is not one habit, one metric, or one supplement. These are the areas I focus on to preserve strength, mobility, resilience, and long-term health.
MIND
What Ted Lasso Gets Right About the Second Half of Life
Ted Lasso may be a show about soccer, but some of its best lessons are really about reinvention, identity, curiosity, relationships, resilience, and learning how to play the second half of life differently.
WORK
Continuous Learning After 50: How to Stay Relevant, Curious, and Useful
Experience is valuable after 50, but experience without continued learning can become a trap. Here is why curiosity, new skills, and lifelong learning are essential to staying relevant and useful in the second half of a career.
RELATIONSHIPS
In Good Company: Why Relationships Matter More in the Second Half of Life
As we get older, relationships become less automatic and more intentional. Strong friendships, family ties, and community can support resilience, belonging, perspective, and a better second half of life.
LIFE
Beyond Tithonus: Why Healthspan Matters More Than Lifespan
Living longer is not the same as living well. The real goal after 50 is healthspan: preserving strength, mobility, independence, connection, and purpose for as many years as possible.
LIFE
Skidding Through Life: Why the Second Half Shouldn’t Be Played Too Safe
After 50, the risk isn’t just taking too many chances. It is becoming so focused on safety and preservation that life gradually gets smaller. Here is why the second half of life should still include curiosity, experience, risk, and adventure.
LATEST ARTICLES
The latest from The Next 50
New essays on health, work, relationships, personal growth, and making the most of the years ahead.
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Why Walking Became My Most Important Exercise After 50
I once thought walking barely counted as exercise. After losing 40 pounds with walking at the center of my routine, I see it very differently.
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Sitting Too Much After 50: Why Daily Movement Matters More Than You Think
You can exercise regularly and still spend too much of the day sitting. Here is why prolonged sedentary time matters after 50 and how to build more movement into everyday life.
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Sleep After 50: Why It Changes — and How to Protect It
Sleep often changes after 50, but poor sleep should not automatically be dismissed as aging. Here is what affects sleep quality and how to protect it.
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Hydration After 50: Why Drinking Enough Gets More Important With Age
Hydration gets easier to overlook as we age, even as thirst can become less reliable. Here is why fluid balance matters after 50 and how to make staying hydrated a simple daily habit.
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Energy After 50: Why You Feel More Tired and What You Can Do About It
Feeling more tired after 50 may be common, but age is not always the whole explanation. Sleep, muscle, movement, nutrition, stress, hydration, medications, and health conditions can all affect energy.
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Collagen After 50: Hype, Hope, or Healthy Aging Tool?
Collagen is everywhere, but does it actually help after 50? Here is what the research suggests about skin, joints, tendons, strength, and healthy aging.