Old Lives Matter
Hey omorfe
(reminder, that’s Greek for good-looking man)
What follows is a small rant about a topic that has been percolating for some time now in my mind.
Everything started while I was listening to a Bill Pearl interview, one of the world’s greatest bodybuilders and overall amazing human being.
He said that in the first version of his magnificent Keys To The Inner Universe book, he used photos of him for the exercises. That was a few decades back.
However, in the latest version (the one I have) he’s using graphics.
The reason for the switch?
As he explained, the photos looked old. So if people new to his world and the industry saw the photos, they’d pay less attention to the book’s information. All because the photos looked antiquated.
Now, if this is the one of the biggest malakies (B.S. in Greek) plaguing mankind, I don’t know what is.
Just because something looks (or even is) old loses effectiveness?
Gimme a freaking break.
One of the most influential guys in marketing and advisor to multiple first generation millionaires, Dan Kennedy, says:
There’s Gold In Old
He’s talking about ads but the principle holds true for anything in life.
There’s gold in *anything* old.
Just take a look in fitness.
Each year we see a dozen or a hundred new doohickeys that supposedly can give you the body of your dreams. Five years later, said doohickey is nowhere to be found.
Yet barbells, dumbbells, your own body, bands, and cables are still going strong.
Why?
Because the darned things work as long as you work them.
There’s gold in old.
Or how about supplements?
We get bombarded daily with promotions about an “Amazing Fecal Matter Of An Egyptian Feline Causes Explosive Muscle Growth And Slaughters Stubborn Fat In 5 Seconds Flat While You Watch Netflix And Eat Like A Pig”
The promotion will try to make the case that the C.S. (cat shit) is somehow better than whey protein powder, creatine, and plain caffeine for gaining muscle and burning fat.
There’s gold in old.
Want examples outside of fitness?
Turn thee eyes to self-improvement.
While 20-year-old flu-encers on Fakegram and AutisTicToc rap about transforming your life (how can someone with no worry in the world talk about *life* and it’s challenges is beyond me but that’s another discussion for another time…) you could hop on YouTube and search “The Strangest Secret” by the late and great Earl Nightingale.
In less than 30 minutes you can have a clear blueprint on how to achieve any goal your hopefully-healthy heart desires. And the darned thing is almost 70 years old.
There’s gold in old.
Marketing?
The serious marketers of today all suggest starting your journey with Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins, a book written in 1923.
There’s gold in old.
For every one industry where “old” is not as effective as it used to be, you’ll find 1,000 industries where “old” can and will reign supreme.
Heck, even if you make the point that technology today is better than technology in 1980’s, I’ll point out that many electronic devices that are 20–30 years old work better that their 2020’s equivalent.
There’s gold in old.
This also holds true for humans of course.
I’ll pick the 60 year old specialist over the guy/gal who are in their 30’s.
Frankly, nothing saddens me more than seeing people in their 50’s and above, being treated as if they are relics of the past that no longer matter. Especially if their minds are not ravaged by old age, they are A+ people to have in your corner for anything you need.
While writing this, I was reminded of my favorite Ronald Reagan story so I’ll share it with ya:
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In 1984 and during the presidential debate, Reagan was asked:
“Mr. President, I want to raise an issue that I think has been lurking out there for 2 or 3 weeks and cast it specifically in national security terms. You already are the oldest president in history, and some of your staff say you were tired after your most recent encounter with Mr. Mondale. I recall, yes, that President Kennedy, who had to go for days on end with very little sleep during the Cuba missile crisis. Is there any doubt in your mind that you would be able to function in such circumstances?”
The guy who asked this question, Henry Trewhitt, had previously worked together with a colleague of his for several hours to devise it.
Their aim was to frame the question so as to make it difficult for Reagan to avoid the issue of age, which they considered to be his “greatest vulnerability.”
But, Reagan, one of the few true G’s of politics replied:
“Not at all. And, Mr. Trewhitt, I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
BOOM BABY!
Even Mondale, Reagan’s opponent, laughed and later said that his answer effectively ended the race.
There’s a lifetime of negotiation and persuasion wisdom in Reagan’s answer for the smart guy who can read between the lines.
There’s gold in old.
Anyway, hopefully I’ve made my case. If you disagree, eh. I’m still gonna eat souvlakia later tonight.
Speaking of finding gold in old:
My one sentence muscle building plan definitely shares nothing groundbreaking. But I believe I’ve explained how to build muscle in a powerful way.
Anyway, you can be the judge.
Grab it today at:
Your Greek buddy,
Fotis Chatzinicolaou
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