I’ve been thinking about how to age well for over 15 years. But as I start to feel the changes in my own body, it’s become much more personal — and urgent. I’ve been reflecting a lot on what it might mean to grow old well. Not just to live a long time, but to live a long, rich, engaged life — to still feel like myself in a body and mind that can keep up with the things I care about.  

The Decathlon Is Yours to Define 

This isn’t about setting world records. This isn’t about aesthetics or fitness culture. It’s about what you want to be able to do in your later decades. 

For me, the list is deeply personal — and always evolving. Right now, I’m focused on these key things: 

1. Staying curious and engaged by working on things that interest me
2. Living independently, on my own terms 
3. Going on adventures, like swimming in rivers and the sea
4. Playing all of Beethoven’s sonatas well on the piano 
5. Learning the names of trees and deepening my connection with nature 
6. Being active in my community and contributing where I can 
7. Getting to the top of the hills in the Lake District 
8. Enjoying live music concerts, operas, orchestras, and festivals 
9. Having the energy and time to care for a dog companion without worrying about outliving them 
10. Most importantly, being a strong, present mother now and, in the future, an active grandmother — one who’s still adventuring, laughing, walking, swimming, singing, making music, and sharing joy with my daughter and future grandchildren. I want her never to worry about me as I age, knowing I’m living well and strong. 

That’s my decathlon. Yours will be different — and that’s exactly the point.  

Healthspan, Not Just Lifespan 

Attia reminds us that while we often obsess over how long we’ll live, we forget to ask: what will those later years be like? Many people spend their final decade — what he calls the “marginal decade” — with sharply reduced physical and mental function. It doesn’t have to be that way. 

The idea behind the Centenarian Decathlon is this, if there are things you want to be doing at 100, you need to train for them now. Just like you would train for an actual decathlon. 

For example: if I want to swim in cold rivers at 100, I’ll need to keep up my mobility, balance, and cold exposure tolerance. If I want to play piano at a high level, I need to preserve fine motor skills, cognition, and hearing. If I want to be active in my community, I’ll need stamina, clarity, and resilience. And if I want to be an active, engaged, and fun grandmother — someone who can enjoy hands-on adventures, then I’ll also need to maintain cardiovascular health and muscular strength and keep learning and challenging my brain to remain sharp and engaged.

The Future of Aging: Innovation Meets Personalisation 

What this concept highlights is a major shift in how we think about ageing — and how innovation can support it. For decades, the health and wellness industries have pushed generic solutions: the same diets, exercises, supplements, and “anti-ageing” products for everyone. But the Centenarian Decathlon points us toward something different — personalisation at its core. 

At NICA + Voice, when we ask people a simple yet profound question — Would you rather live healthily to 75, or live longer (say 120) but with uncertainty about health? — responses tend to be about evenly split. Some want to focus on quality of life now and accept a shorter lifespan. Others want to push the boundaries of longevity, even if it means risks or unknowns. 

This split tells us something important: There is no one right way to age well. If we have a one-size-fits-all plan, who does it actually help? Personalisation isn’t just a luxury — it’s a necessity. 

Nic Palmerini (Director of NICA) and Lynne Corner, Director and Voice Director respectively, put this beautifully in their Forbes article “10 Steps To Longevity For The Second Billion – Are We Ready?” They argue that we are stuck on the concept of ‘universal design’ — a baseline that should be standard, but often isn’t — and that it’s time to move beyond that: 

“Let’s shift from ‘form follows function’ to ‘form follows individuals.’ Let’s customise every object, interface, and service precisely for … one of usToday, we can already order a car with dozens of possible customisations (out of very complex assembly lines). Or have custom-made things 3D-printed and delivered to our door within hours. Not to mention edit specific snippets of our genes, instruct AI to behave like us without knowing a single line of code, or – hopefully soon – decide what personal data to share (or not). We are already beyond settling for something ‘universally’ designed for everyone. We want it personalised for one. Us.” 

This insight perfectly echoes the Centenarian Decathlon’s call for deeply personalised ageing strategies — where innovation focuses on enabling your unique future, not a generic one. 

On Research: The Complexity of Longevity Desires 

Surveys and studies consistently show mixed feelings about longevity. For example, a Pew Research Center survey found that about half of adults would like to live to 120 or beyond if their health could be maintained, while the other half were less enthusiastic or unsure. Many people express concerns about quality of life, the burden of extended aging, or the social implications. 

This further reinforces the need for personal choice and the tailoring of healthspan goals to individual values — exactly the spirit of the Centenarian Decathlon. 

The Danger of Generic Advice 

So much health advice out there is one-size-fits-all: “do your 10,000 steps,” “eat this,” “lift that.” But the Decathlon framework flips that. It asks: what are you training for? If you’re not training for the body you need — and the life you want — the generic advice probably won’t be enough. Motivation comes from meaning. When your goals are truly yours, the habits that support them become easier to commit to. This isn’t a rulebook. It’s a roadmap. One you sketch for yourself. 

Your Turn: What’s in Your Decathlon? 

Take a few minutes. Really imagine yourself at 100. 

Ask yourself: 

1. What do I want to be able to do? 
2. What would be heartbreaking to lose? 
3. What brings me joy, freedom, or purpose? 

Then ask: What would it take to still be doing those things at 100? What would I need to be practicing now? 

If 100 feels too far ahead to motivate you, that’s okay. Maybe at 30, it feels more real to think about 50 — or 25 — years from now. Pick a time frame that feels meaningful and realistic enough to inspire you to start now. Too far ahead can feel overwhelming; too close might not give you enough runway. And don’t worry if it feels far off — or even a little emotional. It should. This is about protecting what you love. 

The time to start training is now. Not because we’re afraid of decline, but because we’re in love with life — and we want to give our future selves every chance to keep dancing with it.