Two weeks ago, I turned 50.
And I caught myself doing something subtle but dangerous: I was aging myself.
Not biologically. On paper, I’m doing great. Most longevity and biomarker tests place me 10 to 20 years younger than my chronological age. My body is strong. My health is solid.
But mentally? I had started building a quiet list of excuses.
When my son Hayden, who somehow speaks seven languages, asked why I wasn’t learning Spanish and Italian, my answer came out automatically:
“Well, you’ve got a teenager’s brain. It’s easier for you.”
When my kids invited me to join them in new physical practices, I’d hesitate.
“My wrists aren’t as solid.”
“My recovery isn’t what it used to be.”
“That’s easier when you’re younger.”
None of these thoughts sounded dramatic. They sounded… sensible.
But taken together, they formed a pattern.
I wasn’t listening to my body.
I was talking it into decline.
And then I read a fascinating study by Ellen Langer that completely messed with my worldview.
The study that was almost never published
This study was conducted in 1979.
And here’s the part most people don’t know: The results were so wild that Langer hesitated to publish them.
She feared the scientific community simply wouldn’t accept what she’d found.
At the time, the idea that belief, identity, and mindset could meaningfully alter physical aging was considered fringe, if not outright heretical.
Today, with what we now know about meditation, placebo effects, neuroplasticity, stress biology, and longevity science, her findings are far easier to digest.
But back then?
They sounded impossible.
And yet, they happened.
When you read this study—really read it—I guarantee it will change how you think about your age and your life.
Here’s what she did.
The counterclockwise experiment
Langer took a group of men in their late 70s—some close to 80—and brought them to a retreat.
No supplements.
No exercise program.
No medical interventions.
Instead, she recreated the world of 1959.
The furniture.
The music.
The magazines.
The radio broadcasts.
The conversations.
The men weren’t asked to remember 1959.
They were instructed to live as if it were happening now.
They spoke in the present tense about events from that era.
They carried their own luggage.
They weren’t treated as fragile or dependent.
They were treated as fully capable men in their prime.
And then Langer measured them—before and after.
What happened next still makes people uneasy.
What changed in just one week
After only seven days, measurable biological and physical shifts occurred.
Not opinions.
Not feelings.
Measured changes.
Their posture improved.
Several men stood taller, reversing the hunched posture we associate with aging.
Their strength and flexibility increased.
Grip strength improved. Movement became easier and more fluid.
Their memory and cognitive performance improved.
Standardized tests showed real gains.
But here’s where it gets truly mind-bending.
Their eyesight improved.
So much so that some of the men were told they needed new glasses.
Not because their vision worsened… but because it got better.
And then there’s my favorite detail.
Their fingers got longer.
No—their bones didn’t grow.
What happened was this:
Inflammation in their finger joints reduced.
As swelling decreased, the fingers could extend more fully. Mobility returned. Measurable length increased.
Aging had been masquerading as inevitability.
But it turned out to be, at least in part, reversible signaling.
Even independent observers noticed. When people who didn’t know the experiment were shown before-and-after photos, they consistently rated the men as looking younger at the end of the week.
No drugs.
No devices.
No hacks.
Just a shift in identity and expectation.
The part that hit me hard
Here’s the implication I couldn’t ignore.
These men didn’t “fix” their bodies.
They changed how they related to themselves.
They stopped behaving like old men—and their biology followed.
That’s when I realized something uncomfortable.
I wasn’t being limited by my health.
I was being limited by my self-talk.
So I changed the rules at 50
Here’s what I decided as I crossed this milestone.
I stopped telling myself I was too old.
I’m learning Spanish and Italian.
I’m picking up skills I once believed had expiration dates.
I’m experimenting with new fitness protocols weekly.
Through ClassPass, I’m trying practices I once avoided—Pilates, yoga, new movement systems. And I’m shocked at how rapidly my body adapts.
Most of all, I’ve returned to martial arts.
At 17, I was an international fighter with a double black belt in taekwondo. Competing at the U.S. Open and training at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center shaped my discipline—and my life.
Then I stopped.
Not because I had to.
Because I told myself I was “too old.”
So I’m back.
Working on flexibility. Practicing kicks and forms. Chasing a full split again—yes, like Jean-Claude Van Damme in Kickboxer.
I’ve even redesigned my living space so movement is always within reach. Between meetings, I jump up, stretch, drop push-ups, and practice kicks.
Not because I’m chasing youth.
But because I refuse premature decline.
How you talk to your body matters
What Langer later showed—in another Harvard study—is just as powerful.
She found that how you talk to your body can sometimes have a greater effect than what you give it.
Your body is always listening.
Every decision is a conversation.
When you say,
“I’m too old for this,”
you’re talking to your body.
When you say,
“Let’s try this,”
you’re talking to your body.
When you experiment with a new movement practice,
when you challenge an old belief,
when you act like possibility is still open—
you’re talking to your body.
The question is:
What kind of conversation are you having with yours?
Why I can do all this now
What’s allowing me to explore all these health practices and return to martial arts is that I’ve radically changed how I work.
By using AI to clone how I think, decide, and create, I’ve gained 50× leverage.
What used to take me 50 hours now takes one hour.
As a result, I’m starting new companies and taking a week off every month just to enjoy life.
I’m taking classes in stand-up comedy, music, and languages.
I’m traveling more.
And I’m finally making time for my body.
If you want to learn how to create that kind of time, so you can actually add health, movement, and exploration back into your life, I’m teaching a class on cloning your brain with AI.
I’ll show you the exact workflows I use to create 50× leverage.
And then?
I invite you to join me in this adventure.
Stop aging yourself.
Try something new this week.
Your body is listening.
Stay curious,
105 Responses
I’ve thought about these ideas and used to practice them when i was 50…”I’m getting younger” I’m strong. I’m healthy, all that. But eventually, parts of your body say otherwise. I’m curious how you will be in 10 years. Nonetheless, the “go back in time” study is compelling and makes me want to get back to it more seriously, so thank you for this post / email.
thank you for sharing this study and insight it is amazing.
I moved countries and found it to be a very different culture despite sharing the same language. Instead of continually comparing it with a more community oriented culture I left behind I pushed myself to be open to new experiences. Now within a year I am learning to row training for coastal races and coxing. I also love playing pickleball and using my new e-bike long distance and doing an Acqua Deep fitness class. All these physical activities keep me strong supple and fit and none of them were planned. I would say between 50 and 67 I was a bit lazy and not very active. Now I not only enjoy my figure and vitality but love sharing all these physical activities wisdom I have accrued in my 70 years in earth, creating webinars and teaching healing through vibrational sound. I thought I would just fade away slowly but feel like I am just inventing a harmonious phase of my life and am very grateful for my health and creativity and family circle. I.have two books to write related to subtle dimensions and look forward to their success.
I cant wait to do seminar! This sounds like it could do wonders for my life. Im going to be 45 next month, and I’ve had some major health issues through the years. In fact I’m lucky to be alive.
Thank you Vishen. xo
I live in Fiji. On April 2, 2026, I will turn 81. My parents passed away in their early 80s. So my wife always reminds me that my time is near. I am not preoccupied with death or poor health at all. I feel the same way I did when I was 50. People ask me how I feel now that I am 80. I tell them I don’t know how I am supposed to feel as I have never been at this age before. I am a member of Mindvalley and am a great admirer of yours and of, course, Jose Silva. I have put his ideas into my daily life and they work great for me. I am grateful to you for impacting my life so positively. God bless.
Hello I did the Silva mind control in 1988 and Jose Silva personaly presented me my Silva Certificate.
I am 80 yrs young .. i ride my bike 20km a day .. i swim in the ocean every day all year around and do yoga t days a week. I am a mither of 3 sons have 6 grand kids and one great grandson. I was riding my Harley Davidson Softail Custom 1800 cc till 4 yrs ago till i had a serious accident. I have steel rods in my r.leg from my ankle to my hip and still do all of the above Not riding m.bikes any more.
I never see my self old and play a guitar and a ukelele and drive tourist coaches part time .. i also own a motor home and have crossed the the NULLABOUR Australias longest most isolated and longest straight road on my Harley as well as my motor home 17 times .
I have just completed Tony Robbins ” Date with Destiny ” “”December 2025..
I live with Gratitude Daily..i live in west Australia.. Family migrated from The Netherlands to West Australia my mother was Pregnant with her 11th child .. Spoke No English and we lived in a 2 car garage .. Left Rotterdam Dec.1955 minus 10 dg. arrive Australia by boat 6 week journey in Febuary 1956 40 dg .
Bravo, Vishen! I’m a woman of 73 going on 55, because for the last 30+ years I have made my own health and happiness top priority. I heard my friends when they started saying “I’m old”. My younger sister, former ballerina, excusing her weight gain as “old-lady fluff”. Heard others tell me I’m “well-preserved” and “look great for my age” because I’m not living down to their expectations. It’s tough going against cultural bias, but I’m stronger and more flexible now than I’ve been since I was seventeen. You’re totally on the right track!
YES! very true, I believe in programming your body through your mind an beliefs. I am 53 and my body is much younger than my age… now, the thing is that our bodies probably “know” our age for a sort of memory of the period alredy ‘lived’ and ‘left behind’, meaning the body sort of knows that we have ‘only’ 30 or 40 years to go, let’s say. I am not a scientist, but it may be a sort of space and time awareness, useful to moderate your being somehow. For that reason I strongly believe we must CHEAT and program our body backwards and staying on our youth longer forcing the body to believe that we are younger. It is like the difference between a European and an American… bear with me here, I hope this make sense… I am Italian but lived in many Countries and in the USA now for 15 years. It is obvious that I a used to observe and learn continuously and notice the differences in mentality. I see European are much less enthusiastic or pragmatic than Americans, aren’t they? (although we have more talents… joking!) and I came to the conclusion (that may be wrong) that this is because we have a longer past, we are older as peoples. So, we carry a 3000 year burden on our backs, our genes know that somehow, hence we are less childish in our enthusiasm. This may be a stupid example or just my crazy head thinking, but the body is the same, our body knows we are older than before… so yes, it is very important to CHEAT IT and reprogram our body, so to free it from the genetic knowledge about its own age. I hope this makes sense. I will be at the cloning your brain. Let’s be UNLIMITED!
Good one, Vishen!
We do this in my family as well and it works for everyone. We use music as a handy cognitive lever to instantly go there, for example music from the 1950s brings my dad back to a time when he was doing the jitterbug and by contrast he also listens to contemporary electronica such as Boris Brejcha’s ‘Good Bibes Only,’ which integrates him into the present day as well as stimulate new patterning in his brain as he learns new songs and then gets into listening to them with his grandkids and kids and dogs, creating amplified and entrained energetics as well as a cognitive springboard to youth.
The AI resource sounds interesting too…
I agree with what you said … feeling wonderful to know about this study…
https://youtu.be/XiXecWHi5u8?si=yITtrsgS0MlZmvmZ
Change your Self Talk and change your life. Absolutely true !!
www,passionprasad.com
This is post is a revelation and a timeless truth. Mind over matter is real.
The power of life and death is in the tongue and our words create a frequency that shapes how we move in the world both mentally and physically. Aging is a natural fact, but our words shape the journey and our mindset. Thanks for sharing.
Vishen, you’re an excellent example of a well-rounded human being. I wish you the best of luck with your physical pursuits—I’m certain you’ll achieve your goals. Your growth helps everyone grow. Hasta la vista.
I was having this same realization yesterday. Arthritis runs in my family and when I was driving for 2 hrs for the first time in two weeks, I started noticing my fingers getting a little bit numb. I caught myself saying it was arthritis starting to show up and I quickly replaced the thought with: “My hands need time to adjust to holding the steering wheel this long. I just need to stretch more to get blood flow back to my hands.” Then I did some gentle shoulder rolls, alternating wrist rolls, and a few other stretches, which helped my fingers feel better. I told myself “See, that was all that you needed. No arthritis.” I didn’t notice my fingers having this sensation again for the rest of my drive.
We can definitely influence our age by our beliefs.
I have been experimenting with Identity Engineering. I wake up earlier, feel stronger, think clearly, even won the lottery (although it wasn’t much). All by changing my subconscious identity in a kind way. Yes, this works, not only for age-related decline, but for any change.
We should have this in every retirement home!
Hi Vishen,
I just finished reading ‘Aging Is Just a Story’, and it really stayed with me.
The way you spoke about quietly limiting yourself, without even realizing it, felt so honest and human. It’s something most of us do, but rarely admit. Your reminder that our beliefs can shape our bodies as much as time does was powerful.
What I loved most was how you chose curiosity over fear, learning new things, moving your body in new ways, stepping back into life instead of shrinking from it. That takes courage.
Thank you for sharing this so openly. It doesn’t just change how people think about aging; it changes how they think about themselves.
With respect and appreciation,
Salmoli
Would love to join this class but the time zone doesn’t work unfortunately and there’s no replay for those who can’t join.
Hello, you can typically catch the replays here: https://www.youtube.com/@Mindvalley/streams
Muy cierto la manera en que nos hablamos es la base de como nos sentimos y vemos. También me estoy retando aprender nuevas cosas. Gracias Vishem por compartir tu proceso y estrategias. Todo lo mejor!
I have found out you become what think. I have been on earth for 65 years and can still get through consistent round- house kicks at head level. I have gotten into arguments over the subject of aging. Based on their argument there is no way I should be able to move in this manner. Agreeing, speaking and thinking age is degenerative will deliver just what you want. Talk to a doctor, they immediately look at your age and want to prescribe a litany of tests and prescriptions just based on a number they see. You need to form a wall between yourself and the rest of society who believe in a full certain inevitability that longevity is based on the number of years on earth.