I just did a Periscope video on Compliments and the power other people’s praise has to let us know what skills, talents, and gifts we might possess that we haven’t fully explored and exploited yet. One of the compliments I’ve received in recent years is that I am one of the pioneering prosperity teachers on the planet. For instance, Jack Canfield said, “Jerry is one of the pioneering prosperity thinkers.” And from Gerry Robert, author of, The Millionaire Mindset: “Some of today’s most notable prosperity gurus started out as Jerry’s students. Jerry Gillies is the pioneer professor of prosperity and is still coming up with exciting new material.”
Those compliments feel great, but I just realized something else they indicate. I am getting older and probably am the longest running prosperity author still alive and well and coming up with new ideas on the subject. And here I am doing three Periscope “ProsperScopes” a week, when few of my fellow broadcasters are more than half my age.
I know that I am more than keeping up with them when I look at how rapidly I dealt with an emergency during today’s livestream video. Because of a fire, the Panama power company cut the electricity, so my broadcast stopped dead as I was getting ready to recap and wind it up. I quickly decided I would go back on the air as soon as power was restored and post both replay links on Facebook and Twitter, so viewers could catch the whole show. I even got some new viewers on the short second video
Three years ago, when I enrolled at the San Francisco Comedy College, I was by far the oldest student, and many of the students were young enough to be my grandchildren, if I had any. But there, too, I more than proved my point by learning my stand-up material faster than the younger students, and when I performed several times at the famed Purple Onion club, I got more laughs than most of the other comics, all of whom were a lot younger.
Here’s my point, I am thinking younger and doing younger than I did thirty years ago. And it isn’t an accident or anything to do with genes. I have chosen intentionally to always be learning and doing something new, and always thinking in new ways even about subjects I have pioneered, like prosperity consciousness. My new book, MoneyLove 3.0, and even my free ebook offered here, The MoneyLove Manifesto, have newer, more innovative ideas about achieving success in all areas of life than all the other books and programs out there combined. Check out the Manifesto as my gift if you have any doubts about that.
In addition to starting a new career in stand-up comedy at the age of 72, and moving to a new country at the age of 73, I have been more creative and more disciplined than ever before. I am 75 now. The only reason I have hesitated spreading my age out into the world is I know many people have the same image of that age I grew up with, and it was true then. 75 was old. In my life now, it feels like the new 40. But I have enjoyed the process of growing older, and changing the stereotypes of what that means. And I wouldn’t give up the experiences I had in the sixties, seventies, and eighties for anything.
Thirty-four years ago I wrote a book, Psychological Immortality, about using one’s mind to extend one’s life. I believe in that concept and also believe I am a good example of the process. Many of the people I interviewed, still alert and alive after the age of 100, were learning new skills, developing new interests, and staying youthful in the process.
My life is one of adventure and discovery and providing value to others who couldn’t possibly have absorbed all the knowledge and experience I have about prosperity. They just haven’t been on the planet long enough to learn it all. This is one of the reasons in ancient times, wise elders were so revered. It’s time to bring that back, and I plan to be a part of it.
In the meantime, you are never too young to begin a lifelong project of always having something new you want to learn or do, or several somethings, on your back burner. Right now, I plan to take some total immersion Spanish programs, as I admittedly have been lazy about learning the language of my new country. I also want to learn Salsa dancing, and explore some of the rainforest areas of Panama, as well as visit some indigenous tribal areas. And I am learning more about Periscope and other online activities every day. I am definitely, even at my advanced age, a shiny new thing. And I intend to keep it that way!
Jerry
