Engineers, mathematicians and scientists are likely all familiar with an important imaginary number.  An equation ends up having the square root of negative 3 in it.  A negative number can’t have a square root can it?  So ingeniously, someone decided to start using lower case i to represent the square root of -1.  It’s a really, really valuable tool to have.

But an imaginary number can be a real hindrance is life.  Numbers are everywhere in our lives.  Cholestrol, weight and even some mattresses. They seem to rule us.  Or we can let them.  There’s one number I recently realized is just another number our culture forces on too many people.

65

Retirement age.  It’s easy to get trapped by society into thinking you have to work and stay in a job until you’re 65.  The magic age when everything changes.  It’s B.65. and A.65? Or is it?

Sixty-five isn’t built into our DNA.  It’s an artificial number developed by economists, actuaries and the U.S. government years ago  And, it forces a lot of people to settle for less than they really deserve.  Here’s a link that shows various retirement ages in countries in Europe (https://www.etk.fi/en/the-pension-system-2/the-pension-system/international-comparison/retirement-ages/)

Where did this number come from and why does it stick around?  How does it drive your thinking?  Are you thinking “Only 9 more years until I’m free?”

Wow!  What a way to live!

Or are you thinking, “This is so awesome!  I’m not looking forward to 65.”  I have a 69 year old friend whose business is thriving and he told me recently he didn’t want to retire because he enjoyed his customers so much.  He would miss them dearly.”   Wow!  I want some of that!

So instead of living for that imaginary number, how about creating your own number.  Or better yet, taking the bull by the horns and creating the life where the number doesn’t matter like my friend did.

Count von Count, of Sesame Street fame, had a favorite number – 34,969.  (Thanks to my good friend Tim Eichorn for reminding me of this!)

No imaginary number.  A real number.

I’m rolling lots of numbers around right now.  Could be 3, 6, 9 or 12, 62, 72, or 85.    And it’s fine.

I hope you can find the number that makes sense for you and live it to the fullest.

Live. Grow. Harmonize.

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