What if growing old could be the most powerful thing you do?

We all fear the gap—those years between independence and decline.

NTLA has launched the Longevity Project, and it's perhaps the most critical book project I've done: A Journey Beyond the Blue Zone. Chronicling a trip to Japan`s longevity hotspots, by sailboat, foot, and train, is more than a travelogue. It’s a quest to discover how we can live not just longer, but more energized, connected, and self-reliant lives.

Along the way, so far, I’ve met a barber in his 80s who is still chasing records, many who credit music and community for their vitality, and researchers confirming what we’ve all quietly suspected: there’s more to a long life than just diet and exercise. There’s joy, purpose, curiosity, community, and often, karaoke.

Having spent nearly a year in the so-called Blue Zone of Okinawa, I traveled north by sailboat through the Ryukyu Islands in March 2025.

Now in April, I’m traveling overland and have been in Shimane, which has the highest number of centenarians per capita in Japan which makes according to that metric, the Japan`s real Blue Zone.

Now, as I write, I am in Nagano, the prefecture with the Highest Life Span and Healthy Life Span. I’m meeting incredible people, and beyond confirmation that diet and exercise are essential for those who want to stay healthy as they age, I’m learning so much more.

Below are some of the reflections and insights I’ve gathered so far. I hope they challenge, inspire, and maybe even redirect your view of what’s possible.

If this resonates, I invite you to pre-order the book, join our upcoming livestreams, and be part of this evolving conversation. Order your advance copy now and support the project. Click here to find out how

Insights & Reflections from the Journey thus far

Ambition doesn`t have an expiry date.
Growing old with joy might be the most radical goal of all.
Life doesn’t slow down at 70. If anything, it calls for deeper questions.
Self-reliance is both a goal and a way of life.
Music, laughter, curiosity, and purpose. These might be the real superfoods.
Curiosity is a magnet. It pulls us toward life. It may be the number one factor in longevity.
Singing with others is important. Even the most remote villages have karaoke bars for a reason.
Mindset is as important as your diet and exercise. The happiest 82-year-old I have met told me, ‘I don’t worry.’
Japan is teaching me that longevity is a team sport.
When purpose wakes you up in the morning, age becomes irrelevant.