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Key takeaways
- Rod Stewart stays youthful and energetic by loving his job and staying committed to fitness.
- He boosts his vitality by incorporating physical activity into his daily routine.
- Stewart credits his passion for building model trains as a key to maintaining his mental and physical health.
Summary
Staying youthful and maintaining a rigorous schedule is achievable with the right mindset and habits, as exemplified by 80-year-old rock star Rod Stewart. With a career spanning decades, Stewart continues to tour and perform with unabated energy, crediting his longevity to a combination of staying fit, pursuing hobbies and loving his job. He incorporates physical activity into his daily routine, having had a personal trainer for 35 years, and engages in activities like underwater swimming to improve his lung power.
Key to Stewart’s vigor is his commitment to fitness and his passion for hobbies outside of music, such as his extensive model railroad layout, which he has spent 30 years building. This hobby not only keeps him engaged but also provides a creative outlet that is fulfilling and mentally stimulating. By staying active and pursuing activities he loves, Stewart maintains his physical and mental health.
The benefits of the rocker’s approach to life are evident in his continued ability to perform and tour, inspiring fans and proving that age is not a barrier to living a full and active life. By adopting a similar mindset and incorporating activities that bring joy and fulfillment, individuals can similarly maintain their vitality and enthusiasm for life, regardless of age.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full transcript
[0:00:00] I wake up every morning and go thank the Lord or thank somebody,
[0:00:03] but the most important thing is I'm enjoying it now more than I ever did.
[0:00:12] When my album, Every Picture Tells a Story went to number one in America and the UK.
[0:00:20] Maggie May came on the radio and I was driving in London,
[0:00:24] I turned round and went all the way back to my mum and dad's house to tell them,
[0:00:28] and of course they all started crying, you know, you know,
[0:00:31] so that that was a magical moment.
[0:00:35] All my family had stood behind me for so long in this business,
[0:00:38] which, you know, way back when you didn't know whether it was gonna last 3 hours,
[0:00:42] 3 years or whatever, but my family all stood behind me and supported me.
[0:00:49] The knighthood was extraordinary. I, I just wish my mum and dad had been here to
[0:00:53] see it. And I got an idea at Buckingham Palace,
[0:00:58] uh, Prince, uh, Prince William said to me, he said, Rod,
[0:01:00] are you still singing? I said, Bet your life,
[0:01:03] mate, I've got 8 kids.
[0:01:13] Like most dads, I didn't wanna tell my children about it because I didn't want them to worry.
[0:01:18] So they didn't really know about it until I was the other side of it.
[0:01:22] And then of course you go, Dad, you should have told us,
[0:01:24] we'd have been there for you.
[0:01:26] I didn't want to worry him, but you know it, to have family around when you've got such a
[0:01:30] horrible disease really does help.
[0:01:32] But I'm all clear now, thank the Lord, still rocking.
[0:01:42] I keep myself very, very fit. I have a trainer,
[0:01:45] I've had a trainer for 35 years.
[0:01:47] Uh, and Frank Sinatra once said to me, the art of, of being a great vocalist is by having lung
[0:01:53] power. So I do a lot of underwater swimming on the
[0:01:56] bottom of the pool with a brick and you have to push it up the other end.
[0:01:59] So keep yourself fit.
[0:02:07] I'm a big model railroad fan.
[0:02:11] It's been a hobby of mine most of my life, but I've built this incredible layout which
[0:02:16] apparently is one of the best in the world.
[0:02:19] It's absolutely massive.
[0:02:21] Some of my skyscrapers are taller than my wife, and I've spent 30 years making it,
[0:02:26] and I take it everywhere I go, not the layout cos it's half the length of this stage,
[0:02:30] but I take projects, you know, all my paints, my tools,
[0:02:34] and my materials, and I build a factory.
[0:02:37] Instead of sitting around in your hotel room all day,
[0:02:40] you know, I've got a hobby, and that is probably the one thing that's kept me sane,
[0:02:44] without a doubt. I'm at my happiest when I'm in my workshop.
[0:02:49] You know, I've seen like my two brothers they are no longer with me and other people,
[0:02:53] they retire and then they lose it all, you know, there's nothing to wake up in the morning and,
[0:02:59] and, and, and work for, you know, whereas I every day I,
[0:03:03] and I'm 80, you know, I love my job and love my hobby, um,
[0:03:07] you know, still play a bit of football.
[0:03:10] It's brilliant, I'm, you can see I'm beaming, aren't I.
[0:03:14] What I do every night, that really does keep you young.
[0:03:18] Stay forever young, my friends.
