Aging Well Is a Negotiation: Redefining What Fits as You Grow Older
The piece argues that thriving with age comes from actively renegotiating life's terms rather than passive acceptance. It contrasts disengagement theory with Baltes’ select–optimize–compensate approach, showing how flexible goal adjustment and tenacious pursuit can coexist to sustain purpose and happiness; examples include an elderly badminton player who improves by changing format, and research linking ongoing 'mattering' and optimism to longer, more satisfying lives.
