Healthy Wealthy Boomer - Chuck Norris, A Role Model

If there were ever a healthy wealthy boomer role model, it’s Chuck Norris.

He’s actually a “pre-boomer” born in 1940 which makes him 68 in 2008. This guy is the epitome of success and health. And if fact, for many Boomers, he has been a role model for a long time.

I remember Chuck Norris as a competitive Karate professional in southern California in the late 60’s and early 70’s. In 1974, Chuck retired after six years as the undefeated World Middleweight Karate Champion at age 34. I was not yet 21 but frequented the East Bay Karate dojo 6 times a week at the time. One of the guys I worked with had studied from Chuck in So Cal and was often relaying tales of accomplishment and prowess as a first hand witness of this amazing fighter.

And of course there was the fight scene with Bruce Lee in the 1973 martial arts classic, Return of the Dragon - filmed and released while Norris was world champ. He would go on to win another championship the following year.

He set a lot of precedents over the years.

While Chuck Norris preceded the Boomer Generation by a few years, he has set a standard both for success and physical fitness that exemplifies an intelligent and applied approach to longevity and prosperity.

Coupled with a profound spiritual awareness, Norris has consistently emulated:

• a sense of fairness
• kindness
• honor
• character

woven through the many characters he has portrayed throughout his career as an actor, a fighter and martial artist, and benefactor to millions of kids and fans. Through it all is a sense of balance and respect for principle and values.

Baby Boomers can look to Norris as a torch bearer demonstrating what the individual can do on their own if they put their mind to it. At 68, in top physical condition, he’s got a long life yet to live and many things left to accomplish.

Recently Norris wrote a column for Town Hall talking about his friend Bruce Lee:

Bruce Lee vs Me

I found a number of the comments on the column to be a sad reflection of much of our society today, people speaking what they do not know.

To quote Lao Tzu, “Those who speak know not, and those who know speak not.”

In 1989 a friend of mine, Bob Gairing, took up Kick Boxing as a training practice at the age of 53. This guy was a psychotherapist - par excellence - and I guess he needed to relieve some of the weird energy he dealt with on a daily basis through his workouts. He and I became very close that year. I attended a workout with him as an observer one time, and I can tell you, I have never seen tougher training - ever.

He studied from a Martial Arts legend in Missoula, MT named Jim Harrison. You can read about him and what Bruce Lee said about Jim Harrison here.

Bob told me that Harrison and Norris were old friends and that as many times Norris had invited him to appear in movies with him, Harrison always declined and chose to stay out of the limelight and maintain a lower profle. Harrison said Chuck Norris was the real McCoy and really dangerous on the street - which isn’t too typical of martial arts actors.

The fact is we need more tough guys teaching the younger generation, accomplished experts in their fields who can help a generation - and a nation - desperately seeking direction. That is - tough guys with a heart and compassion.

For me, when it comes to listening to advice about fitness and health, I always listen to healthy people. When it comes to marital advice, I listen to people with healthy and successful marriages. When it comes to money and wealth, I listen to people who have a lot of it.

Chuck Norris has all of these things.

More Boomers would do well to emulate his behavior, his training self discipline, his health and vitality and his life and financial success - as opposed to many in Congress, in the media , on Wall Street and in professional sports.

On his official website, in the fitness category, there is simply a brief discussion about The Total Gym with a link to a couple of videos with his wife. He’s been using it multiple times a week for about 20 years. Enough said about fitness. We love The Total Gym and we have one at home that we use.

Finding Your Passion in Life and Doing What You Love

As we learn more in our lives, it is becoming imminently clear that the real key to success - living a long, healthy life and achieving wealth - is by being passionate about what you do and finding your true purpose. Chuck Norris has found his passion in life and lives it fully.

Chuck Norris is not just a healthy wealthy boomer role model, he is a symbol and an icon of the American dream and success.