Senior in the Spotlight: The Real Life Indiana Jones

David Miln Smith, Santa Cruz adventurer, motivational speaker and author, has just about done it all, including swimming from Africa to Europe, trekking the Sahara by himself, kayaking 2000 miles down the Nile and running a marathon over the Kyber Pass where he was warned, “There’s a bullet behind every rock.”

Understandably, Smith is often referred to as the “real life Indiana Jones,” and he’s known as an innovator of death-defying, high-risk adventure sports. From an early age, “nothing was enough” for Smith.

“I was always a high achiever,” he said. “The youngest Eagle Scout in history. Always a student body officer in schools 1-12. All City swimmer in high school. All American in junior college.”

But when his high ambitions took their toll in the form of drinking and being expelled from two colleges, Smith had a wake up call about where his future was headed.

“By age 25, overweight, sluggish, excessive drinking and smoking cigarettes, I awoke and made a commitment to swim the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco to Marin.” He accomplished this on his 26^th birthday, and his “life and lifestyle activities were changed forever.”

Since then, he's been written about in Sports Illustrated and was a regular on the Johnny Carson show for his outrageous physical challenges, such as tales of kayaking from Khartoum to Cairo in 1977 and running a marathon through the Khyber Pass in 1979.

He also swam from Africa to Europe through the straits of Gibralter. And he's written several books: Hug the Monster: How to Embrace Your Fears and Live Your Dreams; Healing Journey: The odyssey of an Uncommon Athlete; and The East/West Exercise Book.

Now 73 years old, Smith continues to push himself while motivating others to do the same, including seniors. (Smith prefers the terms “elder” or “sage,” and I have to agree those have a much better connotation than “senior.”)

“I see myself as The Scout for the Boomers when it comes to Catching a Second Wind for a life of vitality,” Smith said.

He is a motivational speaker, hired by corporations to help employees keep the adventure in their lives.

Take Responsibility for Your Own Health

Smith notes that 78 million people in the U.S. will become 65 years old in the next 18 years, potentially creating a healthcare crisis—and a need for people to take charge of their own wellbeing.

“On an individual level, I encourage people to take responsibility for their own health and wellness,” Smith said. “Learning about your own medical conditions and health instead of leaving everything up to your doctor is vital for your quality of life adding quantity of years.”

Smith knows firsthand about taking responsibility.

“Unable to exercise for months do to physical injuries and two operations,” he said, “I realized I had inherited high blood pressure. Immediately, I was put on two medications. Upon healing the injuries, I returned to my normal daily exercise. Within several months I had dropped the medications that were causing low blood pressure.

“It turns out exercise is not only the best for your body, but the number one best activity for your brain.”

Smith said there are new breakthroughs in science that are “debunking lifelong beliefs and myths, which have permeated the understanding of aging [and] extending longevity into higher numbers throughout the globe.”

But he asks, “Why is the U.S. 46th in longevity and 13th in quality of life?”

Danger is Your Ally

As we age, it seems we’re less willing to take risks, to make changes in our lives. My mother used to be pretty adventurous, always trying new activities, seeking new experiences. Now she’s locked into a strict routine that, granted, makes her happy, but is difficult to witness.

Smith believes this happens because “we buy into the aging myth. We don’t have to stay frail, weak with no stamina thus stopping us from experiencing many new activities.”

In his motivational talks, Smith teaches people to make their fear of change not an enemy but an ally. “Danger is your ally” is a motto he lives by.

“I get inspired by breaking boundaries,” Smith said. “In order to ward off injury and possible death, I prepared for each adventure. Preparation is the anchor for calculated risk taking. I encourage people, businesses and corporations to take risks. Take the Risk; Reap the Rewards.”

Never Stop Learning

Smith believes in the value of constant learning, and he practices this in his own life.

“Learning is vital to my life and lifestyle,” he said. “I realize that when my actions are aligned with my values, my life is beautiful.”

He continues to travel and take on new projects such as an adventure retreat that would include “the latest research on brain plasticity.” His search for a venue has taken him to San Miguel de Allende where he enjoyed the art, to Costa Rica where he kayaked in the ocean and river, and to the mountains in Panama and Puerto Vallarta where he studied Spanish.

He’s also traveled to Los Angeles to help launch several reality shows in which he’d act as host and producer. One of the shows is titled “It’s Never Too Late to Live a Healthy Lifestyle.”

Age is certainly not slowing this man down!

Living Well into Old Age

Always interested in longevity, Smith attended the national conference on aging in 2004, and was “stunned to discover the new information about the brain’s ability to grow at any age.”

He learned that to ward off dementia, we must continue challenging our brains with new activities. The key word is “new.”

“If one is good at the New York Times crossword puzzles,” Smith said, “that’s not new and novel. Learning a new language, dance step, computer program, sport, painting, sculpting…now one has the time to take on that challenge, having fun in the experience at the same time growing the brain.”

Finally, Smith gives us five pillars to live by—taken from scientific research—that promote quality of life, health and longevity:

Physical, the body;

Mental, the brain;

Nutritional, the food and possible supplements;

Social, the gathering and

Spiritual, the unknown and purpose.

Sage advice for us elders, wouldn’t you say?