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Today I am speaking with a former commercial videographer who changed courses in his 50s to start diving. Now in his 70s, he has a new goal of setting a record for endurance bicycling.
Jeff Seckendorf enjoyed a long career in the film industry making movies, commercials and music videos. But, after he turned 50, he wanted to do something completely different that gave him a sense of purpose. So, he went diving.
Soon he and a partner formed a scuba certification and training agency to teach scuba instructors how to help others to become better divers. Through that endeavor, Jeff applied what he learned to “train the trainer” in corporate leadership.
He likes the “aha” moments created when people who teach others discover new ways and methods to convey information to their students.
While that motivated Jeff’s professional interests in his 50s and 60s, today he wants to tackle a really big goal of setting a record for one-hour endurance bicycling on an indoor track in his 70s.
An avid bicyclist for most of his life, Jeff started racing in triathlons in his 50s. There are different kinds of triathlons. In the Olympics, triathlons incorporate swimming for a mile, biking 25 miles and running more than 6 miles.
But, Jeff realized that running in his 60s may damage his hips and knees. So, he pursued endurance bicycling instead. He discovered racing on a velodrome, a small indoor oval track up to 330 meters long, where competitors race against the clock to see who can go the furthest in a specific period of time.
The special bikes use one gear and pedals are attached to the wheels themselves. That means there is no coasting because the pedals are moving whether the rider is pumping on them or not. There is also no braking. Competitors are biking nonstop for one hour at a consistent speed. The record Jeff is hoping to set in his 70s involves biking nearly 27 miles in one hour.
Training for such endurance events required Jeff to hire a coach to guide him through a five-year structured process to improve his fitness and strength.
What I admire most about Jeff’s story is that he is still setting goals in his 70s that motivate him to do something daily to reach that goal. Today, Jeff wants to help people identify and pursue their purpose, regardless of their age. So, he helped form the Institute of Purpose to show people how their lives can have purpose and meaning by simply focusing on ways to help others.
Jeff is especially interested in helping people in Generation O/W, which stands for older and wiser, and encompasses anyone who wants to improve in anything at any age.
To connect with Jeff or watch short videos of others talking about their purpose in life, visit www.instituteofpurpose.org.
That’s all I have for this week’s show. If you’d like help in identifying a purpose for your life or to get help planning your next steps, I’m offering a complimentary brainstorming session to members of the Forward From 50 Facebook community. For details, connect with me on Facebook or visit www.forwardfrom50.com.
I’ll have another inspirational interview on the next episode of the Forward From 50 podcast. Thanks for listening. If you like this show, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.