What will your life look like at 60?

Not in terms of job titles or Instagram milestones—but how you’ll feel when you wake up each day. Who will be around you? What values will have guided your journey? What will you be proud of—and what might you wish you’d done differently?

Most people wait until midlife—or later—to reflect. But Gen Z has a unique opportunity. You’re entering adulthood in a rapidly changing world: one shaped by technology, disruption, and a redefinition of what it means to live well. So why not start the reflection now?

Writing a letter to your 60-year-old self might seem strange, even uncomfortable. But it’s a powerful exercise in designing a meaningful life before you’re forced to reevaluate it.

As author and entrepreneur James Clear puts it, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” A letter to your future self helps you define both the goals and the systems—before life sweeps you into autopilot.

Why This Letter Matters

Most people don’t stop to think about their future self until something forces them to—health issues, burnout, regret. But a study published in Psychological Science found that people who feel more connected to their future selves are more likely to make smarter long-term decisions today—from saving money to investing in well-being (source).

It turns out, imagining your 60-year-old self doesn’t just create perspective. It builds accountability.

By writing that letter, you’re not just hoping you’ll age well—you’re deciding what kind of older adult you want to become.

What to Include in Your Letter

This isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about creating alignment between who you are now and who you want to be.

Here are some prompts to guide you:

• What values do you want to carry with you for life?
  
• How do you want to feel about your health, your relationships, and your impact on others?
  
• What regrets do you hope you’ll never have?
  
• What risks would your 60-year-old self thank you for taking?
  
• Who are the people you hope are still part of your life?

You can write the letter as a conversation, a list, or a creative vision. There’s no wrong way to do it—only the powerful act of intentional reflection.

What You Might Learn From Older Generations

Older adults who have led fulfilling lives often share the same advice: start thinking long-term earlier. In interviews with centenarians, one theme shows up repeatedly: meaning matters more than money, and relationships last longer than achievements.

As 103-year-old Dr. Gladys McGarey said, “If you’re not living a life with love at the center, you’re not really living.” Her message resonates because it’s earned through decades of reflection—and a reminder that you can begin to shape a more loving, meaningful life now.

Tools and Resources to Try

Want help writing your letter? Try platforms like:

• FutureMe.org – Write an email to your future self and choose when it’s delivered.
  
• Notion or Evernote – Use these for journaling and organizing life plans.
  
• Storyworth – Encourage a parent or grandparent to write their story and share reflections with you.

You can also revisit your letter each year. Update it, expand it, or simply reflect on how your path is evolving. It becomes a mirror—and sometimes a compass.

Take Action This Week

• Set aside 30 minutes of quiet time and write your letter by hand or digitally.
  
• Title it with the year you’ll turn 60.
  
• Seal it in a digital folder or schedule it for future delivery on FutureMe.
  
• Bonus: Ask a friend to write theirs, too, and share what surprised you both.

And if you’re feeling bold? Share your favorite line from your letter in theAge Brilliantly Forum.

The truth is, you are already becoming the person you’ll be at 60. Every choice you make today—how you care for your body, nurture your mind, spend your time, and invest in relationships—shapes that version of you.

So, what would your 60-year-old self want you to know right now? And what can you do today to honor that wisdom?

Join the conversation in theforum and share what your future-self letter revealed. Let’s build a generation of people who grow older with clarity, joy, and purpose—starting right now.