“The greatest legacy we can leave our children is not money, but the ability to live a meaningful life.” – Peter Strople

If your child lives to be 100, how prepared will they be—not just financially, but emotionally, physically, and purposefully?

Thanks to medical advancements, improved living conditions, and evolving technology, it’s increasingly likely that today’s children will live well into their 90s or even beyond 100. According to theStanford Center on Longevity, a child born today has a 50% chance of living past age 100. That’s exciting—but also raises the question: are we raising them with the mindset and tools needed to design and thrive in such a long life?

It’s time to introduce our kids to a powerful new perspective: they are the architects of their own 100-year life. And that life begins not at retirement—but right now.

Why Long-Term Thinking Builds Better Lives

Children and teens naturally live in the now. But when guided to think about the future with optimism and purpose, they start making more thoughtful, values-driven choices. A study published in Child Development found that adolescents with a clear vision of their future were more likely to stay engaged in school, avoid risky behavior, and pursue goals that led to life satisfaction (source).

By teaching kids to zoom out and envision their long life ahead—not just the next test or milestone—we give them the framework to make decisions today that align with their evolving values, passions, and dreams.

Action Steps to Help Kids Think Long-Term

1. Introduce the Concept of a 100-Year Life
 Make it real. Share facts like those from Stanford’sNew Map of Life to help your child understand that long lives are increasingly common. Talk about what that means—not just more years, but more stages to explore, grow, and contribute.

Ask:

• What would you like to be doing at 40, 70, or even 90?
  
• What kind of person do you want to become over time?

UseFutureMe to write letters to their future selves—then open them in 5, 10, or 50 years.

2. Help Them Identify Their Core Values
 Purposeful living starts with knowing what matters. Help your child or teen explore their core values using theThink2Perform Values Tool.

Then ask:

• How can your values help you make better choices?
  
• If these values stay with you for life, how might they guide your future?

This foundational step supports everything from friendships and career decisions to wellness and purpose.

3. Use Visioning Exercises to Spark Imagination
 Encourage your child to imagine a day in their life at age 50, 75, or 100. Where do they live? What do they care about? What have they accomplished?

Let them draw, write, or record their vision. Use a tool likeNotion to create a digital life roadmap or “dream board” that evolves over time.

4. Reinforce That Life Happens in Stages
 Help them understand that they don’t need to “have it all figured out” at any one moment. The traditional 3-stage model (education ? work ? retirement) is outdated. Instead, they’ll likely go through many stages—learning, exploring, working, caregiving, reinventing.

UseNewRetirement together to play with life-planning scenarios—even if they’re just for fun. Help them see life as a flexible journey rather than a rigid track.

5. Encourage Long-Term Financial Thinking
 Even small financial lessons can be powerful. Explain how saving early can give them choices later. Use tools likeGreenlight for younger kids andYNAB for teens and young adults to introduce smart money habits.

Show them how saving isn’t just about retirement—it’s about building freedom, options, and resilience across decades.

6. Model Long-Term Thinking Yourself
 Your behavior teaches more than your words. Share your own reflections:

• What are you doing now that supports your future self?
  
• What do you wish you’d thought about earlier in life?

Let them see you pursuing new goals, learning new things, and planning with curiosity and optimism. Your example reinforces that life is a creative process that never really stops.

7. Build a Lifelong Learning Mindset
 Learning shouldn’t stop at graduation—it should continue through every life stage. Encourage your kids to explore topics they love, try new skills, and see setbacks as growth opportunities.

Platforms likeKhan Academy,Skillshare, andCoursera offer endless ways to develop new passions and perspectives.

Learning is not just about facts—it’s about fueling purpose.

Tools That Support Long-Term Thinking

• Storyworth: Capture family stories and long-term life lessons
  
• Happify: Teach positive psychology and mindset skills
  
• Fabulous: Build lifelong habits for health, focus, and wellness
  
• VolunteerMatch: Explore purpose through service and contribution
  
• Trello: Organize goals and life visions in a visual, flexible way

The Future Belongs to Those Who Dream Big and Plan Wisely

“The best way to prepare for the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker

Your child doesn’t need to have a perfect plan—they just need to start asking better questions. When you help them build a long-term mindset, you’re giving them a gift that will shape every choice, challenge, and opportunity they’ll encounter for decades to come.

So ask yourself:
 How can I start conversations that help my child design a fulfilling 100-year life?
 What tools or habits can I share that support long-term thinking and purpose?
 How do I model a life that is aligned, intentional, and always growing?

Join the conversation and share your reflections in theforum.