So, you don’t want to update your LinkedIn photo because all-of-a-sudden you look ancient? Listen to wisdom from Dirty Harry, Squint Eastwood, the Man with No Name….
American actor Clint Eastwood, at a not-so-spry 95, recently delivered a speech about his own war with the calendar, and the scarcest of commodities: time.
“Growing old can be pretty scary, right? You find yourself witnessing everything around you. Your bones don’t move as easily, your eyes feel weary from the light, and your lungs often crave a break from that exhausting breath. But what’s even scarier and more exhausting is reaching ninety and realizing there’s no one you love nearby, listening with a hint of disinterest to your tales filled with imagined heroics. You know they may not care, but you still take joy, like a grandfather, in sharing what you think matters with your grandkids. It’s frightening to be alone when everyone used to seek you out, and after a lifetime of chasing the light, you end up without a family, living in darkness when you really needed someone to guide you toward the light! So, make it a priority to build a family.
“Chasing fame is like chasing ashes blown away by the wind; it neither ignites a fire nor stays put.”
Eastwood wowed audiences in “The Man with No Name” Trilogy, and the “Dirty Harry” Series, as the no-nonsense cop Harry Callahan.
As a Director Eastwood won four Academy Award Oascar wins as Best Director and Best Picture for Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004). Eastwood held onto the script of Unforgiven for over a decade, waiting until he was old enough to play the lead convincingly. He had additional Oscar nominations for Mystic River (2003) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), that showcased his ability to humanize both sides of war.
He directed over 40 films, including Gran Torino (2008), American Sniper (2014), The Mule (2018), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006).
Eastwood was equally impressive with his music talent and accomplishments. He composed music for several of his films, including Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby, and used his love of jazz in other venues.
Clint leveraged his popularity, intelligence, and leadership as Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in California, where he focused on reducing bureaucracy and improving local amenities.
Eastwood famously rejected roles, such as turning down the role of James Bond after Sean Connery, feeling it should remain British, and Apocalypse Now because he found the script “too dark.”
Clint was drafted during the Korean War and served as a swimming instructor in the U.S. Army. He proved he wasn’t all talk when he survived a plane crash into the Pacific Ocean returning from leave, and swam over a mile to shore.
The future Dirty Harry was rumored to have said, “Hey sharks – go ahead, make my day.“
Life is short. As Clean Harry said, “So, make it a priority to build a Family.” Invest in the future, not in “fame” or “wealth” – but invest in all that is beyond this present age.
