How the Virtuous Circle Changed My Life—and Might Change Yours, Too

At the age of 85, I’m a man on a mission.

I want every older adult in America to know that you can get fitter and healthier after 65, even if you haven’t exercised in years. What’s more, it doesn’t require a heroic effort.

What it takes is understanding the power of the virtuous circle. That’s what helped transform me from a certified couch potato at age 70 to a competitive athlete at 84, winning ten gold medals in fitness events at the 2024 California Senior Games.

A simple, but potent idea

You’ve probably heard of the vicious cycle—a downward spiral whereby one bad thing keeps leading to others.

The virtuous circle is the complete opposite—the dynamic whereby making one good thing happen leads to another good thing, and then more good things, in a cycle of ongoing improvement.

It’s a concept I stumbled on only late in life. But once I recognized its potential, it led me to a level of well-being I never expected to enjoy in my mid-eighties.

It also gave me a template for accomplishing almost any goal in life. That’s how I became a documentary film producer in my seventies, despite my total lack of experience.

My experiences are what led me to make made my third and most recent film, Virtuous Circle: A Geezer’s Guide to Successful Aging, which premieres on PBS on May 17. The virtuous circle is a secret too good to keep to myself.

Starting small

Back when I turned 70, I was a physical wreck: overweight, low energy, and chronically plagued by excruciating back pain. I couldn’t help feeling that my best days were over and my life was headed straight downhill.

Resolving to get into shape no matter what, I started walking five or six times a week. Though I didn’t know it at the time, that decision proved to be pivotal. Not only did it help get me into the exercise habit, it shifted me from a downward to an upward trajectory.

After three or four months, I felt so much better that I decided to turn up the dial and try to regain some of the strength I’d lost over the years. I joined a gym and hired a seasoned trainer to point me in the right direction.

My first day in the gym, I couldn’t do a single proper push-up – not one! But after a few months of working out three times a week and giving it my best, I felt like a new man. Not only that, I’d finally found my sport. Strength-training turned out to be something I truly enjoyed.

The more I got into it, and the more I challenged my body, the more aware I became of what I was eating. Once I began thinking of food as fuel for my body, rather than something to satisfy my taste buds, I consciously shifted from a typical American diet to eating leaner and cleaner.

Almost immediately, I felt less sluggish and had more energy for daily tasks, not to mention my workouts. What’s more, I began gradually losing that spare tire around my middle. It took time, but ultimately I was 35 pounds lighter and at my ideal weight, where I’ve remained ever since.

I’d learned for myself how one positive step leads to another, adding up to big strides over time.

Ongoing improvement

But the virtuous circle didn’t stop there. Between amping up my workouts and lightening up my evening meal, I was sleeping much better—a welcome respite after years of insomnia. In my experience, getting physically tired is the best sleep medicine there is.

All this boosted my mood and made me less reactive to ordinary hassles, like someone cutting in front of me in line. It also kept me on the lookout for other ways to improve. For example, I put myself on a “news diet,” which further tamped down my stress and anxiety.

By the time I turned 80, I had not only met all the fitness goals I’d set for myself a decade earlier, but also gained a level of confidence I’d never had before.

Even today, at the age of 85, I feel that I can accomplish whatever I put my mind to—and, thanks to the virtuous circle, I know how to go about doing it.

About Jim

James P. Owen is an 85-year-old best-selling author, documentary film producer and recovering couch potato. Jim has published a book and two previous documentaries on active aging. Jim was also a participant in the 2024 California Senior Games, held in San Diego, entering ten fitness events in the 80-to-84 age category. He won ten gold medals – the first competitor in any age bracket to do so.