Steve Vernon and the Quest
“What’s the best way to live the rest of our lives?” This question has become increasingly important to IONS Circle member, Steve Vernon, who now at age 54 is more than half-way to 100. Answering this question is key to his life’s work of helping people realize their potential for their retirement, or as he likes to say, their rest-of-life.
“I’m grateful for the many insights that I’ve gained from IONS and incorporated into my work. For example, IONS’ work on transformation and intention-setting helps people make healthy life choices and overcome habits that can reduce longevity and prosperity. Articles and research on Near Death Experience help facilitate a healthy perspective for our later years and beyond,” said Steve.
Vernon has had a successful 30-year career as a consulting actuary, helping large employers design and manage their retirement programs. He gets very detailed with financial strategies for retirement, yet has found that finances, although necessary, are not fully sufficient for a successful rest-of-life. “Building the appropriate level of financial resources satisfies some of our basic needs—like the first two levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.” said Vernon. “After taking care of our basic needs, we can pay attention to the higher needs defined by Maslow.” Here’s one of Steve’s favorite quotes as it applies to our later years:
The greatest tragedy in life is not running out of money, but running out of meaning.
—Sally Hass, Weyerhaeuser Corporation
“I’ve found fascinating research that implies that having meaning, passion, and purpose in life helps people stay healthy and live longer. Having meaningful relationships with my family and friends is very important to me. I met my partner Melinda at the IONS-AGNT biannual conference in 2003, and we’re getting married in September. So thank you IONS!”
Another passion of Steve’s is aikido, the nonviolent martial art that emphasizes harmonious resolution to conflict and improving effectiveness under stress. “Master yourself, don’t try to control others” is a core belief. “In aikido, we train ourselves not to give in to the easy, natural response to power and force, and this practice has significant application in our daily lives. By learning these lessons on a physical level, they become deeply ingrained in who we are,” said Steve.
Steve has put his skills, insights, and life experiences together in workshops, presentations, writings, and productions to help people plan for their happiness, health, and wealth in their later years. His latest work is a DVD/booklet combination called The Quest: For Long Life, Health and Prosperity. “My life’s work, relationships, and interests are coming together into a great mix for my rest-of-life, and for that, I’m very grateful.”
To learn more about Steve Vernon’s realistic strategies to live a long time, be healthy, and have enough financial resource to support the life you want, see www.thequestdvd.com.
