William Shatner has no plans to slow down as he gets older.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 95-year-old actor spoke about how he is able to keep going, when so many others his age have already slowed down decades ago.
“That’s why they’re old,” he said. “Shatner’s law is speed up, do more and forget the pain, take a pill if it hurts. You get older, you hurt more. Two things. One is a weightlifter who told me, ‘When I lift three, four hundred pounds, it hurts. I’ve learned,’ he said, ‘to make the hurt my friend. Welcome, friend. The pain is here, welcome.'”
Shatner, who is preparing for his upcoming live stage show “The Universe is Absurd,” went on to say that his “advice to old people” would be to “befriend” and embrace the pain.
The “Star Trek” actor then added that his second tip for those who are aging is to never stop moving, explaining that “if you stop moving, all you’ve got is the hurt.” He explained that one of his passions is riding horses, and competing in an equestrian event called reigning, which he described as “very physical.”
“The older you get, the difficulty is really getting on the horse. You have a mounting block, and you try to lift your leg up over it,” he said. “If I would have stopped that, half my life would disappear. So I don’t stop. I just go slower.”
Even after suffering an injury to his shoulder due to a fall off his horse, Shatner continues to ride, and will be hosting the annual William Shatner’s Hollywood Charity Horse Show later this month.
His busy schedule also includes his upcoming live show, “The Universe is Absurd,” which is a live, unscripted stage show with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson that will explore cosmic themes through banter and storytelling. The show is scheduled for May 19 and 20 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER CALLS NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON ‘A CLOSE FRIEND’ AFTER WORKING WITH HIM ON NEW LIVE SHOW
Tyson and Shatner first connected when recording an audiobook, which eventually led to 20 hours of conversation between the two of them.
“I had to spend two days, 10 hours a day talking to a wonderful man who has become a good friend of mine now,” he said. “Those 20 hours have given us a foothold into conversation and that’s what we’ll have on stage. But in order for it to have energy, I have to disagree with them on many points, if not all.”
The worst thing that can happen at the show in Shatner’s opinion, is that “The audience walks out. We walk on, and they get up and leave.“
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER ENCOURAGES OLDER PEOPLE TO ‘BEFRIEND THE PAIN’ IN ORDER TO STAY YOUNG
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In terms of what’s next for him, the “Boston Legal” star explained he doesn’t have a bucket list, but wants to continue doing the things he treasures, such as spending time with his dogs, riding horses with his wife and visiting his favorite coffee shops.
“I’m busy, and I’m vital and I’m riding horses and I’m taking care of business. And I just sold a horse,” he said. “I did a job on Friday and Saturday…I’m busy doing concrete valuable things, I don’t want to go anywhere. The least of all I want to do is die.”
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER DOES NOT PLAN TO SLOW DOWN ANYTIME SOON
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When reflecting on his life, Shatner shared that he is “thrilled to see the world” when he wakes up every morning, but shares that is “something that’s grown on me through the years.”
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He explained that a person’s mindset changes throughout the different stages of life. He shared that around 20-25 years old, people are busy building their future and are “self-energized by your own needs,” but slow down as they get older.
“When you’re 70 and 80, you look around at the magic of the Earth,” he explained. “You look at the incredible beauty of life. No matter if you’re hurting, welcome hurt. You’re alive, for God’s sake. In no time at all, you’ll be interred with turds and so relish as much as you can of your life because it’s over.”
He continued: “I’m here to testify. One truth I know. It goes by so quickly. When I hear somebody utter the number of my age, I’m tempted to look around to see who he’s talking about, because that doesn’t seem real. It seems like some bad dream. I’m how old? No, I’ll wake up momentarily. That’s how I feel.”
WATCH HERE: WILLIAM SHATNER SHARED HOW HIS PHILOSOPHY ON LIFE HAS CHANGED AS HE GETS OLDER
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Shatner previously gave audiences the secret to his longevity in a tweet on his 95th birthday.
“At 95, I’m still smokin‘! I’ve learned two things: Never waste a good cigar. Never trust anyone who says you should ‘act your age.'”
