Dick Van Dyke reveals his simple mindset secret after turning 100 — and scientists say he's right
Marking his centennial birthday, the legendary actor revealed he has no plans to stop and he credits his lifestyle.
Marking your 100th birthday is truly a big one. It’s an achievement very few get to witness. Dick Van Dyke, actor, comedian, father and so much more, marked his centennial on December 13, 2025. A majority of people have one question for the Broadway star — “What’s the secret?” The actor spilled the beans, and it’s nothing fancy or extravagant, per TODAY. But what makes it impressive and reliable is that even scientists are backing him. Before we wish him a happy birthday, let’s dive into this secret. Speaking about his upcoming 100th celebration, the actor said, “I can’t believe I made it,” per PEOPLE. “I feel really good for 100,” he added.
Even though Dick Van Dyke has worked on phenomenal projects, life, he says, should be simple. The actor made it very clear that he loves singing, and it’s one of the things that has helped him make it this far. “I wake up every morning with an old tune in my head,” he said. And seeing the many classics he’s worked on, including “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang,” and others, we can see where it comes from. The “Bye Bye Birdie” actor then revealed what kept him going. “I’ve always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person’s insides — and hate. And I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate. I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going.”
Dyke proudly mentioned he never wakes up in a bad mood, and that has significantly contributed to his centennial big day. According to The Conversation, the actor noted that making it 100 came from his positive outlook and never getting angry. And researchers say there is some truth to that. They discovered it through incredible analysis. Going decades back to the early 1930s, researchers asked nearly 700 novice nuns who were in their early 20s to write an autobiography. After six decades, they analyzed their work and compared it with the long-term outcomes of women’s health.
It was revealed that the nuns who expressed gratitude and positivity in their essays lived longer than those who expressed negativity or resentment. Another study published by PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) in 2019 revealed "optimism is associated with exceptional longevity." The study noted that people with optimism have an 11% to 15% longer lifespan, viz., over the age of 85. While other factors like genetics, health, habits, and so on come into play by default, optimism is a striking contributing factor. Coming to the reduced anger part, the actor was right there, too.
Anger and stress are known to have prolonged effects on health, and if you do the math, the theory makes sense. A study from Taylor and Francis revealed that having optimism is associated with reduced rates of anger. It noted that subjects who had more positivity showed less anger and thereby negativity when exposed to certain situations. Even as he marks his 100th birthday, he says his major feeling is gratitude. And it’s evident in his charm. In a post captured by @capricefilms and shared by Dyke, the caption perfectly encapsulated the actor — back in 2021, decades before that and even today.
“Just four years ago — still moving, still dancing, still shining. It’s this kind of joyful discipline that’s carried him all the way to his 100th birthday on December 13.” Added to the caption were his prominent words, “Keep moving, and you’ll keep improving.” When asked about what he’s planned ahead, he said retirement is not in the books. “I don’t stop. It’s my hobby. I love it, I'm looking for work right now,” he remarked. We wish the man, the myth, the legend, a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious birthday!
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