How many hours a week do you work?
Forty to 45.
Why not retire?
What would I do? I really enjoy what I am doing now, in business, in my philanthropic activities and in mentoring people.
Best part of working past 80?
It makes me feel useful. I can still use my brain, even if I can’t play touch football and racquetball the way I used to.
Worst?
I don’t have as much energy as I once did. And, at times, younger people will sometimes underestimate the capabilities of someone who is older. Of course, being underestimated can be an advantage when you are in a negotiation.
Are you up to date on technology? Do you use email, cellphones or social networking?
I use email, the Web and carry an iPhone 4S. The downside is that today we are on call all the time, so I make it a point to turn my phone off when I am at dinner or in a meeting.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
I especially remember a man who told me early in my career that the harder you work, the more successful you’ll be, and if you keep trying, there’s a very good chance you’ll make it. If you give up, it’s a certainty that you won’t.
What advice would you give to people who want to work well past 65?
They should plan on working differently. For example, take some time for yourself. I often take a break in the middle of the day to relax, maybe read the newspaper and recharge. I never did that when I was younger, but I find it really helps.
What’s the secret to staying healthy and active?
Having the right genes certainly helps. But it’s also important to keep your body strong. I go to the gym or exercise for an hour a day, five days a week, and have been doing that since 1965. I’d recommend that to everyone – just walking for 45 minutes a day is a big help.
Do you work as much as you used to in your 40s and 50s?
No. But I work smarter. I pace myself. I screen my emails and phone calls, and ones that are not immediately important get handled later – usually at the end of the day, because I try to respond to all of them within a day.
How has your work routine changed?
I get up early and work out with a trainer at 6 a.m. three days a week, and practice tai chi with an instructor two days a week. Tai chi, by the way, is great for older people, for both physical and mental health. I have breakfast most mornings at Porta Via at 8:15, usually a business meeting. Then I’m at my desk around 9:30, maybe 10 if the breakfast meeting ran long. Lunch is often a business meeting, and I leave around 5 or 6. That’s a little less than the schedule I kept early in my career.
What do you miss most from when you were young?
When I was young, every deal looked interesting, and we’d chase all of them. Now we are much more selective. I do maybe one or two big deals a year, which typically are larger.
What do you see in the future?
I know people like to say the Internet changes everything, but in real estate, I don’t see a lot of major changes ahead. People still like to shop in stores as well as online. And even though people can work from home via their computers, companies still want people to work together in an office setting.
