Back in 1938, Walter Orthmann of Brazil wanted to help his financially strapped family.
Orthmann was only 15 when he got a job as a shipping assistant for a textile company. He was hired because of proficiency in German. Soon enough, he was promoted to sales manager, a position he has held ever since.
On January 6, 2022, Orthmann received the Guinness World Record. According to Guinness, Orthmann’s “passion, discipline and commitment motivated him to keep doing what he loves and, eventually, become an official Guinness World Record title holder for the longest career in the same company.”
USA Today. “All I care about is that tomorrow will be another day in which I will wake up, get up, exercise and go to work. You need to get busy with the present, not the past or the future. Here and now is what counts.”
Orthmann told Guinness that the best part about having a job is that it gives you a sense of purpose, commitment and a routine. Back in the 1950s, Orthmann started traveling across Brazil and meeting clients as part of his job. He loved that aspect of his work. Orthmann declares that the office is his favorite place to be. On April 19, 2022, Orthmann celebrated his 100th birthday with co-workers, friends and family. The Guinness organization declared 100-year-old Orthmann to be a person in good health “with excellent mental clarity and memory.” He enjoys a calm life an exercises every day.
Orthmann’s advice on longevity is to work for a good company where people feel motivated. “When we do what we like, we don’t see the time go by,” he concludes.
