Are you past your prime or just getting started?
Some people get their best ideas in later life. After years of doing what’s expected of them, they’re ready for a change. They still have dreams and intend to follow them.
If this sounds like you, fantastic! After all, with age comes wisdom. Starting later in life means you’re ahead of the curve. You’ve already learned valuable lessons just in the course of living, which you can apply to your dreams as you set out to make them a reality.
And before anyone even dares tell you you’re too old to do what you love, listen to these stories of people who realized their dreams a bit later in life.
The point is, you’re never too old to follow a dream and certainly never too old to realize one.
8 Examples That You Are Never Too Old to Do What You Love
Tim and Nina Zagat
If you’ve ever used a Zagat Guide to figure out where you want to eat, then you know the work of Tim and Nina. What you might not realize is that the Zagat Guide is a project built with passion and a mission of helping people find the ‘perfect’ restaurant. Tim and Nina were both formerly successful attorneys. It wasn’t until their 40s when they first conceived the idea of a guide to rate restaurants. Their first guide was published with great success when Tim as 51 years old!
J. R. R. Tolkien and Laura Ingalls Wilder
Ever thought of writing a book? Tolkien may have started experimenting with writing as a young man, but it wasn’t until he was 62 that he finished and published his famous Lord of the Rings trilogy. Beloved children’s book author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, was initially a teacher before switching her focus and publishing her first book when she was 65-years young.
Taikichiro Mori
Some ideas just come later. Mori was an economics professor in Japan for most of his life. At the age of 59, he switched focus entirely and went into real estate, starting with two buildings he inherited from his father. He proved so successful in this field that he was twice named the richest man in the world, dying with $13 billion earned from this new career.
Anna Mary Robertson Moses
Ever felt a creative spark and wondered what you could do with it? Grandma Moses took up painting as a casual hobby at 76 when arthritis made it difficult for her to embroider anymore. Exploring this new interest proved to be a good idea. Grandma Moses became one of the world’s most famous painters.
Julia Child
You might remember this name in conjunction with cooking, but Julia Child wasn’t always a chef. In fact, she started out working in the Secret Intelligence division during WWII and was known as a skilled researcher. It wasn’t until she moved to France with her husband that she took up an interest in cooking. She later became one of the most beloved television chefs in the world. It all started with the publication of her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking at the age of 39. Her fame was secured when she first appeared on TV at the age of 51. The rest is history.
Jacob Rodney Cohen, a.k.a. Rodney Dangerfield
This is the story of someone who had always had a dream, one he poked at for years but could never seem to turn into a reality. Jacob started writing comedy at 15, but as time went by, he shelved the idea of making it as a comedian for the sake of taking care of his family. For years, he worked selling aluminum siding, joking that he was so lousy at comedy that no one noticed when he quit. It wasn’t until he was in his 40s that he decided to revisit his old dream, buckling down to make it happen. He got his big break on the Ed Sullivan Show at the age of 46.
Ray Kroc
Ray originally made a living selling milkshake machines. When he discovered a hamburger stand that ran uber efficiently, he followed his instincts and turned his desire to make something exciting happen in his life. He was 52 when he set up the first McDonald’s franchise.
Jack Weil
At the age of 45, Jack Weil rented space in a store for what he termed ‘western wear.’ This marked the beginning of a new dream which involved creating clothing ranchers would be proud to wear. This company, Rockmount Ranch Wear, is now famous worldwide. His innovations in adding snaps to shirts, the creation of the bolo tie, and the sawtooth pocket design have become trademarks of his brand.
All it takes is a quick internet search to find dozens of other examples. The point is, you’re never too old to follow a dream and certainly never too old to realize one. Whether you have something you’ve wanted to do your entire life or have come up with an entirely new path, go for it! You’re at the perfect age to begin.
Need some help figuring out how to get started? Tap here here to arrange for a free consultation. Together, we’ll set you on your new path for success…no matter your age!
