“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C. S. Lewis
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When does one become too old for something?
Being too old for something is one of the most common excuses in the world. When you say you’re too old for something, at what age is that exactly? Will you ever be too old to improve your habits, learn something new, get in shape, or work on some other goals? If you choose age as an excuse, you have set yourself a huge mental barrier. It is an insidious prejudice that will subconsciously hold you back in everything you do.
You are as old as you feel old. Age is not an obstacle to your personal development. In fact, the opposite is true. The years in which some things are already behind you are perfect to start working on goals that you have neglected. If you think age is an obstacle for you, take a look at these five examples.
Five examples that will completely disarm you:
Madonna Buder (1930-), also known as the Iron Nun – She has completed 377 triathlons and 45 Ironman competitions in her life. In Canada 2012, at the age of 82, she successfully completed her last Ironman, while at age 88 she still actively participated in other triathlons and similar competitions. (Ironman is a triathlon consisting of a 2.4-mile swim (3.9 km), 112-mile bike ride (180.2 km), and 26.2-mile run (42.2 km). To earn the Ironman title, one must pass the finish line in less than 17 hours, and each discipline also has its own time limit.) Burden published her autobiography in 2010 called The Grace to Race: The Wisdom and Inspiration of the 80-Year-Old World Champion Triathlete Known as the Iron Nun (affiliate link).
Rose Blumkin (1893-1998) – She emigrated from Belarus to America in 1917, and at that time she could not speak English. Not long after, she opened a second-hand clothing store. During the Great Depression in America, and with four children, she founded the Nebraska Furniture Mart (1937) in the basement of her husband’s store with a $500 investment.
It eventually became one of the largest home furniture businesses in America. It was bought from her by Warren Buffett in 1983 (later Buffett bought out her second business, which she started at the age of 95). Rose Blumkin lived to be 104 years old and was active in business until she was 103 years old.
At the time of writing this text, Buffett himself is 90 years old, runs his Berkshire Hathaway firm, and has no intention of retiring.
Hiromu Inada (1932-) – He is the world’s oldest Ironman. For this man, sitting in an armchair in front of the TV is not an option. At the age of 85, he successfully completed the 2018 Ironman race in Hawaii (Kailua-Kona).
“I hope everyone can see and be encouraged that you can do the same thing as the younger generation, even when you age,” Inada said.
Stanley Drucker (1929-) – He joined the New York Philharmonic when he was 19 and retired at age 80, which was 61 years later. He entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the clarinetist with the longest career (62 years, 7 months, and one day).
Andres Segovia (1893-1987) – He is one of the world’s most famous classical guitarists. In his eighties, he still exercised 5 hours a day. When asked why he works so hard at his age, he replied, “Because I will have an eternity to rest.” His last album, Reveries, was recorded in 1977 when he was 84 years old.
Conclusion:
It is never too late; stop using your age as an excuse. If you give up on your own goals, what motivates you to get out of bed and start a new day? Age is not an obstacle to start working on what is important to you.
Don’t put off important things anymore. Take a pen and paper, set your goals, and make a plan that you will stick to. Forget giving up. As soon as you make a plan, you will see that your motivation will skyrocket. Your focus will again be on what is really important to you in life, regardless of your age…
Links:
- Free downloads: PDF and the audiobook Fulfilling Life: A matter of Personal Choice with all the accompanying checklists you need to get started
- Great Books for a Great Life – all the answers to your questions in one place
“In order to write about life, first you must live it.”– Ernest Hemingway