Think You’re Too Young, Too Old or Too Late to Achieve Your Dreams?

The following is a guest post by Rich Avery from Life Compass Blog. It's not specifically related to personal finance, though his suggestions can apply to money in several different ways. In addition, these thoughts help you think about some life issues that could be more important than money.

Have you ever felt like you’re too young, too old or too late to make a serious change in your life – like finally getting out of debt, finding work you were meant to do, starting the business you’ve always wanted, or living your dream lifestyle?
 
I think most of us have been there at one time or another.  We think our dreams or goals are out of reach because of the situation or circumstances we find ourselves in.  Or we believe the lies that we’re not qualified, gifted, talented, rich, or knowledgeable enough to do it.
 
This week I'm re-reading The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose, by Matthew Kelly.
 
In the book, Kelly offers an inspiring list of now-famous people who didn't let their age or stage of life stop them from achieving their dreams and living a life of significance:

• Mozart was eight when he wrote his first symphony.
• Anne Frank was thirteen when she began her diary.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson was fourteen when he enrolled at Harvard.
• Bill Gates was nineteen when he cofounded Microsoft.
• Henry David Thoreau was twenty-seven when he moved to Walden Pond, built a house, planted a garden, and began a two-year experiment in simplicity and self-reliance.
• Bill Gates was thirty-one when he became a billionaire.
• Thomas Jefferson was thirty-three when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
• Coco Chanel was thirty-eight when she introduced her perfume Chanel No. 5.
• Mother Teresa was forty when she founded the Missionaries of Charity.
• Henry Ford was fifty when he started his first manufacturing assembly line.
• Ray Kroc was fifty-two when he started McDonalds.
• Dom Perignon was sixty when he produced his first champagne.
• Oscar Hammerstein II was sixty-four when he wrote the lyrics for The Sound of Music.
• Winston Churchill was sixty-five when he became Britain's prime minister.
• Nelson Mandela was seventy-one when he was released from a South African prison, and seventy-five when he was elected president.
• Michelangelo was seventy-two when he designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
• Frank Lloyd Wright was ninety-one when he completed his work at the Guggenheim Museum.
• Dimitrion Yordanidis was ninety-eight years old when he ran a marathon in seven hours and thirty-three minutes, in Athens, Greece.
• Ichijirou Araya was one hundred when he climbed Mount Fuji.

Whatever your age, the rest of your life is ahead of you.  You can’t go back and change anything about your past, but you can change your future.  Now is your time to take action! 

Ask yourself:

• What dreams have I been putting off that I know I need to pursue?
• What attitudes, people, or things are holding me back?
• What are three things I can do right now to move me toward the achievement of my dreams?
• Who (people) and what (tools) can help me?

Remember these words from English novelist George Eliot:  “It is never too late to be who you might have been.”

Comments

[Ronda]

This is exactly what I needed to read this morning.

[A Girl and A Boy who love each other.]

Thanks!

[Steve]

WooHoo! This really started my day off the right way!

Thanks

[Barbara]

I'm 58 years old and was laid off last year. I have started into a new field and it is taking every bit of preserverence I possess. My new motto is "Fall down FOUR times, get up FIVE". Some days it is easier to follow than others. Thank you for this timely reminder!

[Angie]

Great post. I had a major breakthrough this past week at a business conference I attended and I know that it is something will help me advance big time. Time to take action is my new mantra along with I am in charge of my life. I have a lot of dreams to achieve!

The book by Matthew Kelly sounds great, I'll have to put it on my list.

[Crystal]

This describes my general attitude in life - if you want something, go get it...no regrets - but I must be one of the only people I know who doesn't seem to have any big specific dream...

When I was about 10 years old, I wanted a husband that treated me equally and loved me and made me laugh, my own house, and tons of friends.

My hubby really is that man of my dreams (well...I was into Hispanics, and he's Caucasian like me, but love is blind...LOL...he was into petite burnettes and ended up with an short red-head...heeheehee), I have my house, and I have close friends.

That was as far as I dreamed back then and I never really added to that over the last 17 years. My husband and I enjoy vacation travel and having fun together and with friends, so we do that whenever we can. We want to retire early just so we can do that more.

I am happy and content but sometimes feel like I should have some big dream like everybody else...I think that is what drives me to volunteer so often. Even if I don't want much else, at least I can help others with what they want...

What kind of dreams do all of you have? Do any of you feel like you're already there?

[mikegardner64]

Don't forget about "Colonel" Harland Sanders who started the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise at 65.

[Rich Avery]

FMF, thanks for allowing me the privilege of guest blogging here at FreeMoneyFinance! And thanks to everyone who has commented so far.

@mikegardner64 - thanks for the reminder re: Colonel Sanders.

@Crystal - sounds like your big dream may be more lifestyle-related. Mine too! Seems to me that a majority of people organize their lives around their work. My dream has been to turn that on its head and instead organize my work around the lifestyle that I want (specifically, to have the freedom - time and money - to travel more with my family and be more personally involved in causes we care about). I've been blessed to have taken some great steps toward that (some mini-dreams have been fulfilled along the way), but I still have a ways to go.

[Crystal]

@Rich - I like the way you put that, "life-style related". Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Thanks!

[billyjobob]

Well I sorta had a dream... I don't think I'm going to go after it at this point in my life though... Anybody know of any fresh new 53 yo rock stars...haha. I suppose I can be happy just jamming with my friends now days. And no matter what, I'll always have my love for nice guitars.

[Crystal]

I'd buy a CD, billyjobob. :-)

[Noadi]

Don't forget Grandma Moses who started painting in her 70s!

[Nahyan]

Excellent post

[billyjobob]

Thanks Crystal! ;-)

[kitty]

It's nice and uplifting post; however, it seems to imply all dreams are achievable.

This is not the case:
A 50 year old cannot become a professional dancer/musician/actor/opera singer. She can still take classes and learn to do it for personal enjoyment.

Even a very talented 15 year old who just starts piano lessons at this age has no prayer of ever becoming a concert pianist. It's too late. Ditto about a 15- year old who is starting ballet lessons. Or a gymnast, or a figure skater, or...

A tone deaf cannot become a musician. In fact, even talented people aren't guaranteed a career in music. Even very very talented. Of course, everyone can learn to play an instrument of sing for personal enjoyment.

There was only one Mozart in all of our history. Very rare kids like violinist Sarah Chang are also born once in a very very long while. But very often a gifted child is pushed into doing things they aren't ready for and lose their talent. This is especially true with child singers when singing the repertory they aren't ready for may forever ruin their voices.

Yes, it's fine to follow one's dream. But one has to be realistic both about one's chances, abilities and expectations. At some point, one needs to say: OK, I'll give it a try until this age, if I don't make it, I'll need to do something else. Maybe related, maybe not. Or "I love it, but I am simply not good enough to make it a profession. I can still do something related or I might keep it as a hobby but do something else.

BTW: when I was young I had dreams of being a great opera singer. I had piano lessons as a child. I had voice lessons as an adult. But the truth of the matter is, my nice but tiny soprano will not be heard in opera; it's also nothing special. So I am doing what I am good at instead - computer science.

[Sean Mathena]

Great post! I have already added the book to my cart. Age is a recurring excuse I hear about why something has not been accomplished, and from now on I will point them in the direction of this book!

[Dan Reinhold]

Great post, and one more people need to read.

After all, you don't reach your expiration date until you've...well, expired!

Sure, some dreams may stay out of reach, but you can be pleasantly surprised by what you CAN achieve.

Try not to get in your own way.

Dan

[Cindy]

This is excellent advice that more people - myself included - need to follow. Why would anyone want to live their life thinking about "what might have been" (or worse "what never could be") rather than "what can be"?

We all have a choice to be positive or negative in our thoughts and actions. Choose to be positive. You'll be a lot happier, healthier, and more fun to be around.

[Kate Wilber]

Wonderful post--It really helps to get a great perspective on life and your goals--and that it really is never to late to chase your dreams!
Thanks for the inspiration!

[Karon Thackston]

I LOVE stories like those in the bullet list. They are so encouraging and help to remind me that time and circumstances don't matter as much as attitude and determination. Thanks for a great post!

[Regina Baker]

Very motivational and definitely timely! Thanks ;-)