I’m never one to say “never.” But I’ve said it.
At the end of this month’s Epic Career Tale (subscribe HERE for the monthly podcast), coming out this week (get on the mailing list now!), I make the claim that you are never too old to find and pursue a new passion. It does not have to be a political career.
The main reason that I interviewed a state senator this month was because I was concerned that kids may decide NOT to pursue a political career due to all of the negative ad campaigns and hate-charged dialogue from both sides of the conversation. Kids know they are going to make mistakes, so what they may learn is that you cannot be someone who makes mistakes and be a successful politician. Or they may learn that when you are a politician and you make mistakes, the world will watch.
Really, it takes a special breed of human to be able to shrug off the naysayers while still actively listening to the needs of the community he or she serves.
I had been focused on kids with political aspirations, but wanted to assure the audience, who most assuredly would not be kids, that no matter what age you are, it is never too late to identify and pursue a new passion.
At that, the senator, who has been known to draw a chuckle, chimed in to say, “If you’re 95, that’s probably too late.”
Challenge accepted, Senator.
Here are two stories of 95-year-olds who took on a whole new career:
95-year-old James Nedley ran for mayor after serving as a motorcycle policeman and spending 26 years as a contractor. His reasons? “This town is going to hell.” That might put a little spark back in your plug.
The name of this man is never revealed in the article, but he is LITERALLY writing the book on career reinvention. He has changed careers multiple times. He was respectively a pilot, corporate executive, loan officer, and then went to law school at age 51 to reinvent himself as a successful lawyer. Finally, this nameless man at 95-years-old took on the feat of “author.”
It’s never too late…
Drops the mic…
Picks the mic back up…
…unless you’re dead.