Have you ever thought how old is too old to do something? To achieve something? To make your dreams into reality? To pursue your goal and follow your passion? Or to change yourself into the person you wanted to be?
It was early in the morning around 5 a.m. All of a sudden, the power went off. I was half asleep, still rolling in bed. Out of the blue, a soothing song came to my ears. Slowly things came into focus. The voice was from the kitchen. Out of curiosity I got off the bed to check out. To my amazement, it was my mother. “Maa, I didn’t know you could sing,” I said. In a gentle tone, she replied, “I used to sing to make you fall asleep when you were a toddler.” “Then why didn’t you try to become a singer,” I asked. In a despondent tone, she said, “I was dependent on my parents. They hadn’t encouraged me, now I am independent but it is too late for me now.”
There are so many untold voices and dreams buried alive just because it is too late. After discovering my mother’s untold dream, I realised, “The time may be equal for everyone but not the timing.” Does age really decide what to do in one’s life? To be more precise, does age determine success? Well, the short answer is “no”. The world has witnessed so many successful people who became successful after their 40s and some even after their 60s. For instance, Deepa Malik is a well-known para-athlete from India. She is the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic silver medal at the 2016 summer Paralympics in shot put at the age of 46. The founder of Alibaba, one of the world’s largest retail and e-commerce companies, Jack Maa went from earning thirty dollars per month at the age of 35 to, in the next 15 years, earning millions of dollars per day. It is noteworthy to mention, the late Stan Lee who started his career as a teenager in comics in 1939, later at 95 years old, is considered the godfather of Marvel comics. However, he didn’t start his first work until he was 39.
Looking at the real-life examples, it is evident to say it’s never too old unless you feel it is. The common thing we can observe from the late bloomers is their burning desire, unflattering belief, persistence, and patience for their turn. In the course of their never-ending journey, they might have experienced the taste of failure time and again. The pain of loss might have greeted them on numerous occasions. However, they have never lost their belief in themselves. After all, the loss is the salt that adds taste to the amazing dish of success.
It is never too old to become a leader, entrepreneur, writer, singer, dancer, social worker, billionaire or to become a better version of yourself. Getting older is inevitable but ageing is optional. It is easy to say ‘never too old’, but actually believing it is a completely different scenario altogether. Because we all tell retrospective stories, however when it comes to the moment it feels difficult. Especially in the era when early achievements are crazily over-hyped by everyone. But life is never easy especially for those who dream high. You cannot fight a losing battle against your dreams by saying it is too late. Dreams are invisible but they are an inalienable part of you.
Step out of the box, the only thing you need is to believe in yourself. Passion, patience, persistence is the recipe, combined with your belief and efforts you can achieve the desired results. When I mentioned “time is equal but not timing”, in reality, it is not about timing but thinking. By thinking you are too old, you are misguiding yourself. Following your passion gives you the ultimate satisfaction irrespective of your age. If you believe “it is never too old” then your age becomes just a mere number. Your dreams are the virtual representation of yourself, to bring them into reality “try”. The spark inside you can shine anytime, just allow it.
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