It's Not Too Late To Reach Your Peak
Do you ever find yourself asking if you already reached your peak?
Are you questioning if you chose the right career? Are you worried that you could never possibly start over or begin again? Do you question if you will ever know what makes you happy in a career or your personal life? Our society celebrates the success of entrepreneurs, successful business executives and creatives such as writers and motivational speakers. We are in awe at the young twenty something who is managing a multi million dollar start up or the teenager who writes an award winning best seller. After some time of reading about the success of someone under thirty, anyone older could easily fall into the trap of thinking “It’s too late.” Two years ago, I had several friends, like many in healthcare, who were let go of what had they had planned to be long term jobs. While many decided to continue looking for work in the same field, my friend Jennifer realized she needed to make a complete change. Two weeks after leaving the job she imagined herself staying at, she was taking graduate classes to obtain her special education teaching degree. During her student teaching, one of her mentors stated “It’s too bad you didn’t begin teaching sooner. This is what you were meant to be doing.” Jennifer agreed that teaching was a perfect fit but she didn’t feel that not becoming a teacher sooner was a mistake. She had a successful first career but also was realizing she had other interests. Without the catalyst of losing her job she may have never had the courage to make a significant career change. She recently sent me a text stating ” I’m drowning in paperwork and emails but I’m still so happy to be doing this job.” I believe she is on her way to finding her peak. (Note, I feel she was great in her first career but totally agree that she has found her passion.) If you are worried that you have missed your peak in your career, perhaps you should consider if you are following the right path. Did you choose your college major and continue on with your career despite the feeling it was not what you needed to do? Are you working at a job to pay the bills but feeling you are not utilizing your potential? It is easy to find stories about young individuals becoming millionaires and creating successful non-profits across the world. However, it’s equally important to realize many successful companies were started by founders who were past the age of 30 and into their 60’s and 70’s. Evan Williams founded Twitter at age 34. Doris Fisher founded The Gap at age 37. Sam Walton was 44 when he founded WalMart. IBM was founded by Charles Flint at the age of 61. Without Colonel Harland Sanders creating Kentucky Fried Chicken at the age of 62, there would be no KFC today. From a creative perspective, many painters do not create their greatest pieces until age 42. Forty-two percent of Robert Frost’s poems were not written until he was after the age of 50. Vera Wang did not open her own boutique until she was 51. Today I want to remind you that it is not too late to go after what you want in life.Do not let the fear of feeling it is too late to go after what you want stop you from going after your dream. You are not too old to return to school or begin a new career. Yes, you may need to make adjustments and changes in your life as my friend Jennifer did but dreams can be achieved. Finally, I also feel it should be noted that one can have more than one peak in their career and personal life. The second peak may mean doing something different in the same career field or nurturing a hobby into a business. It’s also never too late in one’s personal life to make changes. Start eating healthy and lose the weight or make changes in the relationship. Don’t be afraid to take a chance.Are you on the way to your peak? What are you doing to get there?
Today I’m linking this post up with the Write or Die Link Up from Mia and Shelly. This week’s prompt was to use the following photo. Where do I think this person is going? I think she’s preparing to reach her peak.
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What a great reminder! Having been a military spouse and moving from one place to the other every 3 years or so, left me with a feeling that I never will reach my goal in my career! But I really enjoyed your examples of late peekers! I just have to continue to work towards my goal, and eventually I will get there! It’s a marathon not a sprint
Victoria, I can see how a military life would make you feel like that. Moving so often makes it difficult but not impossible. Not sure if you are still with the military but maybe it would help to know that the average individual is only at a job for 3-5 years. If you look at it in that perspective maybe it will help.
It was really hard for me to decide to stop my special ed teaching career and move on to grad school. I was losing out on a lot of financial stability for us, but the more I researched the more I felt good about it. At this point in my teaching experience, I’ve never felt that I’ve peaked. Teaching is one of those fields that changes so much with a class or new level change and I’m not sure I’ll ever feel entirely caught up on it.
Autumn, I understand the struggle of making that decision to leave financial stability. Often we have to take a leap and realize we will be able to land and be ok. I am adjunct faculty and it has made me so appreciate the work that full time teachers do – I understand what you mean about never feeling caught up.
Love this. I went through a stage about six months ago where I thought “what am I supposed to be doing with my life??” but also thought that it was too late for me to try something new. But you’re right – we are never too old to keep learning and exploring!
Look at how your life has changed over the last six months! Now it a perfect time for you to try something new and I can’t wait to see how this new change in your life will turn out.
My friends and I joke that we peaked in high school which now that I think about it, probably speaks to a larger self esteem issue. Very inspiring post, Sheryl!
I think we all have a fear that we peaked in high school or college. Time seems to go by so quickly that it can be scary and increase that fear we haven’t done enough with our lives yet. There’s still time!!
Sheryl, thank you for sharing these words!
You know what’s crazy? I started a writer’s group where I live now, and our first meeting was last night. Three out of the seven of us are currently at that crossroad (or, what feels like a dead end) in our lives. What do we *really* want? Is it too late for us to start now? Is what we want worthwhile? And we came to the conclusion that no, it’s not too late! And yes, it’s worthwhile! It’s more than worthwhile. It’s vital to who we are! It was *amazing* to be in such company and a relief for all of us to know we’re not alone.
I feel like I’m turning a curve…into the right direction. And I totally needed Hawaii to lead me this way. Thank you for lending an ear (eyes) when I was drowning. It helped more than you know :).
Oh Shelly, This gave me chills. I am so thankful for our connection. It also means a lot to hear that others continue to struggle and question if they are going in the right direction. It helps to normalize what we all feel. So jealous of the writer’s group!
Such a great post!! I always think about those stories you hear about the woman or the man who is 90-something years old and doing something for the first time, like going to college, or getting married, or painting, or sewing clothes for children in Africa, etc etc etc. – and it’s just one more reminder that it’s NEVER too late. I think sometimes our society only focuses on those great things that either really young or really old(er) people are doing and so the middle group gets left out. This post was such a great reminder that our dreams matter, no matter our age.
This is an awesome post! Thank you for sharing..this is what I needed to hear today.
Morgan – theradwife.blogspot.com
I’m so glad this came at a time when you needed it.
This is so true!! It’s never too late to follow your dreams!
Yes, it’s never too late! Thanks for stopping by and commenting – I so appreciate it.
I feel like you wrote this post just for me. 🙂 I am definitely struggling with this, especially what you said about finishing college and entering a certain career path and then just continuing down that path, “just because”. Not because I’m passionate about it, but because that’s just what I was “supposed” to do. I’m feeling the effects of that so strongly now. And I yearn to do something else and make a change. I hope to have some good news to report sometime in the near future. 🙂
Thanks for this reminder that it’s never too late! xo
I can’t wait to hear your news!!! I believe many of us fall into the trap of “doing what we are supposed to do.” Then we suddenly realize we don’t necessarily like where we are but feel that we can’t change. Life is to short to stay someplace you don’t want to stay! XOXO
Your posts are always so inspirational and timely. This one really appeals to me. I love the idea that a life can be full of peaks, and that just because one has passed, doesn’t mean I won’t have another. Thanks for the beautiful reminder.
Let’s think about how sad it would be if life truly was just one peak. The goal is to keep dreaming and to know that things are possible!! Your words mean a lot to me!