I've noticed that I've entered a new category, the "I'm too old" category. I recently used the statement to make an excuse that I couldn't compete in a surfing competition (really, it was just to refresh all the previous excuses I made, so I could avoid some risk). After recognizing my hedging, I've noticed a couple of people using the same excuse freely, like me, almost as if we'll get a do-over at some point.
It is rarely a valid categorization, but it is one of the most effective excuses. That is, until you realize that you take comfort in it because it is more tangible than the other excuses you were making, like "I'm not talented enough, smart enough, I don't have enough money, and on and on". Inside, you knew they weren't true, but you repeated them like a mantra. It is this recognition that you now have a replacement excuse, the actual act of introducing new excuses because the other ones are no longer valid, that may cause some initial anxiety, but in fact, it is a blessing in disguise. Why? Because now you are fully aware that you were talented enough, you just didn't want to take the risk, you didn't need money to do it, and maybe now you actually aren't too old. For those that want to reframe their beliefs about age read below (for those that want to continue making excuses, stop reading here):
Examples of those doing interesting things at unexpected ages:
- One of America's greatest baseball pitchers, Satchel Paige, didn't pitch in the Major Leagues until he turned 42.
- Colonel Harland Sanders, was out of business at 65, he came back and built the KFC franchise, added 600 units in the first 10 years
- George Burns didn't break out until his 80's
- 41 year-old mother, Dara Torres, just won 3 silvers at the Olympics
- Julia Child didn't learn to cook until she was 37
- Charles Darwin didn't publish his first book until he was 50
- Mary Wesley, the author, took up writing at 70
- Rocky Marciano didn't take up boxing until his 20s
- Andrea Bocelli was a lawyer into his 30s before releasing an album
- Ray Kroc, spending some time as a paper-cup salesman and pianist, was in his 50s before starting McDonalds
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, was a reservation clerk until her late 50s
And this is a post about just one excuse, the last one you'll probably make, the "I'm too old" excuse. Wouldn't it be nice to avoid this one completely by not making all the excuses that precede it?
