Martha Stewart published her first cookbook at age 41.
Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald’s at age 52.
Morgan Freeman was 50 when he landed his first big break in Hollywood.
Now what do these late-bloomers all have in common? Well, besides being known all over the world and being extremely successful, they all became triumphant in their respective careers later in life. But not only that. After they became successful, they continued to set goals to compound on their fortunes.
Martha has written numerous bestselling books, published a magazine, and has hosted two syndicated TV shows. She also spent a brief stint in the slammer…but…we´ll go ahead and forget about that part for now.
McDonald’s, in its war on skinniness, became the largest fast-food chain in the world.
And Morgan Freeman went on to receive countless awards for his talents in acting and producing, and I’m pretty sure he signed a contract to narrate literally everything that’s ever been made.
I know you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Well, good for these people, but the only thing I know how to cook is pop tarts. The only business I’ve ever started was a lemonade stand when I was five. And as far as my acting goes, it ended in 3rd grade when I played an ooooompa looompa in our rousing rendition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!”
No problem. You’re not the second Martha, Ray, or Morgan. You’re the first YOU! You have your own dreams, wishes, and ambitions. What’s stopping you from achieving your own success? Don’t you say age, don’t you dare say age! You are never too old to set another goal. You are too old for a lot of things. You’re too old to go to MTV’s Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale. You’re too old to not spring for the delivery charge when buying a new bedroom set. You’re too old to go to LEGOLAND without a kid with you. But you are NEVER too old to set another goal!
About a year ago, a friend of mine told me he had put his four-year-old son in Spanish lessons. FOUR! When I was four, I was busy eating Play-Doh. This kid is learning not only to speak his native language, but also a second one!? Well never to be outdone by a preschooler, I myself decided that now was a good time to achieve one of my long-standing goals of being a bi-lingual muchacho and started myself on the arduous path of learning Spanish. Hey, if a four-year-old could do it, how hard could it be? Spoiler alert…. it’s hard!!
My rigid, non-pliable brain certainly was no match for his young, squishy brain just ripe and waiting to soak up new information at every corner. And while it took me a lot longer to grasp why our Spanish friends would change such a short, easy word like socks into such a long-winded mouth marathon calcetines, I didn’t quit. I wanted to learn Spanish! And not just to upstage that little rugrat, but because I had made it a goal that dag nabbit, I was going to accomplish.
It’s been about a year…a year of practicing and doing lessons every day. I won’t go so far as to say I’m a regular ol’ Julio Iglesias, but I can say I’m a whole lot better than I was a year ago. And I won’t stop until I can comfortably press 2 for Español on every customer service line.
*Note the four-year-old, now five-year-old, is better at Spanish than I am. But he doesn’t know how to drive…sooo…at least I got him there!
Learning Spanish was a goal I wanted to accomplish, and while I wish I had the squishy brain of a four-year-old, I’m sure there’s someone out there who is 80 wishing they had my (relatively) young brain. After I conquer my Spanish goal, I want to learn how to play piano. I realize I’m starting a little late in the game, but whether you’re 5, 30, or 95, that piano is going to sound the same whenever you learn how to play it.
Goals are not age restrictive. There is no age limit and no parameters that limit your goals. You want to be a doctor at forty? Go for it! You want to be a pilot at 45? Be my guest! You want to play in the NBA at 50?….okay some things are physically not possible, but you get the point. When setting goals for yourself, here are a few simple rules to follow.
Do’s and Don’ts when Planning Out Your Goals
| DO | DON’T |
| Dream Big | Give Up |
| Set Small, Achievable Goals | Expect Immediate Results |
| Be Disciplined | Get Complacent |
| Work Harder | Slow Down |
| Reward Small Victories | Feel Like You Are Not Improving |
So, whether you’re a young buck or an old wylie fox, you are never too young, and most certainly never too old to set another goal. Life goes by fast. Continue to learn, grow, and do the things that make your soul happy. And don’t let anything, especially age, get in your way. You got this! Or as my Spanish has taught me…’¡Dale que tu puedes!’
