It's Never Too Late

Am I too late? Did I miss my chance? Am I too old for this?

We are bound to come across these questions multiple times during the course of our lives. Can I still be a computer scientist? Can I still become a programmer? Can I still become a musician? Can I still be a writer? 

Well the answers to all these questions are Yes and No. Yes you can be anything you want. As long as that vision is internal and not external. Through out our lives we respond to both internal stimulus and external stimulus. Internal Stimulus are the things that are within our control as opposed to external stimulus which are outside our influence. This can be better understood like this, supposedly you want to become a guitarist. But you are married and in your 30's. And daily you come home from work and see that guitar lying in the corner of your living room somewhere or worse, it is sitting in some closet. You are bogged down by your responsibilities and you feel you have lost that chance. You would rather scroll through some social media and watch your favourite TV show before going to sleep and let the cycle repeat or you can pick it up and make a routine for yourself and try hard, try with all your might to learn it. Now comes the question of stimulus. Supposedly you overcame your fear and gave it a fair shot. Is it a sure possibility that you will become a famous musician? Of Course not!

Your being a famous musician is dependent on both external and internal stimulus i.e. things out of your control and within your control. Fame is something which others will decide and there is no point dwelling on that fact. Your being a musician is solely dependent upon you where you can put in years of practice and be at peace with yourself. So, if you remove the expectation of outcome from your persistence, you will become detached to the end goal and you will find that you can engage yourself much better in activities that are coherent with you. You don't pick up that guitar because you feel you will never be ale to replicate the success of KURT COBAIN! Hell, why would you want to be like him. Kurt was Kurt and you are you. Now this can apply to you being a computer scientist, programmer and a writer as well. You can learn to be any of these things but you must remove the expectation of outcome. Now let me tell you another interesting fact. The more you detach yourself from the outcome, the more likely you are to achieve that outcome. When you let go of the things that are beyond your control, you remove the anxiety from your life and focus on things that are within your purview. The more you focus on things that are within your purview, the more these things compound. And don't underestimate the compounding! The law of compounding works very well in all areas. The more you compound your good habits, the better you become at them.

Now comes the pertinent question. Am I too old for this? The answer to this question is NO. After detaching yourself from the outcome, you are never too old. Let me give you a few examples.

Stan Lee created his first hit comic, "The Fantastic Four," just shy of his 39th birthday in 1961. In the next few years, he created the legendary Marvel Universe, whose characters such as Spider-Man and the X-Men became American cultural icons. Had he thought he was too old for this, we would have missed out on our favourite MARVEL franchise.

Charles Bukowsky wrote his first famous novel "POST OFFICE" at the age of 50. Well he had almost lived two-thirds his life before making it as a writer. He held his spirits high enough. He probably never though if he was too old for this, and even if he did, he wouldn't let these thoughts determine his fate.

Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, was 62 when he franchised Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952. He sold the franchise business for $2 million 12 years later. Age wasn't a deterrent for him. His persistence finally paid off. Age became just a number.

Charles Bradley famously dubbed the "Screaming Eagle of Soul," kicked-off his musical adventure at the age of 51. Initially working as a James Brown impersonator, Bradley's talent caught the right eyes, leading to his discovery. Remarkably, at the age of 62, he released his debut album, "No Time for Dreaming," marking the beginning of a soulful journey to stardom.

Susan Boyle rose to international fame at the age of 47 after her standout performance on "Britain's Got Talent." Her journey is a testament to the idea that talent knows no age, and her story continues to inspire those looking to pursue their musical dreams later in life. Susan Boyle's impact in the music industry remains a shining example of the possibilities that can unfold even after a later start.

Harry Bernstein spent a long life writing in obscurity but finally achieved fame at age 96 for his 2007 memoir, "The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers." A 96 year old guy was still at it persisting with his work, not giving up. They certainly don’t get any older than that.

There are numerous other examples of people who started very late and still with their persistence and grit, managed to be what they always envisaged. They didn’t let their age determine what they could be. You are probably younger than all these people. What is stopping you? It doesn’t matter if you start out late. What matters is that you start. Let your age be your weapon. You are all the more wiser. You have even lesser time to waste on shallow pursuits. You know what you always wanted. Let that child in you dream again. PICK UP THAT GUITAR, OR A PEN, OR A BRUSH. DON’T GIVE UP JUST YET. BE WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE. LIVE AGAIN!