How old is too old to set a goal and pursue a dream?
If you believe some people, “youth is wasted on the young.” Many feel once you hit 40 you have ‘peaked’. And it’s all down hill from there.
THAT, my friends, is OLD thinking. It not only stalls progress, it makes you look and feel old. Thinking that way is quitting while there is still some fight in you – It is choosing blindness when you still can see.
I was reading the most recent issue of Corvette quarterly this afternoon when a picture of an attractive model caught my eye. Not model of Corvette, mind you but an fashion model by the name of Lorraine Hutto NSFW (Sorry, I am a man after all.) 
A-hem. Anyway, I went on to read what was underneath her picture. I was curious to find out the story behind this beautiful woman and the Corvette.
I was surprised to find that yes there was this short blurb about her. She’d written the magazine to tell them that her 2007 Corvette z06 was featured in one of her recent model shoots…
But not only that. Come to find out she started modeling at the tender age of 48 years old. 
Considering just a few years ago, 48 was considered way ‘over the hill’, I think Lorraine sets a great example that it you are never too old to pursue your dreams.
Can you imagine the negativity she must have had to fight to pursue her dream? Do you think her family or friends felt her dream of modeling was “realistic”? I don’t know personally, but I can almost hear someone saying “Lorraine, you’re too old to start a career in modeling.”
Again, that is “old thinking”. People who think old are too old to pursue a dream. I encounter this personality type frequently.
They say, “I am too old to change careers.” Yet, they never realize there isn’t a law in the land that says you have to work at (insert job here_____________) until the day you retire. In fact, some people never retire. They search until they find the career they love and then they stick with it until the day they die.
Besides… Colonel Sanders was 62 when he founded Kentucky Fried Chicken. Wasn’t he ‘too old’? Naughty Colonel Sanders.. He should have paid attention to the rules and accepted retirement like everyone else. But nooo… he had to go create one of the biggest restaurant franchises in the world. The nerve!
Let the term “too old” be for people who have given up. Instead, keep a mental attitude of youth and energy.
I’ve often said that while working on your goals, you need to be true to yourself and ignore negative people. And if negativity gets you down, keep your goals a secret.
So cheers to Lorraine for ignoring the opinions of the small minded ones and going for her dreams anyway. I guess it’s true, 40 is the new 25. And 49 can be the new 30. But this only works if you have the attitude of youthfulness and you never give up on your dreams.
{ 6 comments }
My friend just turned 50 a couple weeks ago. He wants to do something big and tough to celebrate it. He’s already done what most people consider tough such as riding a 100 mile mountain bike race one weekend and then running a 100 miles the next. He’s ridden his mountain bike for 24 hours straight.
So to celebrate he plans to do a mountain bike race next year from Canada to Mexico along the continental divide. The races can have anybody bring them anything. The either carry it or buy it along the way. Some racers hear bears in the bushes. The sleep 3-4 hours a night and sleep in sleeping bags if they aren’t near a town. The record finishing time is just under 16 days. It’s a race I hope to do in the next couple years but I’m 14 years younger than him.
Great Article! It really opens your eyes, and makes you think about the language that you use. I am a firm believer that the words you choose can impose limits on you personally, so it’s important to choose the right words!
Thanks, I needed this one. I was feeling a little down today and when I saw the title of the post I felt worse. I knew I had to read because there’d be a great lesson in it. And I was right. I feel better now and gained a needed boost
UltraRob.. It sounds like your friend has a great attitude. Best of luck for him in winning. I’m 10 years younger than him and I’m not conditioned for that type of trek. Wow!
Bob, thanks for your words and your support.
Leif, I hope things shape up for ya. Don’t forget, today is Monday after all.
It seems almost impossible to believe that she started modeling at age 48. Aside from the negative feedback she might have gotten from her family, the industry itself is supposedly more brutal. It is certainly admirable. It must have taken more than guts. I think she knew exactly what she wanted and that gave her the strength to pursue her dream. No one is ever too old to do something. Although sometimes, I feel that way. Stories like Lorraine Hutto’s is inspiring. Thanks for sharing!
Brad,
One of the best ways to get motivation, no matter how old you are, is to hear the story of someone who started out where you are now and is currently where you want to be and duplicating the steps.
Check out my ever expanding collection of free video interviews of ultra successful people from my nationwide tour
Thanks!
Stanley