All of a sudden, like an insidious disease, you realize you are the oldest person on your team. More and more of your clients and friends have either retired, or, worse yet, have died. You begin to realize that you are no longer invited to those "unofficial" company functions, and drinks after work. You begin to wonder if you lost your last account because of the age difference. You vaguely remember the play, "Death of a Salesman" and begin to wonder if you are Willy Lowman and you remember his fateful line "after all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive.”
You can either be permanently stuck in this quagmire, or take control of your destiny. You can either become obsolete, or go on new journeys and face new challenges and continue to grow.
There are ways to escape this affliction and it starts from within. Here are some things you can do:
1. Look at successful people your age, and older. You will be surprised how many there are. Take their stories and lives to heart. What did they do that you can do?
2. Strip yourself of your inner voice that tells you that are too old, or that you can't compete, you can't learn new things. It is foolishness. You were built to succeed.
3. Re-examine your talents, interest and loves. They will help lead you out of the dark night of the soul. Go in the direction they lead
4. Find ways to connect with all ages. Open your mind to new ideas and new things.
5. Interact with people of all ages. Can you be a mentor and help a younger person achieve their goals? The more you give the more you will get in return
6. Become computer savvy and be willing to join social networks--twitter, facebook, linkedIn.
7. If you are in sales, Joint Venture some new business, and even existing business with a younger person. This works especially well when the buyer is also younger
8. Don't forget what it was like to be younger, but don't be saddened by your age. With age comes skill, wisdom, and relationships. Use the great tools that age gives you.
9. Stop being so serious--lighten up, have fun.
10. Listen to others with an open mind. Just because something didn't work 10 years ago, is no reason it may not work today. Rather than saying "that won't work" say, "that can work, especially if we consider the following… " This is where you can add wisdom without shooting down an idea.
If all this fails, consider strongly getting help from a counselor, reverend, spouse, or psychologist.
Life is short, live it to the fullest. In Tennyson's poem, Ulysses decides that he won't sit back and wait for death. We all have a Ulysses in us:
"and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
You can either be permanently stuck in this quagmire, or take control of your destiny. You can either become obsolete, or go on new journeys and face new challenges and continue to grow.
There are ways to escape this affliction and it starts from within. Here are some things you can do:
1. Look at successful people your age, and older. You will be surprised how many there are. Take their stories and lives to heart. What did they do that you can do?
2. Strip yourself of your inner voice that tells you that are too old, or that you can't compete, you can't learn new things. It is foolishness. You were built to succeed.
3. Re-examine your talents, interest and loves. They will help lead you out of the dark night of the soul. Go in the direction they lead
4. Find ways to connect with all ages. Open your mind to new ideas and new things.
5. Interact with people of all ages. Can you be a mentor and help a younger person achieve their goals? The more you give the more you will get in return
6. Become computer savvy and be willing to join social networks--twitter, facebook, linkedIn.
7. If you are in sales, Joint Venture some new business, and even existing business with a younger person. This works especially well when the buyer is also younger
8. Don't forget what it was like to be younger, but don't be saddened by your age. With age comes skill, wisdom, and relationships. Use the great tools that age gives you.
9. Stop being so serious--lighten up, have fun.
10. Listen to others with an open mind. Just because something didn't work 10 years ago, is no reason it may not work today. Rather than saying "that won't work" say, "that can work, especially if we consider the following… " This is where you can add wisdom without shooting down an idea.
If all this fails, consider strongly getting help from a counselor, reverend, spouse, or psychologist.
Life is short, live it to the fullest. In Tennyson's poem, Ulysses decides that he won't sit back and wait for death. We all have a Ulysses in us:
"and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
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