Man Asks for Stories From People Who Only “Became Successful” After 40 Years and Twitter Delivers
“Give me the 70-year-old debut novelist who writes from a lifetime of love and grief. Give me calloused hands and tender hearts.”
As we get older, it can be harder to chase our dreams. We get caught up in thinking it’s too late. We’ve missed our chance.
But the reality is, the only time it’s really too late is the moment we stop breathing. And just in case you need some convincing, the good folks of Twitter have your back.
How One Tweet Proves Life Doesn’t End at 40
Writer and editor, Doug Murano, was weary of seeing “Under 40” lists. Those lists of incredibly accomplished young people, gracing the pages of Forbes and Fortune, who all became wildly successful before even coming close to the hill (never mind going over it).
So, he decided to tweet about it.
“I get tired of “under 40″ lists. Show me someone who got their PhD at 60 after losing everything. Give me the 70-year-old debut novelist who writes from a lifetime of love and grief. Give me calloused hands and tender hearts,” he wrote.
And boy oh boy, did Twitter deliver. In a blaze of inspirational glory. Callouses and all.
His tweet went viral, garnering nearly 200,000 likes and more than 1.7K responses. Story after story of folks finding success later in life began pouring in.
Stories like Jan Jowen’s. She lost her husband when she was 48. At 50, she finished her Bachelor’s degree. She completed grad school at 53. Turns out, she was just getting started…
Then there was this woman, who got her architecture degree in her 60s.
And another mom, recently separated from her husband, who went back to college after 20 years as a SAHM. “Not a PHD but I am 47, separated from husband almost 2 years ago, now a single mum to 3 kids and I went back to college after 20 years as a stay home mum. Originally trained as a Montessori teacher but wanted to do something new.”
And then there was this guy, John T. Johnson. He was laid off after 26 YEARS. At 57, he earned his PhD. They say success is the best revenge.
And how about this man, Dr. Rob, who failed school? At 50-something he became the first person in his family to go to university. He earned a PhD.
Don’t let failure stop you.
50s, 60s, and Beyond…
But it isn’t just people in their 50s and 60s who are crushing it at life.
One tweeter shared about their former neighbor who also completed a PhD. AT 83-YEARS-OLD.
Another woman went to law school at 78. She became a litigator the same year she joined the octagenarian club.
Another person chimed in writing: “In grad school and met a Native woman in her early 90s who started her linguistics PhD program in her late 80s in order to preserve her tribe’s language, she said many people in her family live in their 100s so it was as good a time as any and she had years left to do the work.”
So many amazing stories from scholars, debut authors, lawyers, social workers, nurses, teachers, musicians, and more.
The Ones That Really Hit Home
In an interview with Bored Panda, Murano shared that he was overwhelmed by the response to his tweet. But it wasn’t the academic or career successes that impressed him the most. Rather, it was the personal triumphs.
“What touched me the most about the responses I received weren’t even the career wins — it was the person who finally got the courage to learn to drive at 45, the grandmother who took up painting at 70, the grandfather who learned to swim,” he said.
People like this…
And this dad: “My dad learned swimming at 62 years and gained a bachelors degree in music at 65. He began swimming and music after 60, when he retired from work.”
Winning at life doesn’t stop after you hit 40. If these people are any indication, turning 40 (and beyond) means you’re just getting started.
As one person wrote, “It’s never too late to move across the world, learn a new language, and start a new life.”
Whether we’re 20 or 80, one thing is certain. We have ONE CHANCE to make the most of this life. It isn’t too late to start living yours.
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