If you google the term, “Millennial”, you get nearly 12 million results. You are left with the notion that there is a single focus in our society on youth. There’s no rule that says success has to occur before the age of 30. I googled that, too, and it’s not there. Success can occur at any age.
Consider this:
- In 2015, Harriette Thompson, 92, became the oldest woman to complete a marathon when she finished the San Diego Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon in 7:24:36. The cancer survivor, concert pianist, and grandmother of 10 covered the course in 16:59 per mile.
- Mark Twain was 40 when he wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, and 49 years old when he wrote “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
- Henry Ford Was 45 when the Ford Model T became mass produced.
- Suzanne Collins was 46 when she wrote “The Hunger Games.”
- Charles Darwin was 50 years old when his book On the Origin of Species was published.
- Leonardo Da Vinci was 51 years old when he painted the Mona Lisa.
- Dr. Seuss was 54 when he wrote “The Cat in the Hat”.
- Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III was 57 years old when he successfully landed the US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009. All of the 155 passengers aboard the aircraft survived.
- J.R.R Tolkien was 62 when the Lord of the Ring books came out.
- Jack Lalane at age 70 handcuffed, shackled, towed 70 rowboats.
- Julia Child was almost 40 before she learned how to cook and she launched her television career at age 51.
- Novelist Elizabeth Jolley received a whopping 39 rejection letters in one year but was able to publish her first novel at age 56.
- Writer Mary Wesley was 71 when she published her first novel.
- Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing as a columnist in her 40’s. Her popular Little House books weren’t written when she was a child at all. They were written and published when she was in her 60’s.
- Harlan Sanders (Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken) was 66 when he began to promote his style of fried chicken that led to his fortune.
- Anna Mary Robertson Moses (Grandma Moses) was one of the biggest names in American Folk Art and she didn’t start painting until she was 76. At age 88, Mademoiselle Magazine named Grandma Moses a “Young Woman of the Year.”
- Nelson Mandela was almost 76 when he was elected president of South Africa. He spent 27 years in prison and was released in 1990. Four years later, he was president.
- You may also remember Susan Boyle. In 2009, her YouTube video rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” was one of the most watched videos of the year. But what most people found astonishing about this video, besides her talent, was that at age 48, she had never sung professionally before. After making it to the final round of “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009, she landed a record deal and had the largest sales debut for a female artist that year.
- And we can’t forget about Doreetha Daniels. You’ve probably not heard of Ms. Daniels but in June 2015, 99-year old Doreetha Daniels graduated from college earning her Associate’s degree. In spring 2009, Ms. Daniels began taking courses with a goal to earn her degree and walk at graduation – and that she did.
- At the age of 50, Leo Goodwin founded GEICO in Washington, D.C. In a departure from most businessmen of the day, he worked closely with his wife Lillian in running the company. By the end of the year, GEICO had 12 people on staff and 3,700 policies in force. Today, GEICO is one of the largest auto insurers.
- At 68, Hillary Clinton becomes the first female nominee for President of the United States.
- Rodney Dangerfield is remembered as a legendary comedian, but he didn’t catch a break until he made a hit appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” at age 46.
- At 71, Katsusuke Yanagisawa, a retired Japanese schoolteacher, became the oldest person to climb Mt. Everest.
- At 75, cancer survivor Barbara Hillary became one of the oldest people, and the first African-American woman, to reach the North Pole.
- At 98, Beatrice Wood, a ceramist, exhibited her latest work.
- At 86, Katherine Pelton swam the 200-meter butterfly in 3 minutes, 1.14 seconds, beating the men’s world record for that age group by over 20 seconds.
- And to wrap it up, the World’s oldest Female bodybuilder, Ernestine Shepherd. You won’t make excuses after you watch this.
Are you feeling as if you have missed the boat because you didn’t realize your dream when you were 30? You shouldn’t! There is no expiration date on dreams.
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