Mozart was competent on the keyboard by the age of 5

Anne Frank wrote her diary at the age of 12

Pele was a soccer superstar by the age of 17

Elvis was a superstar by the age of 19

Beethoven was a piano virtuoso by the age of 23

Einstein wrote the theory of relativity at the age of 26

Alexander the Great had built one of the largest empires in the world by the age of 29

J.K. Rowling finished the first manuscript for Harry Potter at the age of 30

Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean at 31

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur were 32 and 36 when the built the world’s first successful airplane

Edmund Hillary became the first man to climb Mount Everest at the age of 33

Neil Armstrong was 38 when he became the first man to set foot on the moon

Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer at the age of 40

John F. Kennedy became president of the United States at the age of 43

Henry Ford was 45 when the Model T came out

Charles Darwin was 50 when he published The Origin of Species

Leonardo Da Vinci was 51 when he painted the Mona Lisa

Dr. Seuss was 54 when he wrote The Cat in the Hat

Colonel Harland Sanders was 61 when he started the KFC franchise

Ronald Reagan was 69 when he became president of the United States

Nelson Mandela was 76 when he became president of South Africa

These are just a few examples of individuals that have left a permanent mark in history. Now you might not be inclined to pursue what might be considered a grand endeavor, and that’s okay. But if you do have a dream or idea you’d like to pursue, then don’t let your age hold you back.

Yes, there might be certain activities that require a level of agility or fitness that will prevent you from participating professionally, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do them at a leisure or novice level.

Perhaps a good or at least entertaining question to ask yourself is, if you didn’t know how old you are, how old would you be? Not quite as deep as a Buddhist Koan, but interesting nonetheless.

Do your best to avoid getting to the point where you wish you’d have started 10 years ago. And if you are at that point right now, then start today. There’s no point letting another 10 years go by again.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.