Give me calloused hands and tender hearts
Discover more from Older Not Over
Give me calloused hands and tender hearts
A community for those who thought it was too late to change their career and embark on a new adventure, curated by Alan Swan.
Hello and welcome to the latest issue of ‘Older Not Over’
Recently, I came across a tweet by a gentleman called Doug Murano. His rallying call really summed up a feeling I’ve held for a long time regarding societies view on older workers. Have a read below.
At the start of another year, you tend to be bombarded with ‘30 Under 30’ young rising star lists and rarely do you see ones that celebrate those who have taken the leap at 40 plus. Those with “calloused hands and tender hearts”. Those who had that feeling in their gut they couldn’t shake. The itch they couldn’t scratch. Those who took a chance.
I highly recommend checking out his tweet and reading the hundreds of responses. Some incredible stories that no doubt will inspire you for 2021.
With that in mind, if you have your own story to share and would like to be featured in a future edition of the newsletter I would love to hear from you! My email address is info@oldernotover.com
Alan
3 stories to inspire you this week
How newly unemployed over-50s can start-up again
Obstacles litter the career path for older workers either looking or having to, start again. But help is at hand https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/oct/05/how-newly-unemployed-over-50s-can-start-up-again
Stop Worrying About Biden’s Age. We Need His Wisdom Right Now.
When Joe Biden is sworn in on Inauguration Day later this month, he will be 78, the oldest president to take the oath of office. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/opinion/biden-age-president.html
‘It’s never too late’: Entrepreneurial spirit drives older women
If you feel you know someone who would benefit from this newsletter, please share the link below for them to subscribe.
‘Older Not Over’ on France 24
“We often hear that young people today shouldn't expect to have just one career in their lives, that the ever-changing job market requires flexibility and an open mind. But it's a message you rarely hear directed at people who are already a bit further along in their professional lives. So why is that? And what are the benefits of trying something new when you're that little bit older? Our guest is Alan Swan, creator of the "Older Not Over".
For Book's Sake!
Our recommended read this week is "Late Bloomers” by Rich Karlgaard
We live in a society where kids and parents are obsessed with early achievement, from getting perfect scores on SATs to getting into Ivy League colleges to landing an amazing job at Google or Facebook—or even better, creating a start-up with the potential to be the next Google, Facebook or Uber. We see coders and entrepreneurs become millionaires or billionaires before age thirty, and feel we are failing if we are not one of them.
Late bloomers, on the other hand, are under-valued—in popular culture, by educators and employers, and even unwittingly by parents. Yet the fact is, a lot of us—most of us—do not explode out of the gates in life. We have to discover our passions and talents and gifts. That was true for author Rich Karlgaard, who had a mediocre academic career at Stanford (which he got into by a fluke) and, after graduating, worked as a dishwasher and nightwatchman before finding the inner motivation and drive that ultimately led him to start up a high-tech magazine in Silicon Valley, and eventually to become the publisher of Forbes magazine.
There is a scientific explanation for why so many of us bloom later in life. The executive function of our brains doesn’t mature until age twenty-five, and later for some. In fact, our brain’s capabilities peak at different ages. We actually experience multiple periods of blooming in our lives. Moreover, late bloomers enjoy hidden strengths because they take their time to discover their way in life—strengths coveted by many employers and partners—including curiosity, insight, compassion, resilience, and wisdom.
Based on years of research, personal experience, interviews with neuroscientists, psychologists, and countless people at different stages of their careers, Late Bloomers reveals how and when we achieve our full potential.
'Older Not Over' Podcast
As we prepare to release our next batch of conversations this Thursday, be sure to listen back to past chats with Richard E. Grant, Roz Savage and Lee Child.
Until next week, remember….
“All great changes are preceded by chaos.” ~ Deepak Chopra
Thanks for reading! Before you go, if you have found value in this edition of the newsletter, or want to support the content I'm producing, you might consider buying me a cup of coffee!