Making it in middle age
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of ‘Older Not Over’
This week I re-watched the amazing comedy-drama ‘The White Lotus’. Released in 2021 it follows the guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort chain, whose stay becomes affected by their various dysfunctions.
One of the main characters in series one and in my eyes the stand-out performer of the series is the Australian actor Murray Bartlett who played the role of stressed luxury hotel manager Armond. His performance was so good that on finishing the series I delved online to discover more about the actor.
To my surprise, I discovered (in this conversation with the Guardian) that Murray during the middle of the pandemic had a crisis of confidence before the career-changing role of Armond at the age of 50 arrived. “It was in the middle of the pandemic that Murray Bartlett began wondering if he would ever work as an actor again. “I thought: ‘What do I do? Do I teach drama?” He and his partner had left New York for Provincetown, Massachusetts, not long before, unsure of whether the move would jeopardise his potential roles. The virus added another note of uncertainty”
He added “There are times when you think: ‘Oh well, maybe this is it – maybe I’ve gone as far as I can go,’ or: ‘Is this practical anymore?’” he says. “There were times when I didn’t have those opportunities [such as The White Lotus] where I was like: ‘I feel as if I can do a lot more and I want to be able to show that.’ And so there were times I was like: ‘Maybe that’s just not my path.”
In the grip of this career crisis came the call that led to the most compelling role he has had which led to an Emmy win and future acclaimed performances in Welcome to Chippendales and The Last of Us
There was it seems a parallel between the character he played and the fears we all have in figuring out what to do with our lives?
“Armond represents that part of all of us that is like: ‘What the fuck? What are we doing? What is going on?’ He’s waking up to the insanity of the nightmare that he’s in and just can’t hold up the public face anymore.”
Like Armond maybe you have woken up to the insanity of a job or life event and you can’t hold up the public face anymore.
What will you do?
3 stories to inspire you this week
From a Bath to Behind the Camera: How a Story Sparked Frances Harper's Filmmaking Journey at 60
At 60, Frances Harper's life took a dramatic turn when a radio story inspired her to venture into filmmaking, despite having no prior experience. Motivated by the plight of Louise, a young sex worker in Ipswich, Harper bought a video camera and embarked on a journey to tell Louise's story through a documentary. This decision led her down a path of storytelling and advocacy, transforming her from a secretary into a passionate filmmaker. Harper's films, including projects on drug addiction and women in horticulture, have not only impacted viewers but also brought significant change to her subjects' lives. Her late career shift underscores the idea that it's never too late to pursue a passion and make a meaningful difference.
Realworld, Real Examples
The idea of changing careers after fifty was once unthinkable, but for many Americans, it has become increasingly common. It may not be as long as a first career, nor as linear, but second and even third careers are going to be a part of the collective future of the more than 108 million people who are now fifty or older
https://www.rd.com/list/never-too-late-change-your-life/
"I went back to law school in my 60s."
When Vicki first went to law school at 25, she didn’t have “the bug.” Law school was just a fallback for her, after she got her undergraduate degree in psychology and didn’t know what to do next. She never took the bar exam, instead embarking on a career in legal writing and doing a stint as a receptionist. But now, at 67, a chance encounter in an elevator led to a new job and a promotion to paralegal — and a new hunger for the profession.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a39863890/people-who-transformed-their-lives/
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Recommended Read
As always, every book I recommend I have read from cover to cover. My recommended read this week is “Successful Late Bloomers” by J. M. Orend. The book dissects the lives of successful individuals who did their best work in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond.
I mentioned Murray Bartlett’s career-changing role at 50 in ‘The White Lotus’ at the start of this week’s newsletter, and I’ve found a kindred spirit in the late John Mahony’s tale from "Successful Late Bloomers." Before hitting the screen as Martin Crane in "Frasier" at 53, Mahony was questioning his life as a medical journal editor, pondering, "Is this going to be it for me? Am I going to spend the rest of my life writing about cataracts and hemorrhoids?"
Like Bartlett, Mahony shows it's never too late to shift gears. Their stories challenge us: What could we pursue that we haven’t yet dared to try?"
“The book outlines three types of late bloomers - Bad News, Messy, and New Stage; and some of the many individuals who found late-in-life success in each category. But as different as each group of late bloomers are, they also share several of the same approaches to their work”
Each story in 'Successful Late Bloomers' truly drives home the point that our spark doesn’t dim with the years—it only gets brighter. This gem of a book nudges us gently but firmly, reminding both me and hopefully you too, that the ticking of the clock is not a countdown but rather a call to adventure. This book will help you immensely to get started.
'Older Not Over' Podcast
As I work on my next batch of conversations, be sure to listen back to past chats with Richard E. Grant, Roz Savage and Lee Child.
Until next week….
"Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect." - Alan Cohen.
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