A common struggle for many people is thinking their best years are behind them. If you really believe that, than you can stop reading this post right now. If, however, you believe there just might be a chance that your best years are ahead of you, you must continue.
photo by emilio labrador
David Schwartz says the following in his book, The Magic Of Thinking Big:
Really, it’s surprising how few people think they are “just right” age-wise. And it’s unfortunate. This excuse has closed the door of real opportunity to thousands of individuals. They think their age is wrong, so they don’t even bother to try.
Here are three ways he gives to cure yourself of age excusitis. That’s right. Kick it right out the door along with every other excuse as to why you can’t start living your best life right now!
1. Talk about your age to yourself and others from a positive viewpoint. Say things like, “I’m still young and spry,” not “I’m old and crippled.” Set goals and push yourself to new horizons and you will feel young and full of excitement as you did when you were a youth.
2. Compute how many productive years you have left. Assuming a person’s most productive years in life are from age 20-70, compute how many productive years you have left. Remember, a person age 30 still has 80% of his productive life ahead of him. And, the 50 year old still has a big 40%, the best 40% of her opportunity years left!
And, that is assuming the best productivity only lasts till 70! It can last so much longer if you wish it to.
As a friend of the author put it, “I’m going to live until I die and I’m not going to get life and death confused. While I’m on this earth, I’m going to live. Why be only half alive? Every minute a person spends worrying about dying is just one minute that fellow might as well have been dead.”
3. Start doing what you really want to do. It is never too late to start doing what makes your heart sing. It’s only too late if you think it is too late. Stop saying things such as, “I should have started this years ago.” Replace it with, “I’m going to start right now, because I believe my best years are yet to come!” What a life-giving way to think.
And if you still need a little more perspective, watch this. You will realize our age is not the important part. Our attitude towards our age is what makes age a wide open gateway or a blocked door.
Question: Have you ever struggled with age excusitis? How did you conquer it?