Late Bloomers, Midlife Magic & Small Steps That Go the Distance
You didn’t miss your shot. You were just warming up. This week: giving ourselves permission to pivot, learning from inspirational late bloomers, and the power of going at your own pace.
We’re told to “follow our passion,” but how the hell are we supposed to know what that is before we’re old enough to rent a car?
I personally think it’s wild that we’re conditioned to choose a “stream” (college or university), a major, an entire career path as teens… then invest tens to hundreds of thousands in it, as if our adult selves would just nod in agreement forever.
I don’t know the official stats. But I know that a heck of a lot of people don’t bloom at 22. Or even 32. And that’s not a flaw. That’s normal.
Today, we’re blowing up the myth that your chance at success has an expiration date.
Some people bloom early, and that’s great for them. I was still trying to figure out how to work my life around a “real” 9-5 J.O.B. and decode office politics at 28. (Spoiler: I never did.)
But some of the most creative, wildly successful, and downright interesting people out there didn’t even start the thing they’re now known for until midlife or later. We’re talking about people like:
Julia Child - was 50 before her first cookbook was published.
Vera Wang - didn’t design her first wedding dress until she was 40.
Samuel L. Jackson - didn’t land a major film role until he was 43.
Grandma Moses - started painting seriously in her 70s.
Colonel Sanders - didn’t start KFC until 62. (Be honest… who among us hasn’t thought about giving up and just frying chicken for a living?)
Not one of these people had it all figured out in their 20s or 30s. They didn’t stick to climbing a career ladder that didn’t work for them… they bailed, and bushwhacked through the jungle to carve their weird — but ultimately right — path.
That is way more impressive to me than climbing someone else’s ladder all the way to the top. And I bet they had plenty of detractors along the way.
Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if it doesn’t work out… you’re no spring chicken.
Can you afford a risk like that at your age?
Haven’t you gotten that out of your system yet?
Listen, we’re not houseplants. We don’t all grow on the same schedule, and we don’t all thrive under fluorescent lights.
The traditional career ladder — choose a path, get the education, land the job, put in your time, save your pennies up and vacation the rest of your life after 65 — was built for a life that no longer exists. It was built for people with different opportunities. Different priorities. Different values. Sometimes, different access and privilege.
And yet we’re told to suck it up and keep climbing.
Don’t like it? Take a pill, and keep climbing.
Have another drink after work! Keep climbing.
But what if you’re just not meant to climb that particular ladder anymore? What if you’re meant to carve your own trail, rest under the tree sometimes, and take the scenic route?
There’s no “too late.” There’s only starting where you are with what you’ve got.
If you’ve been carrying around some shame about being “behind” or changing direction “again,” toss it in the compost bin. You’re growing just fine.
That’s the focus of this week’s Recommended Reads. Here are a few gems that came across my desk this week. One of these just might spark your next pivot (or validate the one you’ve already made).
It’s Not Just You…
So many of us struggle to get behind the decisions we’ve made, even when everything is going exactly the way we intended. We’re talking about imposter syndrome, friends, and you’re not alone.
The Absurdities of Modern Travel - Living Elsewhere
If you’ve been dreaming about a life of travel but still hesitating to make the leap into remote work, this read is your gentle nudge.
Because yes, travel is absurd… but it’s also glorious, and joyful, and endlessly entertaining. And once you’re not tied to someone else’s office hours, you too can soak up the quirks, the chaos, and the unexpected poetry of life lived elsewhere.
On to the Next Adventure - Further: Live Long & Prosper
Brian Clark’s latest contains a super important “reinventing yourself late in life lesson” I want each of you to internalize and march back out again as needed. Repeat after me:
I will not buy the first foreign property I fall in love with.
You’re allowed to try all of this on for size! You really don’t have to decide everything tomorrow, sell your house, and reinvest in that place that was so great you went back twice more on vacation.
Don’t trap yourself in some idealized version of what you think a successful transition to your next chapter could look like. It’s more likely to be a series of small steps than one giant, expensive leap.
No Woman is an Island - Letters from the Road
Federica is debunking BS about what happens when a bunch of women co-live together, and I’m here for it. (I mean, I was there for some of it, too.)
But I’m here for the sentiment and her grateful for her shared experience, because it really underscores how essential it is that you get out there and try these things for yourself.
If you wanted to build a race car, why would you take advice from someone who’d only ever assembled a bicycle? We need to stop internalizing the fears and anxieties of others — as well-intentioned as they may be when shared — and trust in ourselves to try something new on for size.
That’s it for this week… until next time, may your checked bags travel with you and the remote income crosswinds be ever in your favour.
✌🏻 Miranda
You might also like:
Such a refreshing article... Makes me feel better about not having anything figured out in my life yet :)