Recently I spent time in California with my friend and colleague, Dr. Sukhsimran Singh, and his wonderful wife, Deep. During our time together I mentioned the fact that I (foolishly!) married right after high school and raised my three children before completing college and starting my professional career at the age of 45. Surprised, he asked, “Do you tell people about that?” “No, not often,” I replied. “You should!” When Deep joined us later in the day, Sukhsrimran told her my story and she agreed that I should share it. “It would be helpful to many, many people.” Here are some stories close to my heart about people pursuing new opportunities well into adulthood: My dad was unable to serve in WWII due to flat feet, so he worked in the Portland shipyards. After the war, he worked as a photographer, then became a sales representative for Ansco, a photographic supply company. At about 40, one of his clients asked him to move to Hawaii to manage Hawaii Color Lab. My mom, my sister – who was in college at the time – and I moved to Hawaii with Dad, where I started high school. He flourished in his new role and when Technicolor purchased Hawaii Color Lab, he was asked to move to California to become a Vice President. Mom and I moved with him to LA, where I finished high school. At 47, Dad retired from Technicolor and became a successful artist! He and Mom moved to the Oregon coast, where they both created art and Dad served as Chairman of the Board of Sitka Center for Art and Ecology for many years. It’s never too late! My brother, Austin, was my teacher when I was in the eighth grade. He and his wife remained on the family dairy farm when the rest of us moved to Hawaii and he continued to teach at the local grade school. Later, he left the family farm, along with his wife and children, and returned to school to earn his master’s degree and doctorate in education. After earning his PhD, he developed a math teaching program that has been used across the United States, Canada and Australia. Every time he told his publisher how much he missed the classroom, his publisher said, “Your materials reach millions of kids every year. You’re doing exactly what you need to be doing!” When Austin retired, he taught multiple classes every week as a volunteer in local schools. Recently, his publisher reached out to him about updating and republishing his materials. He’s considering it. He’s 90. It’s never too late! My sister, Toni, loved writing at an early age and submitted a story to the Saturday Evening Post when she was in high school. The topic was romance, something she knew nothing about at the time. She was devastated when her story was kindly turned away and, to my knowledge, set her writing aside for many years. She married a career Marine, raised four sons, worked for several years in banking, retired and, when she was 79, published her first novel, followed by four more! Her novels were not romances, but were stories based in large part on her experiences living in Japan and elsewhere as a military spouse. It’s never too late! |
My friend, Sukhsimran, pictured above, earned his law degree in India, then came to the United States to earn an advanced degree in mediation. In the years I’ve known him, he’s earned his PhD and recently told me he’s considering another. Last year, Sukhsimran left his role as Dean of Pepperdine Law School’s Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution to found his own school, Singh Academy. He travels the world resolving conflicts and speaking about conflict resolution. In his own words, Sukhsimran is motivated to make the world better! It’s never too late! |
What more do YOU want to achieve or do? You’re already successful! I know that, because all of my readers are successful. Maybe you don’t want to pursue a new degree, but perhaps the message, “It’s never too late!” is still relevant to you. What do you want to achieve or do that you haven’t yet achieved or done? Do you want to do something serious? Or do you want to do something fun? Or both? Here’s a little more about my experiences in adulthood. At 45, shortly after I earned my college degree, I jumped from an airplane, something I’d wanted to do for years! It was exhilarating and when I landed, I felt like I could do anything! Five years later, I celebrated my 50th birthday by taking racecar driving lessons at Portland International Raceway, one of the most fun experiences of my life! A few years later, I was recruited to move to Southern California to become the Managing Consultant of the LA office of a global HR firm, a highly successful experience that allowed me to further develop my leadership skills. I later returned to Portland Oregon and opened my own consulting practice. I’ve now been consulting and coaching for several years and can’t imagine not doing the work I love. What more do YOU want to achieve or do? It’s Never Too Late! |