How Joe Biden Proved Age Isn’t A Barrier To Success

Learn from the 78-year old leader’s tenacity.

How do you imagine your life when you’re 78 years old? Maybe your dream is to sip lemonade while watching the sunset or finally travel the world. After a lifetime of work, the only thing you want to do is relax!

But Joseph R. Biden isn’t going on vacation anytime soon. Instead, he’s preparing to become the 46th president of the United States, ready to take charge of the country in the middle of a pandemic.

In 2021, the White House is going to be the place of many firsts: Kamala Harris as the first woman, Black, and Indian Vice President, and Joe Biden as the oldest President.

Biden defies society’s expectations of what the elderly should do. Here’s what we can learn from Biden’s grit.

Stop lying to yourself

As Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way puts it, ‘“I’m too old” is something we tell ourselves to save ourselves from the emotional cost of the ego deflation involved in being a beginner.”

You convince yourself 30 or 50 is too old to quit your career and pursue your passion. After all, once you’re proficient in a field, you don’t want to go through the learning curve again. A writer doesn’t want to relearn the ABCs or diagram sentences.

The thought of having to start from the basics in another field, whether it’s learning the piano scales or different shading techniques in art, is overwhelming.

Though Biden has had intimate experience in the White House as a former VP, becoming president comes with a new set of challenges, especially now in these “unprecedented times” (tired of hearing that phrase yet?). Instead of shying away from difficulty, he’s surrounding himself with great advisors to ensure he makes the best decisions.

Instead of reinforcing limiting beliefs that age holds you back, seek out the mentorship of people who have accomplished what you want to and go into your journey with an open-mind. Age only has the power you believe it holds over you.

We all have a superpower

When you’re young, you want to grow up. When you’re old, you wish you’d relished your youth. Find the superpower that comes with your age. For Biden, it’s his long career in politics and built up experience over the years.

Are you a well of wisdom, having accumulated a lifetime of diverse knowledge? Are you brimming with an abundance of energy, eager to share a youthful perspective with the world?

Find your special gift, and use it to your advantage.

People throughout history have achieved great things at untraditional ages

Biden isn’t the sole shining star in humanity’s galaxy. From Louis Braille who developed the Braille language at 15 to Mary Shelley who wrote Frankenstein at 18 to Benjamin Franklin who was the oldest person to sign the Declaration of Independence at 70, famous men and women have broken the meaningless limitations of age.

Today, the Internet further breaks down gatekeepers to success by providing opportunities for everyone with Wifi. Both Helen Cassidy Page, an admirable 81-year old with dozens of published books and I, a 16-year old still in high school English, can write to our heart’s content on this platform. Other top writers like Itxy Lopez and Sinem Günel are in their early 20s and have found vast audiences for their insights.

If age doesn’t matter, what does?

It’s a willingness to learn and grow that determines how far you go.

When I started my internship at a small publishing company, I was initially intimidated because many of my colleagues were college graduates who’d majored in English. How could my writing skills compare with theirs? But I realized I didn’t need to already be a master of the written word; I only had to be enthusiastic to learn from those who are more well-studied.

Cultivate an eternal vitality and curiosity, and don’t resist change. Fostering these traits is far more important than how many years have passed since your birth.

The Takeaway

When you can master your mind, you can create the life you want. Don’t let arbitrary measures pose a barrier between you and your dreams.

If at 78, Biden can get ready to become a world leader, you can achieve all you desire, no matter how many or how few birthdays you’ve celebrated.

As Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a celebrated track and field athlete put it,

“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.”

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