The Art Of The Late Start — How To Blow Up Again

Life is what we make it, so do what lights you up. It’s never too late

In 1997 journalist Mary Schmich wrote one of the best hypothetical commencement speeches of all time. Her essay, titled “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young”, commonly known by the title “Wear Sunscreen” gave various pieces of advice on how to live a happier life and avoid common frustrations. It went viral via email at a time when going viral hadn’t really become a thing yet.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life The most interesting people I know Didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t

The essay became the basis for a successful spoken word song released in 1997 by Baz Luhrmann, “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” which is how I came know it. I encourage you to listen to it after reading this article — it’s great and still hits hard today.

As a 38 year old, the line about interesting 40-year-olds is not lost on me. I’m at that age where the prospect of changing career, reinventing myself, or opening my own business is hidden behind excuses of it being “too late”. In truth these thoughts can happen at any time of your life — but for many this is well trodden path.

If the name Joseph A. Campbell doesn’t immediately ring a bell, think soup. He opened his canned goods company at the ripe age of 52. He started off selling canned tomatoes, condiments, and jellies, but didn’t developed his first condensed soup, tomato soup, until he was 78 years old.

Campbell's condensed tomato soup changed the way the world viewed canned soup and left a legacy now worth close to $13 billion.

The late actor Alan Rickman who is best known for his role in Harry Potter was another late bloomer. Before his days as a famous actor, he pursued a career in graphic design. Rickman even started his own graphic design studio called ‘Graphiti’. At the age of 26, Rickman decided to become an actor and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He didn’t get his big break until he was cast as the baddy Hans Gruber in “Die Hard’ in 1988 when he was 42 years old. His fame exploded when he portrayed Severus Snape in the first movie of the Harry Potter Series in 2001 when he was 55.

Do What Lights You Up

The problem with knuckling down and doing things you don’t necessarily enjoy is that you can get stuck. It’s all too easy to forget about your dreams and aspirations. Most of us largely give up on our creative pursuits instead choosing stability and fitting in. By creative pursuits, I simply mean putting your most best and most original ideas out into the world, to inspire others. Doing what lights you up.

The longer this goes on, the more you can talk yourself out of whatever it is that you wanted to do all along — you finally convince yourself that “it is too late.” In truth, nobody is really judging you at all — it’s all in your head. The trick here is forget what people think of you, and go with you feel you want to do.

Take A Chance On You

Too many of us are willing to take chances on others. We put money into risky investments, we kickstart others ideas and follow trends. But all too often we forget to bet on ourselves.

If you thought Alan Rickman’s journey into acting was against the odds — just wait until you hear about the author that made him huge. Before J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter, the best-selling book series in history (seriously just ponder that for a minute), she had struggled with poverty, depression, a bad divorce and was looking for a way to provide for her daughter. It was at this period of her life that Rowling began writing Harry Potter. The first book of the series was published in 1997 when she was 32 and kickstarted her meteoric rise as an author.

Not one or two, or even five, but 12 major publications rejected the Harry Potter drafts — imagine that. She must have felt completed defeated. However she carried on backing herself, submitting her work time and time again, and the rest is history.

Creativity Has No Expiration Date

A one job career is no longer a given. Loyalty is not what it once was and the ability to pivot in your career or hobbies has never been easier. We are capable of learning new skills, at a rapid pace — and everything is set up online to help us keep doing it faster. People crave creativity — someone is always in line to consume new products; to hear your story. Or to use your own invention. To see your art.

The notion of life ticking away and constraining you from following your passions is now just something self-imposed — it doesn’t come from your audience.

Next time that voice talks yourself out of that own great idea, politely tell your inner critic to go take a jump. Because really, it’s never too late.