Last week, a tweet from American writer and editor editor Doug Murano went viral after he asked fellow users to share their stories of how they achieved success later in life.
“I get tired of ‘under 40’ lists,” Murano wrote. “Show me someone who got their PhD at 60 after losing everything. Give me the 70-year-old debut novelist who writes from a lifetime of love and grief. Give me calloused hands and tender hearts.”
RELATED STORIES
That tweet received thousands of replies with people recalling their own trials and triumphs, and sharing the tangled, weaving paths that still led them to success, albeit just a bit later than they may have expected.
Here are just a few of those stories.
It’s never too late.
Whether you discover your passion at 23 or 63, you should always pursue it. As this man clearly proves, it’s never too late to do what you love.
From the courtroom to the classroom.
This person’s father traded in years of handling law cases to shaping young minds and teaching them all about the wonders of the animal kingdom.
Back to school.
I’m sure it’s incredibly daunting to even consider going back to school at such an age, but this person did it, and he’s “never [felt] more rewarded.”
Napkins to blueprints.
A simple hobby turned into a fulfilling career. The best part of this tweet is that the woman had the full support of her family as she pursued her dreams.
New beginnings.
Carrying on after the loss of a loved one can’t be easy, but this person managed to turn their grief into success and found their calling, securing a “new degree, new business, [and] new career.”
Proving you really can do it all.
As a single mother, it must have been incredibly difficult to raise three children while working full time and juggling classes.
But years later, she has proven herself a true force to be reckoned with.
Write from your heart (and from experience).
Every cloud has a silver lining, right? Clearly, this woman was able to find that lining after not one, but two divorces, and turn those failures into her own success.
Second chance at education.
Another instance of someone going back to school well after the traditional “school” age.
This story is particularly inspiring because this person was never able to achieve the education they’d always wanted, but as soon as they had they chance, they wouldn’t let anything, including their age, stand in their way.
How do you measure success?
Abandoning a job that provides you financial security to pursue your dreams can’t be easy. But this person’s story proves that it can certainly be worthwhile.
Passion rediscovered.
It’s rather heartbreaking that a disapproving teacher convinced this person to set aside their passion for 35 years. But it’s so wonderful to know they finally listened to their heart and rediscovered their love for music later in life, even turning it into a career.
Show them how it’s done.
This grandmother didn’t let her accelerated age keep her from pursuing her dreams, or from proving herself a total “badass” in all her courses.
Preserving your culture.
This woman took it upon herself to make sure her tribe’s language wasn’t lost, and didn’t let anything, especially not her age, stand in her way.
A lasting impact.
Indeed, there is no time limit on life experiences, and this woman knew it was “never too late” to change her entire life.
Chance to start fresh.
Finding your footing after being inexplicably laid-off, especially after so many years at the same job, must be a terrifying, exhausting feat. But this person turned that experience into a story of rebirth, and renewed purpose in life.
