Your Dream Doesn't Know Your Age

"Don't die with your music still in you" Wayne Dyer

A very profound statement that is a reminder that no matter how old you are or where you are in your life, take a leap of faith and choose to live a life of passion and purpose

I’ve never understood why we choose to live based on our age, because our age isn't aware of anything. Our age doesn't know how we feel, if we've achieved our dream, how we feel or why we make the choices we do, only our mind does. I was 58 when I chose to leave my comfort zone and become an entrepreneur. Here it is a few years later and I'm excited because I am choosing to follow a long held passion and who knows what else I am going to be doing. What age I am has never been a determining factor in any of my choices.

Humanity has created an entire range of beliefs around our age, older employees are too expensive to keep, a TV show’s success is partially based on the age of the people watching, the fashion industry and hairstyles are age-specific, if you’re older you’re expected to be in poor health, if you’re young you have no wisdom or understanding of life, the list is unlimited.

I remember the day I was preparing to leave a job when I was given a letter that stated that my age wasn’t the reason for my position elimination; it took everything I had not to burst out laughing. Obviously the organization was protecting themselves legally, but the thought of my age never entered my mind, all I saw was unlimited possibilities and the chance to live life my way.

The only thing that anyone's life ought to be created from is the quality of the life they live and being happy. Who says that at 75 or 19 we can't become an inventor, an author, a teacher or start a business? Why does the number of years we've been alive determine our health, the way we dress or what kind of life we choose to have? Why do we believe that only when we're young we are worthy of our dream and as we age we are supposed to become ill, decrepit and useless?

I chose to go back to school when I was in my mid-thirties, but all I could think of was that I was taking a leap of faith and how much my life was going to change. We get to do something new, a do-over whenever we want, so why don't we? Every day we're alive we have a chance to create a new life, we just have to remember that everything is a choice.

It isn't built into humanity's DNA to be miserable and suffer and decline at a certain age, that’s a belief and all in our mind.

From noted author, Dr. Bruce Lipton: "A person's health isn't generally a reflection of genes, but how their environment is influencing them. Genes are the direct cause of less than 1 percent of diseases: 99 percent is how we respond to the world."

That truth means that how we respond to the world around us determines how healthy or unhealthy we are not how old we are, so why not choose to always be strong and healthy and just live without considering our age?

The people below chose to follow their path, no matter their age and everyone is successful.

Daniel Fine, founder and CEO of Dosed, reflects,“My younger brother and Dosed co-founder, Jake, was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 7 years old (he’s now 18). When I was 11, we co-founded Team Brotherly Love with the motto ‘Saving Lives and Finding a Cure’ for those with Type-1. To date, we’ve raised over $1.9 million. Along the way, we have witnessed first-hand challenges in how Jake and others control diabetes. Dosed was born out of these realizations and ideas about how to better manage and track the disease for millions.” Daniel also founded and runs another interesting venture, Glass-U. Forbes

Barbara Beskind was an inventor by necessity who hoped to become one professionally. Eight decades later, the 91-year-old has finally realized her dream at a top design firm in Silicon Valley. "Our culture is telling us, aging equals decline,'' IDEO associate partner Gretchen Addi told TODAY. "And Barbara is very solidly standing there and saying, you know, 'I'm gonna call you on that.''

​Lorna Ashfield-Mitchell, 77, is living proof that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Despite being a couple of decades older than most of her classmates, Ms Ashfield-Mitchell said everyone got along like one, big “happy family”. She is finally fulfilling her lifelong desire to become an artist, completing a Advanced Diploma in Ceramic Arts at the Northern Sydney Institute. “It’s challenging, but I’m really enjoying it,” Ms Ashfield-Mitchell said.

The list of accomplishments Jack A. Weil achieved in his life is impressive. What’s even more impressive is this Western wear giant didn’t hit his stride until his mid-40s when he founded Rockmount, a high fashion western clothing retailer. Since founding Rockmount in 1946 Weil continued as CEO until his death in 2008 at the age of 107.

Tao Porchon-Lynch is truly a role model to aspire to. Positive, fun, determined, gentle and aging as gracefully as one could ever hope to, this woman will change you. No matter what your age, or where you are in life, Tao’s example has something to teach you. You see, Tao Porchon-Lynch is 95 year old yoga instructor.

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was sixteen when he started his first business venture, a magazine called Student. In 1970, he set up a mail-order record business. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s, as he set up Virgin Atlantic and expanded the Virgin Records music label. (Wikipedia)

All of these people are examples that whether or not we follow our dream is a choice we make based on how we perceive ourselves and nothing else. If all of these people can defy their age and follow their passion, there is no reason why any of us cannot do the same.

"If you are not doing what you love, you are wasting your time." Billy Joel