Myth: The older you get, the lower your risk tolerance. Top lies we tell ourselves once we hit 35:
I need to wear a hoodie to launch a business: Mark Zuckerberg is the exception that proves the rule. The average age of a first time founder is 40! Why? See the next point.
My mind is not as nimble as it once was: Yes, your processing speed slows down with age, BUT that’s more than overcompensated with better pattern recognition skills. You’ve seen it all, made every mistake, been humbled by divorce, weathered by illness, battered by recessions. You know what matters most, and what not to do. You make better decisions – you just need a few extra seconds to make them.
I have kids now; I need to put them first: Ask yourself this: What wouldn’t you do for your kids? Nothing. There’s no more powerful motivational force in the world than fighting for your kids’ future, and that force is stronger than wanting to take a Blade helicopter to the Hamptons on summer Fridays.
I need safety and stability at this point in my life: This is the biggest myth of them all. Here’s the cold hard truth: You are NEVER safe. I’ve known people who dutifully worked at one place for 30 years only to be sent on their way with a watch and a pat on the back one Friday morning. The safest place is not a place at all, but a paradigm; If you never stop growing, you will always outrun any threat.
So at any age, at any stage, at any time, I say chuck it all and go for it. Your future just might depend on it.