Success comes at any age so there’s no reason to feel down when you’re 40 years old and nothing seems to come your way. Let these middle-age success stories inspire you and make you realize that it’s never too late. We seldom hear success stories from people between 35 and 65 years old. Majority of the success stories we usually hear on TV and internet are mostly about young people achieving success at an early age. While these inspiring stories significantly encourage the youth to start working early in life, the same can’t be said to striving adults.
If anything, these stories about successful young people only give middle-age people the notion that great things are only attracted to the energetic and talented youth. And any chance of success hits its end when you reach the onset of old age. However, everything we see or hear on TV and on the internet is only superficial. This is because mainstream media often focuses on rare, buzzworthy stories. Most of the time, TV and social media tend to disregard the common facts that are prevalent in society. And the reason for this is simple – common facts are just too boring.
But let us enlighten you anyway. Did you know that the average age of US entrepreneurs is 40 years old? This means that most entrepreneurs (including small businesses) start launching their first startup at the age of 40. According to studies, the average age in software startups is 40 while the average age in biotech industry startups is 47. Furthermore, the average age of high-growth large-scale companies is 45. We never get to hear these stories because, as we explained earlier, media tend to broadcast the rare and uncommon stories. So, don’t ever think you’ve reached the dead-end when you turn 35 and still haven’t reached your dreams. Let the facts speak for themselves. And if these facts aren’t enough to encourage you then let these middle-age success stories bring light upon you.
TV writer and producer Melissa Hunter, 35 years old, started a Twitter thread that highlights inspiring stories from people who found success later in life. She invited other middle-aged people to share their success stories in order to give inspiration to struggling adults. Through these middle-age success stories, people can find motivation to start living their dreams regardless of their age. Hunter’s Twitter thread quickly received overwhelming responses from people who succeed later in life.
Take a look at some of the most inspiring stories from the viral Twitter thread
Here are some of the most notable people who achieved success after the age of 30
Famous Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson got his first breakout movie role in Jungle Fever (1991) when he was 40 years old. Of course, we already know what happened to his acting career after that. Even today, seems like the famous actor has been appearing on many blockbuster movies such as The Avengers, Star Wars, Kingsman, and many more.
J.K. Rowling published her first book at age 32 before being rejected by 12 publishers. What made Rowling one of the most successful writers (and richest) of all time is her passion and determination. She never gave up her passion for writing even after a series of heartbreaking rejections. In 1997, British independent publisher Bloomsbury took a chance and published the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. And everything went uphill for Rowling’s career since then. She was 42 when she completed the Harry Potter series.
American fashion designer Vera Wang designed her first wedding dress at the age of 40. But before she started her now-legendary fashion empire, Wang worked as a fashion editor for Vogue for almost 20 years. After designing and creating her first bridal gown, she decided to open up her own bridal salon. Today, Vera Wang has a star-studded clientele including Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Obama, Victoria Beckham, Uma Thurman, the Kardashians, and many more.
At the age of 65, Colonel Harland Sanders used his Social Security checks to open up a fried chicken restaurant. And just like that, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was born. Before he became a fast food mogul, Sanders worked a variety of odd jobs throughout his life. He worked as a railway laborer and life insurance agent in his teenage years. Then he later tried his luck in business by starting up a ferry boat company which gave him his first failure. His next attempt in business, a lamp manufacturing company, also didn’t last long. He was 40 years old when he began selling fried chicken dishes in a service station. His fast food venture didn’t went well at first. In fact, his recipe was rejected 1,009 times. But this failure didn’t stop Sanders, even if it took 25 years before his secret recipe became a big hit.
