Advice
Why Age is Just a Number (And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves)
73% of people over 50 say they feel younger than their chronological age. Here's the thing though - they're probably right, and we need to stop acting like hitting certain birthdays means we should start shopping for rocking chairs and complaining about "young people these days."
I've been running workplace training programs across Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth for nearly two decades now, and I can tell you something that might surprise you: some of my sharpest, most adaptable participants have been in their 60s and 70s. Meanwhile, I've watched 25-year-olds struggle with basic emotional intelligence concepts that their grandparents intuitively understand.
The problem isn't age. It's attitude.
The Retirement Mindset Trap
We've created this bizarre cultural narrative where turning 65 means you should suddenly become invisible, irrelevant, and grateful for whatever scraps society throws your way. It's complete rubbish.
Take my mate Colin from Adelaide - brilliant project manager, 67 years old, forced into "early retirement" by a company that thought his decades of experience were somehow less valuable than a fresh graduate's enthusiasm. Six months later, he started his own consultancy. Now he's busier than ever and charging triple what his old employer paid him. The difference? He stopped believing their story about his limitations.
But here's where it gets interesting. Colin didn't just rebel against ageism - he had to reprogram his own internal dialogue first. Because we're all complicit in this nonsense.
Your Brain Doesn't Get the Memo
Neuroscience research consistently shows that our brains remain remarkably plastic throughout our lives. You can literally rewire your thinking patterns at 70 just as effectively as at 30. Yet we persist with this myth that learning new skills becomes impossible after a certain age.
I remember running a time management workshop last year where a 58-year-old construction supervisor was convinced he was "too old" to learn new digital project management tools. Three hours later, he was teaching the 28-year-old site manager shortcuts he'd discovered. The only thing that had changed was his willingness to try.
This brings me to my first controversial opinion: retirement age is an outdated concept that's damaging both individuals and society. We're forcing people out of productive work just when they've accumulated enough wisdom to be truly valuable.
The Experience Premium
Young professionals often ask me how to fast-track their careers. Here's what I tell them: you can't. Experience isn't just about time served - it's about pattern recognition, institutional memory, and the kind of perspective that only comes from seeing multiple economic cycles, management trends, and industry transformations.
Companies like Bunnings and Qantas have figured this out. They actively recruit older workers because they understand the value of stability, reliability, and deep customer service instincts. These aren't consolation prizes - they're competitive advantages.
But here's my second controversial opinion: older workers need to stop underselling themselves. The apologetic attitude, the "I'm just grateful to still be here" mentality - it's poison. Your experience has value. Price it accordingly.
Health is Wealth (But Not What You Think)
Everyone bangs on about physical health and aging, which is important, sure. But mental health? That's where the real action is.
The most successful older professionals I know have one thing in common: they're curious. They ask questions. They're interested in new perspectives. They haven't fallen into the trap of thinking they know everything because they've "been there, done that."
I worked with a 72-year-old financial advisor recently who was struggling with client relationships. Turned out he'd stopped asking questions and started lecturing. Once he shifted back to genuine curiosity about his clients' goals and concerns, his business picked up immediately.
Age can make you wise, but it can also make you rigid. The trick is choosing which direction to lean.
The Technology Red Herring
"I'm not good with computers" - if I had a dollar for every time I've heard this from someone over 50, I could retire myself. Here's the reality: technology anxiety isn't about age, it's about approach.
My 78-year-old mother runs three social media accounts, manages her online banking, and video calls her grandkids across three different apps. My 35-year-old brother still asks her to help him with Excel formulas. The difference? She approaches new technology with playful curiosity instead of fearful resistance.
The whole "digital native" concept is overrated anyway. Being able to use TikTok doesn't make you a technology expert any more than driving a car makes you a mechanic.
Reinventing Your Professional Identity
This is where most people get stuck. They think career change after 50 means starting from scratch, accepting lower pay, or settling for something "age-appropriate." Wrong, wrong, and wrong again.
The smartest career pivots I've seen have been from people who leveraged their existing skills in new contexts. The accountant who became a business coach. The teacher who moved into corporate training. The engineer who started consulting on sustainability projects.
Your decades of experience aren't baggage - they're your launching pad. But you have to see them that way first.
For those looking to navigate these transitions more effectively, I highly recommend exploring conflict resolution skills. They're invaluable when you're advocating for yourself in a youth-obsessed workplace.
The Energy Equation
Yes, you might have less physical stamina at 60 than you did at 30. So what? You probably have better judgment, stronger networks, and clearer priorities. That's a pretty good trade-off.
I see too many older professionals apologising for having boundaries around work-life balance, as if wanting to go home at reasonable hours is somehow a character flaw. Meanwhile, younger workers are burning out left and right trying to prove their dedication through exhaustion.
Experience teaches you to work smarter, not harder. That's an advantage, not a limitation.
The Mentorship Myth
Here's where I'll probably ruffle some feathers: the idea that older workers should automatically become mentors is patronising nonsense. Not everyone is cut out for mentoring, and age doesn't magically bestow teaching skills.
Good mentorship is about compatibility, communication skills, and genuine interest in others' development. I've seen brilliant 28-year-old mentors and terrible 55-year-old ones. Age might bring perspective, but it doesn't guarantee wisdom or patience.
If you're good at mentoring, great. If you're not, don't feel guilty about it. Your value doesn't depend on your willingness to play career counsellor to people half your age.
Moving Forward, Not Backward
The key to changing your mindset about aging isn't pretending age doesn't matter - it's recognising that different life stages bring different strengths and opportunities.
Your 20s are for exploration and energy. Your 30s for building and establishing. Your 40s for refinement and advancement. Your 50s and beyond? That's when you get to leverage everything you've learned while still having decades of productive life ahead.
Stop apologising for your age. Stop accepting limitations that exist only in others' minds. And for the love of all that's holy, stop referring to yourself as "over the hill" unless you're actually talking about geography.
The only person who can make you feel old is you. Everything else is just other people's opinions, and opinions can be changed.
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