How many times have we let our age stop us from doing something? Starting from our youth, we here things like, “you can’t do that; you’re too young,” or “maybe try doing that when you get a little bit older.” Often times we listen to statements like this when they are uttered to us because, the thing about being too young to do something is that one day you will eventually be old enough to do that very thing that you’re to young to do now, so we just suck it up, bide our time, and wait until we’re old enough.

But what happens when somebody tells you that you’re too old to do something?

What do you do when you hear blanket statements like, “it’s too late for you to do that; you should’ve done it when you were younger,” or “you’re definitely too old to be doing that”? Should you still listen to these statements or should you just ignore them and continue doing what you were doing before someone decided to give you their two cents? Walking away seems like the best option because after all it is your life and you should be able to live it how you please, but sometimes when we hear people tell us that we’re “too old” to do something we listen, in part, because we think that there is a grain of truth to what they are telling us.

Well if someone has ever told you that you’re “too old” positive thinker, I’m here to tell you that you’re not too old to follow your dreams. Following your dreams is not just for those of us who are young in age; it’s for anyone who has the mentality of a young person who is willing to chase his or her dreams.

There’s no expiration date on your dreams.

Even if you aren’t as young as you used to be, there is still time for you to pursue what you really want to pursue, and if that is the decision that you choose to make you definitely wouldn’t have been the first person to wait until later on in life to go for something that you really want…

Stan Lee created “The Fantastic Four” comic book when he was 38. The inventor of Curves fitness center opened up the first one when he was 40, and Vera Wang, one of the world’s leading fashion designers, didn’t even enter into the fashion industry until she was 40. Julia Child didn’t write her first cook book until she was 50, Colonel Sanders didn’t franchise Kentucky Fried Chicken until he was 62, and Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t publish her first “Little House” book until she was 65.

Positive thinker, if any of these individuals had decided to give up on following their dreams because they were “too old,” they definitely wouldn’t have ended up with the success that they had.

Making the choice to chase your life’s dream later in life is a difficult decision to make because not only do you have to still navigate through all of the obstacles that are associated with reaching your dream, but you also now have to deal with all of the nay-sayers telling you that you can’t make it because you’re just “too old.” So fear is truly understandable, and if you’re still debating whether or not you really are too old to follow your dreams, let’s try a simple thought experiment…

Picture yourself years or maybe decades from now. You’re skin is wrinkled, you’re body is sagging in places that it doesn’t sag now, and only gray and white strands of hair remain atop of your head. You’re old, and you are also drawing near your last few days on this earth. As you think about your life, you remember all of the wonderful, happy moments that you have had. As you think about these times, you smile and realize that you truly have lived a blessed life. Now, as the happy memories fade away, you start to think about that dream that you had all those many years ago. You remember how badly you had wanted it, but you also remember that you stopped yourself from pursuing it because you were “too old,” and as you think about your life that could’ve been the smile that once graced your lips as your happy memories danced across your mind now slowly dies away.

Positive thinker, how do you think you’ll feel years down the road at the close of your life when you realize that you didn’t chase that dream that you wanted to go after all of those many years ago? If you think that you’ll be happier because you decided to give up on that dream, then go ahead and stop trying to reach it. Chances are though, that you probably wouldn’t be very happy with yourself for at least attempting to do it.

Positive thinker, try asking yourself this question: “Am I really willing to give up just because some people have told me that I’m ‘too old’ to go after my dreams?” I don’t know about you, but I’m not willing to do that.

It’s not too late for you to go out and follow your dreams positive thinker. The last thing you would want to do is end your life full of unfilled dreams that you gave up on because you were “too old,” to follow them.

Go after your dreams.

They’re yours for the taking!