My 50-something year old mother informed me last weekend that she’s leaving behind her Corporate America jail cell. Living and breathing proof that it’s never too late.
Err, sorry.
I meant to say she is giving up her self-fulfilling and incredibly unique career that she would have rather given up her family for.
Sarcasm now off. Promise.
This post has two parts to it—the first being that it’s seriously never too late to pursue your dreams—NEVER. The second is an eye-opening, real-life study that young women should be taking a serious look at when the time comes.
My 50+ y/o mom is quitting corporate to pursue her own entrepreneurial dream.
Go get ’em, Mom. It’s never too late. #mondaymotivation
— This Is Trouble (@TruthfulTrouble) November 28, 2016
FEET INTO MOTION—IT’S NEVER TOO LATE
Take note of this, both fellas and ladies—it’s time to wake up. It’s never too late to go after what you want in life. Unless you’re knocking on the door of death, it’s possible. It’s just a matter of doing.
Some of you email me with stories that suck. You’re in your 30s. Women are still a mystery to you. You have business ideas but don’t execute them. You hate your job.
My mom is over 50, her computer skills are lackluster (I’m going to send this article to her so I’m being nice—Hi Mom!), and she was “out of work” for nearly 20 years while raising my sister and I.
Yet—she’s executing. Why aren’t you?
It’s okay to be scared and nervous by the possibilities. It’s supposed to be. It’s sure as hell not supposed to be easy. However, you MUST GET YOUR FEET GOING.
I have infinitely more energy on a day to day basis as an entrepreneur than I ever did as a cube monkey.
Mornings used to be full of dread and despair.
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Now it’s common for me to work until the wee hours of the morning. I then rise hours before my alarm is supposed to go off.
My brain is constantly churning full of ideas, strategies, analysis, and more. However, it took a little bit of time before it got to that point. I got down on it at times. However, I stuck to the process and it’s paying dividends. Most people give up well before then—sadly, it’s often right before they get the break that they need.
There is little doubt in my mind that if I was still reporting for duty at my office job in Los Angeles, these same thoughts wouldn’t be interrupting my sleep at night. Instead, I’d be working for the weekend. I’d get drunk on the weekend to forget how painful the week was.
Then on Monday morning, I’d do it all again.
Establish a work ethic like no others and watch the dividends pay off. This is how.
My Mom has said no more to those Monday mornings—and if she can do it, so can you.
A LETTER TO THE LADIES
My mom stayed home with my sister and I for our entire lives (until I was out of the house and my sister was probably 16). She probably hated me at times but overall I think it’s fair to say the job of raising us made her the happiest she could possibly be.
And isn’t that the entire point of life—maximizing your happiness?
With that being said, that was a long time out of the workforce. A lot of things changed. She obviously had a much higher learning curve to transition back into work than someone who is fresh out of a graduation gown.
But, when she would talk to me about her job she often mentioned how much it pales in comparison to staying home with us. And she did an amazing job at that. She might struggle with how to use computer programs in her office job but she did a hell of a job raising two successful kids (humble brag).
I think it’s fair to say that doing that made her a lot more fulfilled than crunching numbers in Microsoft Excel did. She would probably full-heartedly agree with me.
Now it’s fair to note that times have changed. My father always (and still does) made enough that she didn’t have to work. With rising rents, taxes, and general cost-of-living having skyrocketed, I realize that’s not always feasible.
This brings me to one other point:
SEX AND THE CITY
A lot of young people in today’s world have this envision of always living in a big city. I would know—I’m one of them. I have no desire to live in the suburbs. I grew up there. It was boring and representative of a life that I wanted to leave behind.
However, this desire goes even a step further—to live in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, London; or any other big-name-curb-sex-appeal city that costs an arm and a leg to live in.
Don’t get me wrong, some of these are the greatest cities in the world. I’ve spent time in every one of them.
However, is that feasible for a family?
Financially, it’s not. My mom couldn’t have stayed home with us if we’d grown up in Los Angeles. So perhaps it is feasible for some young moms to stay home with kids, but the expectations need to be put firmly in check.
It is feasible for someone to stay home when you live in the suburbs of a Midwest state. It’s certainly not if you live in Manhattan.
Take a friend in San Diego, for example. Married, two children. Last I checked he was paying some $4,500 a month to rent a house for his family. It was nice, but it wasn’t a mansion. We’re talking one story, four bedrooms, and in a nice neighborhood. He’s relocating to a far less desirable state and city and the price of a superior house (6 bedroom borderline mansion) is about half of that.
Your kids don’t need to grow up with a beach within driving distance, or to have a view of the Empire State Building.
Kids need love and nurturing, and that’s going to come from mom staying home and providing it.
Not from a nanny.
POUR CONCLURE
With that being said, this post is about getting your dreams up and going. Those of you desiring to leave the cubicle, take the steps to make it happen. The only way that happens is if you just start doing. Dedicate little blocks of time every day. 30 minutes.
Consistent daily progress for 30 minutes is the best thing you can do. Take that to the bank.
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It’s never too late to break free and give the middle finger to the man.
That’s the Troublesome Way.