Reasons Not to
Act Your Age

A dear friend was telling me about the exploits of his eldest daughter.  He told me that she was undertaking a start-up venture and had set, what was in his mind, an unrealistic goal for raising capital.  He feared that she might be setting herself up for disappointment. Then he told me, “You know what, George? She did it!  She didn’t know it was probably impossible and so she did it!”

As I recounted the story to another friend, I began to see how in my life and the lives of most of those I know who are at least 40, that there is a tendency to become increasingly cautious about life.  By that age we have experienced some setbacks and have a more “be careful” attitude then when we were in our 20’s and 30’s.  That cautiousness, while a good thing, is also like a suit of armor which protects us but also limits our mobility, flexibility and possibilities.