“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – CS Lewis.
Every successful story starts with a dream. It is the innate element of human beings that inspires us to achieve the impossible. But not all dreams see the light of the day. Why? Because, sooner or later, life happens. The thing is, sometimes, as you age, distractions, responsibilities, and fears tend to become stronger than your aspirations. You stopped chasing your dreams and decide to settle down with what you have. And before you know it, your hair turns grey, and the memory of your dreams that used to keep you awake at night begins to fade away.
The thing about success is, it’s not defined by age. Whether you are in your 30s or 70s, you can still chase your dreams and turn them into reality. As long as your spirit of never giving up is alive, you can achieve anything. Just take a look around. We are surrounded by stories of people, also called late bloomers, who achieved success late in life. They never stopped chasing their dreams, despite the thrones and sharp stones in their path. If they can, so could you.
Here’s a list of late bloomers who inspired us and made us believe that, in life, anything is possible, at any time, if you never stop chasing your dreams.
Colonel Sanders
As of 2020, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is in over 150 countries. That’s quite an achievement for late Col Sanders aka Harlan David Sanders, who founded KFC at the age of 62. Most people plan their retirement at this age, but not Col Sanders. He wanted to taste success despite all odds.
One of the widely known late bloomers, Col Sanders was 5 years old when his father passed away. While taking care of his siblings in Indiana, he worked as a farmer, conductor, and insurance salesman before discovering his love for cooking.
The first KFC franchise was opened in 1952, after years of misfortune and failures. Legend has it that Col Sanders’ recipe was rejected over 1000 times. But once he found the secret recipe, KFC took off. Today, his recipe is relished by millions of people around the world. But more than anything, late bloomer, Col Sanders has left a lesson for everyone chasing their dreams—age is just a number.
JK Rowling
Everyone knows who JK Rowling is, one of the most popular late bloomers. A queen of the fantasy fiction genre who gave birth to the world of Harry Potter, Rowling is a magician with a pen. But her life wasn’t always kind to her. Before she turned 30, she had a miscarriage, a divorce, and a child to raise all by herself. She was jobless and had to survive on the government’s welfare fund to make ends meet. But, as she said in her speech at Harvard, she had two things that were enough for her: “an old typewriter and a big idea”.
Late bloomers are individuals who achieve success later in life, often after facing challenges, setbacks, or pursuing different career paths. Their stories inspire the idea that success is not limited by age and that one can achieve their dreams at any stage of life.
Some famous late bloomers include Colonel Sanders, who founded KFC at the age of 62, JK Rowling, who became a global sensation with the Harry Potter series in her 30s, and Grandma Moses, who began painting at 76 and achieved recognition for her artwork.
JK Rowling faced hardships, including personal struggles and joblessness, before writing the Harry Potter series. Despite facing multiple rejections from publishers, she persisted and eventually found success with Bloomsbury Children’s Books, becoming a renowned fantasy fiction author.
The stories of late bloomers teach us that it is never too late to pursue our dreams. They demonstrate the importance of perseverance, determination, and passion in overcoming obstacles and achieving success, regardless of age.
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