Coming of Age

 

We have passed the summer solstice and we will soon end half of the year 2022. Life goes on and we complete one more year circling around the sun. So what do we earn during this cycle: one more year of aging? Some age fruitfully while some don’t feel that way. Looking positively, there are many perks of growing old or aging. You have gained experience in life and have some resources (varying from person to person). When I am saying someone had aged I am relating to those who have crossed 40 years of age. We all know clichés like ‘age is just a number' and ‘50s is new 30s’. But without getting into specific age numbers I would say aging happens the day you realize that you have fewer days in hand than you have spent on this planet earth. And this realization varies from person to person. Crossing that stage has various benefits.

Even as certain mental skills decline with age, scientists are finding the mind gets sharper at a number of vitally important abilities. In one study I read older air traffic controllers excelled at their cognitively complex jobs, despite some losses in short-term memory and visual-spatial processing. They were experts at navigating, juggling multiple aircraft simultaneously and avoiding collisions. People also learn how to deal with social conflicts more effectively. In another study, older subjects were better than younger ones at imagining different points of view, thinking of multiple resolutions, and suggesting compromises.

It turns out that managing emotions is a skill in itself, one that takes many of us decades to master. Unlike the younger population, the older population didn’t agonize over losing in a Gambling study, and they were less likely to try to redeem their loss by later taking big risks. In another survey, researchers found that people over 50 were happier overall, with anger declining steadily from the 20s through the 70s and stress falling off a cliff in the 50s. People got happier and their emotions bounced around less. Such studies reveal that negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and fear become less pronounced than in our drama-filled younger years.

 A study conducted about startups, analyzed a large number of people who started companies between 2007 and 2014. It was found that among the fastest-growing tech companies, the average founder was 45-years-old at the time of the founding. The researchers also found that a 50-year-old is twice as likely to have a massive success—defined as a company that performs in the top 0.1 percent—than a 30-year-old. These findings strongly reject common hypotheses that emphasize youth as a key trait of successful entrepreneurs. The view that young people produce the highest-growth companies is in part a rejection of the role of experience. In other words: Success in business, even in the fast-paced start-up world, isn’t just age-related. Wisdom, a deeper kind of knowing that can only be gained through experience, matters too. And apparently, it matters quite a bit.

 People have found parallels in sports. From a physiological sense, research shows that athletes tend to peak in their early to mid-twenties. Yet many recent champions are much older: example, Thomas Brady (43), Roger Federer (36) Serena Williams (35), Novak Djokovic (31), Rafael Nadal (32), Lebron, Igoudala to name just a few.  The older you get the more experiences, successes, and failures you have. You have more information to draw from. The more information you have, the more patterns you recognize. The more patterns you recognize, the better you are at making tough decisions and assessing risk.

 For Normal people leading a normal life, there are tangible improvements as we come of age. These are the points one should treasure and enjoy as one grows older and wiser.

We have higher self-esteem: The insecurities of youth fades away as one ages, and older people have less negativity and higher self-esteem. Regardless of demographic and social status, the older one gets the higher self-esteem. Qualities like self-control and altruism can contribute to happiness.

 We improve reasoning and problem-solving skills: Brain scans reveal that older adults are more likely to use both hemispheres of their brains simultaneously — something called bilateralization. This can sharpen reasoning skills as mentioned in the Air Traffic control example.

You have less stress. As people grow older, they are able to differentiate their needs from wants and focus on more important goals. This can alleviate worry over things that are beyond one’s control. Seniors may realize how little the opinions of others truly matter in the larger picture, thereby feeling less stress about what others think of them.

 You can relate to more people. As you grow old you can confidently navigate conversations with those of all age groups and life stages. You can be comfortable with the gray hairs in the room, but you can also play “older sibling” to 20-somethings.

 You’re more comfortable in your own skin. You discovered that as you get older (and more mature), you feel more confident in who are and have an easier time letting go of who you are not. I also tend to   care less about what others think about me.

 You become kinder to yourself. You become far less judgmental, more loving, respectful, and in awe of all, you have endured and triumphed over.

 You have more life experiences which is one of the best things about getting older. It also provides hope that some of the best experiences are yet to come.

Finally, there is wisdom that flows out of our realization that we will not live forever. Each one of us has been put on this earth for a specific number of days that only God knows.  This reminds me to prioritize what matters the most each day: Carpe Diem!

Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.” While that truth can be a little unsettling, that also means your best days are definitely yet to come.