Older and feeling behind

[Tommy92l]

I'm 22 but even still, when I look at some actors, musicians, celebrities, entrepreneurs... they all seem to have already accomplished something huge by the age of 20, or early 20's.

I know we're not supposed to compare, but do you guys ever sort of get that gut sinking feeling when you see how far others have come at such a young age?

 

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[davedev]

I'm 22 but even still, when I look at some actors, musicians, celebrities, entrepreneurs... they all seem to have already accomplished something huge by the age of 20, or early 20's.
I know we're not supposed to compare, but do you guys ever sort of get that gut sinking feeling when you see how far others have come at such a young age?

My good man you are suffering from a classic case of The Resistance (read The War of Art - Steven Pressfield)

About as bad as those guys who ask on Quora... "Is 22 too old to do X [especially programming]".

Never compare your sowing to another person's harvest. You can't win that battle.

Fight battles you can win.

IMO one way out is gratitude. Start a gratitude journal, list all the things that you are grateful for every night before bed or every morning. Read it before you start your day.

I was a failure in High School, got my GED. Bumbled around until I found out about the Fastlane at 25.

Anytime I see anyone more successful than I, I try to extract one principle to apply to my life.

 

[Emanuel]

Most people don't accomplish something huge, ever.

You're at the perfect age to start doing something great. Actors, musicians and celebrities are some of the most miserable people on the planet. Many times what we see is just a smoke screen covering their depressing lives.

Never compare yourself to anyone else. You've got plenty of time to achieve greatness

 

[GuestUser113]

You feel behind? LOL

wait till you are 31,

 

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[timmy]

. .....OMG.....Think this out carefully.......Majority of entrepreneurial success stories see fruition after many years (sometimes decades) of hustling in the market place. Here in Ireland government funded bodies tend to support the 40 plus age group better since this age bracket tend to have a better chance of succeeding. Don't worry about this too much ( unless you intend to find a fastlane career in the model or boy band sector) Hope this helps your lateral thinking process.Best of luck

 

[sle3pyguii]

I do compare myself with my peers but I like doing it. I use it as motivation. There is ALWAYS someone that's ahead of me in some part of my life, so I use it as fuel to work/train/learn harder.

If using it as motivation ain't your cup of tea, I believe there's a saying to the effect of:

"Stop comparing your behind-the-scenes to other people's highlight reels"

 

[Vigilante]

22? I am double your age and launching 2 companies this fall. Life hasn't even begun yet for you. Life is not an episode of Entourage, kid. Make your own way.

 

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[Kyle Tully]

I'm 22

Holy crap.

Based on the thread title I was expecting you to be at least 50+.

I've had people in their 60's at my seminars who are just now getting around to going after their dreams!

when I look at some actors, musicians, celebrities, entrepreneurs... they all seem

Yes when you choose to look at young people they will all tend to be young

Some real life data for you:

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/28/peak-age-entrepreneurship/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kriszti...great-entrepreneurs-are-older-than-you-think/
http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/06/entrepreneurs-get-better-with/

 

[ArthurDayne]

Instead of looking at young prodigies like justin bieber, who will most likely be ruined by their early success and life of excess, why not look at people who are just as successful but who clearly put in decades of effort to build something.

Think about world-famous comedy stars: Louis C.K., Stephen Colbert, John Stewart. They are all multi-millionaires due to raw talent and effort in the hardest game on earth (comedy). Guess what? We only heard about who they were once they were already in their 30s or 40s. They were schlepping around town, hitting comedy clubs night after night after night for no money throughout their 20s in order to build their business (which happens to be their own comedic skill and reputation).

I'm not saying young stars are any less talented, but when success is a product of decades of hard work (and less reward), I can't help but respect it more.

 

[Waisec]

The only person you should compare yourself to is yourself. Are you closer to your goals than you were a year ago? A week ago? ...Yesterday?

It doesn't matter what other people are doing with their lives, that should be none of your concern. If you look hard enough you'll always spot someone who got there earlier than you or has more money than you, more girls, taller, better body than you. It's all noise in your head, ignore it

Focus on yourself and where YOU are headed instead

 

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[nzerinto]

do you guys ever sort of get that gut sinking feeling when you see how far others have come at such a young age?

Yes, but dwelling on it doesn't change anything. Use it to motivate you.

 

[hotshot]

I had this problem myself, I'm 24. I would look at music stars and think "if only I started playing guitar 10 years ago". Watching Ryan Sheckler come up was painful. "If only I had stuck with skateboarding".

The things you are not will be what makes you successful in the future. Being an entrepreneur requires being different. Comparing yourself to others is futile, because the very nature of your path is to be incomparable.

A book that I recommend is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I just finished listening to the audiobook. The main idea is that the past is irrelevant, and the future is imaginary. Remain present at all times, don't live in your mind analyzing what other people have, how things could have gone, or playing movies in your head about all the fast cars you'll buy. When that time comes, it will feel no different than right now. Think about when you were a kid, imagining the future. Well, now you're there. How does it feel? Exactly the same, at the most fundamental level of awareness.

As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love - even the most simple action. -Eckhart Tolle

Cheers

 

[SteveO]

Jeopardy style...

"Insecurity and fear."

The question is... What are some of the biggest obstacles in the way of starting a successful business?

 

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[Unknown]

Older.....you're 22 freaking years old. When you're 30 you can look back and think I wish I had started when I was 22, or you can get started now...

 

[Tommy92l]

Thanks for all the kind replies guys. What I meant was that anytime I research an actor, it's always "_____ started at just 10 years old and made his way onto the big screen!".

But yeah, they're out there if you look. Or Zuckerberg being a billionaire at 23 :0

 

[Tommy92l]

22? I am double your age and launching 2 companies this fall. Life hasn't even begun yet for you. Life is not an episode of Entourage, kid. Make your own way.

What do you mean by that?

 

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[davedev]

What I meant was that anytime I research an actor, it's always "_____ started at just 10 years old and made his way onto the big screen!".

So what? You're trying to become an actor?

Stop finding ways to feel bad. MJ found his way around the age of 26.

 

[jon.a]

I'm 22 but even still, when I look at some actors, musicians, celebrities, entrepreneurs... they all seem to have already accomplished something huge by the age of 20, or early 20's.

I know we're not supposed to compare, but do you guys ever sort of get that gut sinking feeling when you see how far others have come at such a young age?

nope

 

[Tommy92l]

I agree, just remember though that I'm not saying this as a way to put myself down and say I can't do it. I guess it's just such a surprise when you read these stories that makes being 25 look old.

 

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[jon.a]

nope

just try to do better tomorrow

 

[Tommy92l]

Out of curiosity, why is it that most actors start at such a young age?

 

[geekboy]

There's literally nothing you can do other than start now. No point in wishing you started doing something years ago as it won't change anything anyway.

At 22 you've still got plenty of time to become a success (whatever that means for you) but don't let yourself procrastinate because of that fact.

I still feel pretty much the same now at 28 as I did at 22 so start workin your a$$ off today and by the time your my age you'll be glad you did.

 

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[AllenCrawley]

Oh to be 22 again.

 

[pickeringmt]

This made me laugh a little.

Dude the only things you control in this life are your thoughts, actions, and choice. Don't waste these on things that put you further away from what you want - use them to get you there at any cost.

BTW, I'm 29 - wife, kids, mortgage, a little debt, and I live in Montana. I'm just glad I am starting now and not when I'm 30, that would be way too old.

 

[Tommy92l]

LOL. Diggin' the meme man.

 

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[timmy]

..........OP.....Why do you think actors start so young .."Curiosity killed the cat." .

 

[oldscool]

Most people don't accomplish something huge, ever.

Now thats some comfort food right there!

"It aint over until you are dead!!!!"

"Better late than never".

Morning motivation

 

[Joe Cassandra]

Out of curiosity, why is it that most actors start at such a young age?

Parents are big into it as well so they take them to audition after audition. Taylor Swift convinced her parents to move to Nashville when she was like 13 (my parents would've laughed at me ). If they start young, it has to do mostly with the parents bending over backwards, instead of taking them to piano lessons and gymnastics, they take them to try out for the Disney channel etc.

Understand though that 99% of them won't make it. Do you know how many people audition for American Idol? Thousands if not hundreds of thousands and only 2-3 will become famous. It's the same with child stars: a mix of parents and the child remaining interested throughout it all, many hours going around meeting producers.

I'm 26 and sure it's easy to look at Zuckerberg get depressed, but it just means you're reading too much Tech Crunch. Of course they're going to write about 15 year old programmers because that's what gets clicks! No one cares about the 35 year old starting an importing business for plumbing supplies, it's not exciting.

What gets the most clicks? Shock, awe, anger, joy, jealousy.

And sometimes it's plain, dumb luck my friend (justin bieber for example). Most have to create their own luck.

 

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[MayaMagpie]

Just sayin'...

 

[Magik]

I feel this way sometimes as well. I'm 31 now, so I've still got a lot of time left (I hope), but I can also remember being 18 like it was just yesterday. I'm older than many people who are uber successful and worth tens of millions of dollars, many I could have gone to school with. But, it's not something worth focusing on.

I try to focus on the process and living in the now, those are the only things I have found to work. I aim for perfection in my process and put my focus there. Take pleasure in whatever it is you are doing, and aim to do it as perfectly as possible. Do that long enough, and people will notice.