Question

[trekr5]

I need some help guys.....

I wanted to get into a certain field, 8 years ago, when I was younger but was told that I was too old and I think the whole thing must have damaged my confidence.

I still am very interested in this field but feel like such a failure for not ignoring that stupid comment and continuing on. I know if I had gone into that field that my current circumstances would have been vastly different and I would have been very good at it.

How do I reconcile this? Do I say that it wasn't meant to be at that time or what?

Or am I being to hard on myself?

[chopsaw]

You simply took the wrong advice. Happens to everyone. What's stopping you now? Unless it's professional sports, or similar activity, I can't see why you would be too old for anything. And if it is professional sports, there's a myriad of options other than direct participation.

Find out what it is you love to do, and then (I'm about to sound like a Nike commercial) do it.

Good luck!

[newdad]

What does it matter what you were told in the past? The big question, is the one chopsaw asked, "What's stopping you?" No matter how much worry, guilt or regret you give to the past your not going to get anything in return. So fuhgetaboutit. You say you know you ould be very good at it, if its what you want, take a step and do something about it.

[dalante]

What is the field in question? and how old are you?

[trekr5]

thanks for all the responses

I will take newdad's advice and "fuhgetaboutit" . I was just feeling a bit fragile and needed some objectivity

[rene_stpierre]

I think you are too hard on yourself.

Accept the decisions you took in the past, realize that you can't change them and forgive yourself.

Once that is done and you feel good about yourself, begin setting goals and developing an action plan to get into that "field" that interests you.

I've read a story about a 70 year old women who graduated from college. So, it's never too late.

If you want a fulfilled life, you must do what you love.

Good Luck!
René

[Tasaio]

I echo the above encouragement.

I had the same situation, but once I finally started doing what I actually enjoyed, all the "what-ifs" left my thoughts. All my regrets about "wasted time" ceased to exist.

Try the field, if only for a month. Then you'll know!

Note that Walter Koenig (Chekov) and Rob Picardo (The Doctor) both started out with pre-medschool degrees.

[bellbird]

People can do great things maybe better because they are 'more mature'? Hurray to all who follow their dreams, whatever their age. (Do you find as well that more often then not these 'downers' are pessimistic or frustrated or shortsighted or whatever anyway? It's because you were touched by that comment it means something to you.) I wish you well! Go for it! Yeah!

[starlet]

I made the same mistake - I was told that my career choice was not a "real" career and the only way I'd ever even begin to be happy was to go through college and take a corporate America job. That just made things worse. Now I've plugged my ears to naysayers and am following my path.

You are never too old to do anything...except perhaps being on American Idol

[rock1000]

I urge you to rethink if you really want to associate success or failure with some 'field' or work related to the field. In my experience, success (or happiness) comes from within.