I am 39, and still an analyst at a consulting firm. I graduated high school in 2004 and earned my BBA in 2021. Whatever goes through your mind for that gap, that was me.
If you don’t know this, an analyst is basically entry-level anywhere in consulting. This means that my peer group is in their early 20s and fresh out of college. They are super excited about the little things. That’s been great for me. It helps me not take things too seriously and just remember the good old days. They also worry a lot about things that won’t matter 5–10 years from now. When asked, I help them see things from a different vantage point.
Every now and then, I get to answer “How did people get around before Google Maps and smartphones?” or “Did you own a Walkman or CD Player?” And I welcome and entertain them all. It is part of what I bring to the group. I lived pre-MySpace and get to share that.
Yes, you are older, and that’s fine! That could be your edge. That’s your story. Don’t be ashamed of it; instead, try to OWN IT. If my name appeared on the front page of The New York Times as the oldest consulting analyst to ever work at my company, I would still be proud. I would totally go home and show it to my mom, wife, family, etc. I would regret it if I did not start turning my life around. I would regret it if, 20 years later, I still worked in the same place while complaining or daydreaming about leaving. I got up and did something. I should be proud of that. I face some challenges and managed to overcome them. I should be proud of that. Did I execute perfectly? Absolutely NOT. Could’ve I done something sooner? Sure, 18 years sooner. Could I have made better decisions? I am sure of it. But I am not dead, so it is not too late for me to attempt to make better decisions. I will get to make better decisions. I will also get to make even more mistakes. At least now I know that the biggest mistake is the avoidance of making mistakes.
“DO NOT AVOID MAKING MISTAKES” is my mantra. They are NOT as costly or as irreversible as people think. Inaction and the comfort it brings is the most costly mistake that I can think of because it leaves you no data, no output. You can’t tell from inaction whether or not you made a good decision.
In July 2003, I entered this country and worked at McDonald’s for $5.50 per hour, 20+ hours per week. I attempted and failed at community college so many times that I can’t count and gave up. In 2015, I gave college one last shot, I said to myself. In 2021, I graduated with a BBA in CIS from Baruch College in NYC. For the last three years, I grossed “nominally” a six-figure income. Now, there is no celebration, but I am thankful. I live in NYC, so I am in the “Still-Broke or NOT REAL” tier of six-figure incomes. But my earnings are proof TO ME that with time, if you take some chances/action to better yourself, you can get ahead beyond what you EVER thought was possible. Interestingly, it does not take as much effort as anyone thinks or claims. For the most part, it takes a reasonable amount of effort, your SUSTAINABLE pace, and a variable amount of consistency. Which means, at any given pace, you have to stay the course for whatever amount of time it takes to get the results you want. Simplified, if it takes 10,000 steps to get to a proverbial finish line, some of us can move 10 steps at a time, while others can move one step at a time. The most important thing is to avoid comparing your pace with the pace of those who are faster than you. That’s hard, but it is the secret to NOT giving up. I am still trying right now to find new opportunities to improve both professionally and as an individual. I am still making a ton of mistakes while trying. That’s just life.
If I am 80 in the middle of a bunch of 20-year-old millionaires, I would still be “hella-”content and proud of myself. If you are the oldest consultant on the team, you are still a consultant on the team. If you become the oldest CEO in the company’s history, you would still be a CEO. Ask our most recent Presidents; they will FOREVER be former presidents of the United States of America regardless of their ages.
From my 39 years on this planet, and having lived in two different countries, I have found the following to be true. No one seems to care much about the Ls that life dealt us. That’s probably because Ls are so common. Taking Ls is the natural order of things. You are mostly remembered for the Ws… rightfully and thankfully so. LeBron James will be celebrated for his rings regardless of his finals losses. I know this is the case because I don’t know ANYONE who ever echoed “Well… Kobe and Shaq lost to the… or Kobe lost to the Celtics.” They just remember the rings and the story behind the rings. Most people may not even be able to name the teams who lost in the last two Super Bowls. They just remember the winners. People will remember you for your Ws. No one is counting your Ls… except YOU!
Being remembered for your Ws is both a great gift and a bit of a curse. A curse because if you never win, you will be forgotten. A gift because as long as you win… however small you may think… YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED. My advice is to take the Ws wherever and whenever you can. And don’t keep count of the Ls, don’t let them discourage you. Make meaningful contributions to your teams, projects, people in your life, and community, and you will be immortalized. You will be remembered for your contribution, whatever that may be when you leave the team. You may be remembered for caring, supporting, or any other meaningful contribution.
Whether you started contributing meaningfully when you were 15 or start today at 95, as long as you can contribute, you should contribute. It is all that matters. No one cares about your age… except you. You can let it be your handicap, or it can just as well be your edge.
It is not too late. You are not slow. You are NOT inferior. You are doing just fine. You are in the same room as them. You can get to do the same work as everyone else.
My advice to anyone, old and young who feel out of place:
- Sign up and keep up with therapy!
- Get healthy physically and mentally.
- Get out there and find your people: friends, family, significant other.
- Work on yourself: professionally and as an individual. You may never match the person you think you ought to be, but you can work towards that goal every day forever. That may be worth it! It may be all we can do!
- Give back: do some good for others, give back in your own way.
**Finally, this is easier said than done, you should aim to avoid comparing your progress or life with the life or progress of others.** Try to beat your yesterday, if you are feeling competitive, and over time you will realize that it is more than enough. You will accomplish or produce a lot of output this way. You will be both surprised and amazed by all that you have done. It has always been. It will always be.
Your older self,
Serda
