I’ve got a question for you: How old would you be if you didn’t know your true age?

For me, I’m probably about thirty-six. Why that age? First, it was simply a great year personally and professionally. On a broader note, thirty-six is an age where we are old enough to have confidence and experience, yet young enough to be, well, young.

In my mind, I’m still that age. Despite a few more years of experience and the fact that my body is not as physically fit.

What remains the same is that I continue to try new things and look forward, both in my personal life and career. Hubby and I are still setting career goals when friends are desperately counting the years and months until they can retire. Many scoff at us as we talk about our next career moves, asking why we don’t have a plan to stop working so we can spend time on the golf course.

First, I don’t play golf. Even if I did, and if I played every day, what would I do after lunch?

As long as everyone has a plan, golf or otherwise, huh?

What really bothers me is that many people hit a point in their life where they seem to almost give up. Maybe they realize that whatever dream they had when they were twenty did not materialize and now they don’t know what to do. Or maybe where they are now is not at all where they thought they would be at this stage of life. Or maybe they simply hate their jobs and either don’t know how or don’t want to make a change.

When I speak with these people, they all have one thing in common: they are paralyzed by what “should have” been or “could have” been. Instead of focusing on what they have accomplished and what they could still succeed at, they focus on what they did not achieve.

Many times age comes into our discussion. “I can’t do that at my age”; “I’m too old to make a change”; “My skills aren’t good”; and my favorite, “No one will hire me at my age”.

And that turns into paralysis; an inability to see that there are opportunities available, to set new dreams, to achieve great things.

I get it; I had dreams too. One was to buy my parents a new house or at least a new luxury car. Although I realize now that this dream was a bit unrealistic given my career path. It could have been achieved if I had done things a bit differently, made some different career moves, spent less money, invested differently, etc.

Another dream I had was to be CMO of a company. Again, if I had chosen to accept different jobs or if I had chosen to stay at certain companies rather than accept new offers, that dream may have become a reality. But why look back? The jobs I accepted led to some awesome opportunities that I would not trade for the world.

I’m still charting my career course. No reason to stop now! From where I sit, I see a world of opportunity and things do fall into place as long as I put myself out there. Sitting still leaves me paralyzed, and doing nothing is not going to get me where I want to be.

If you or someone you know is struggling, thinking that they are not where they want to be at this stage of their career, talk to them. Help them realize their potential. The years of experience they have can be translated into other professions; it’s just a matter of thinking about it in a different way and seeing themselves through a different lens.

Wherever you are in your career and life, continue to dream big and find new avenues to share your skills. Don’t let your age or your perception of your age hold you back. You’ll be surprised at what you have to offer.