Success has no expiry date

Simone Blackwood

Dear AFETT,

I have noticed a pattern whereby young women are rushing through life and mature women feel like time is running out.

The former are setting unrealistic goals, comparing themselves to others who have decades of wisdom and experience under their belts, while the latter are monitoring the menopause clock and feeling guilt for not having accomplished certain life goals yet.

How can we teach and encourage our women that success has no expiration date, and that age is our best asset?

Dear Reader,

Age is your greatest asset, and you are correct that success has no expiration date!

We’ve all heard the phrase "age is just a number." After spending the last decade working with senior citizens, I can assure you, it’s true.

In today’s world, social media brings endless images of others’ lives right to our screens and it’s easy to feel left behind.

We scroll through feeds of friends and acquaintances travelling the world, celebrating career wins or gathering with friends in stylish cafés for brunch. For many young women, this can create relentless pressure to keep up – a feeling driven by FOMO (fear of missing out). This fear whispers that you should be hitting life’s milestones by a certain age – finding a life partner by 35, securing the dream job and buying a home – all before turning 40.

We often create rigid timelines and high expectations that make our goals feel urgent, and when we don’t reach them, it leads to feelings of stress, anxiety and self-doubt.

I know this because I, too, was once caught in that cycle.

And many older adults I meet feel it too – people over 50 who haven’t reached certain milestones sometimes wonder: What if? What if they had taken a different path, made a different choice or dared to start something new?

The truth is, youth and age each bring their gifts to the journey called life.

In youth, we often have curiosity and sometimes a willingness to try new things. With age, we are cautious, but we also gain clarity, wisdom, resilience, self-awareness and patience, helping us handle challenges with greater grace. Older people see the bigger picture, understand what truly matters and make thoughtful and more precise decisions.

Here are a few perspectives to keep in mind, whether you’re 25 or 75, to help you appreciate and embrace the unique gifts of every stage of life:

Enjoy the journey, not just the destination

Once upon a time, the pessimist in me would have said, "Really?" Admittedly, that’s hard to do.

That is because the journey is uncertain. But I have found that the journey has so many lessons. It has offered me a sense of clarity, wisdom and, the hardest of all, character development.

Given the tumultuous career path I have chosen, I can say without a doubt that these lessons equip us all with what we need for the moments when we do reach our goals.

If you are an overachiever, once you accomplish one goal, you move on to the next, without reflecting on what you may have just achieved.

Too often, we’re focused only on the finish line and miss out on the growth happening along the way. The journey toward achieving a goal is just as important and enjoyable as actually accomplishing the goal.

You can accomplish this by setting a new goal, tracking your progress and taking away as much as possible from the experience.

Redefine success

Success is unique to you and therefore it truly has no expiration date. As long as you’re living, you have the potential to achieve your version of success.

What does success mean to you? Take time to visualise it. What does your ideal day look like? What are you doing and is it something that fulfils you?

Many people define success by their career milestones – perhaps entrepreneurship, or a job promotion. But if these paths don’t resonate with you, does that make you less successful?

No, because success is uniquely yours to define. Stop comparing yourself to others. Align with what brings you joy, fulfilment and purpose.

Success is a deeply personal journey, and as long as you have the will to pursue it, there’s never a wrong time to begin or achieve great things.

Ageing: A journey of personal evolution

Ageing is a privilege and not everyone will experience it. As we age, we uncover new strengths and insights within ourselves – whether we learn to prioritise our well-being, explore a new passion or cultivate deeper relationships. Each year, we develop a clearer understanding of our values, which helps us make more impactful decisions and set meaningful goals.

While society often imposes timelines that can lead to feelings of guilt or inadequacy, it’s important to remember that those are not your timelines.

Success and fulfilment are not bound by age. The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint for life.

Many women realise their fullest potential later in life – whether in their 50s or beyond.

It’s time to release the pressure of societal expectations.

Think of this phase as a chance for reinvention – rather than feeling guilty over what hasn't been accomplished, look at this as a phase of growth and liberation – one that holds immense potential for reinvention, achievement and fulfilment.

This article was submitted by the Association of Female Executives of TT (AFETT).

AFETT is a non-profit organisation formed in 2002 with the goal of bringing together professional women and engaging in networking opportunities, training and business development.

Ask AFETT is brought to you by the Research and Public Advocacy team and addresses issues and concerns of executive and entrepreneurial professionals.