My idol for as long as I can remember is George Plimpton, American journalist, writer, literary editor, actor and occasional amateur sportsman. Plimpton is renowned for “participatory journalism” which included competing in professional sporting events, acting in a Western, performing a comedy act at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and playing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. His influence on me spanned my career and inspired me to be a career coach; producer, engineer and talent scout for London Records; host my own radio show on WSTC/WNLK; produce and host for public television; write several books; perform at iconic venues like CBGBs and Nashville’s Bluebird Café; head-up my own record label; serve as a senior leader for companies including MCI, Cablevision and Cablevision; and even take a motorcycle trip across Egypt featured in New York Rider. I am a staunch believer that you can achieve fulfillment and do meaningful work at any age.
I was thrilled to see a recent article by Kevin Evers in the Harvard Business Review entitled, The Art of Blooming Late in which he captures the feelings of so many: “Even if you never hope to reach Mozart’s level of mastery, you may relate to his need to break free from convention. Maybe you feel as if your job is like painting by numbers. Maybe you’ve done everything right—excelled at school, worked hard, and landed a good, high-paying job—but you’re tired of being just like everyone else. Maybe you yearn to achieve something that is unmistakably you.” Continue reading THE ART OF BLOOMING LATE