I am 46 years old. Over the past several years, I have noticed that many people treat me like I have "peaked" in many areas of my life, including my career.

I know that this world values youth, but come on! I can't understand why people would look at me like I'm on the downhill side of things already.

Anyone else come across this experience? Any suggestions on dealing with it?

I guess it depends on whether you are in the public or private sector. I know guys in the private sector who get laid off in their fiftie's. I was 46 when i switched careers and work with a lot of engineers now. Remember you're only as good as you want to be. Keep cranking!

Find something new to be passionate about.

Do you see yourself the same way?

If you do, it'll show. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by thinking a younger person has more to offer than you do.

If the world valued youth as much as you seem to think it does, our heads of state and corporate leaders would all be much younger than they are.

They aren't.

Make your experience work for you. And it doesn't hurt to have a decent level of fitness, too.

I agree that it maybe your self definition that is the problem. Psych yourself up! Get rid of the toxic people and things in your life. Think of what you really
want in your life and be prepared to take whatever action may be necessary to get yourself there.

What do you do...

It's been a while since I first posted, so I thought i'd update. Not much has changed in my situation, but I guess my perspective has. I am activively looking for opportunities to "shine" and worrying less about the world's perception of me.

Thanks for the adivise and encouragement! By the way, I am a technical consultant. I suppose the very nature of the occupation favors youth over experience.

Look in the mirror...

I work with a psychologist who has a pot belly and wears leisure slacks.

You should see the looks on kids faces when he asks them if they have problems...

Maybe the problem isn't age, but maybe perception of others. Go out, buy some jeans, a few Hawaiin shirts, a Jimmy Buffet CD, get a sports car (the new Mustang is sweet, and affordable).

Now, after having said all that, it may very well be that there isn't anything wrong with you, maybe it's the young, cocky, don't know a damn thing about life, scheistkopf's thta you work with.

Good luck.

You might check out this article for some perspective - http://goalsuccess.typepad.com/goaltips/2006/07/dont_be_like_un.html

(No, I didn't write it, but it seems to fit the topic)

Despite the fact that after hitting 40 I felt like my warranty started to run out I think it's a misperception to think that at 46 you're "yesterday's news" (unless your career goal is to become a rapper or something equally adolescent).

When you don't have an answer, reframe the question. So it seems to me that being in our 40's qualifies us as the tail-end of the boomers - the biggest demographic group from an economic point of view. Think of yourself as one of the young "experienced" guys.

The other comments here make sense - if you still drive a Pacer, you are a Pacer.....

I'm right with you on a lot of this - health problems seem to take up more of my time these days, but I still don't feel "old".

I also like the idea of being one of the younger experienced guys. We may have the best of both worlds - young enough to be able to take risks with our careers and experienced enough to be able to minimize those same risks.

quote:

Originally posted by Chief Engineer:
I am 46 years old. Over the past several years, I have noticed that many people treat me like I have "peaked" in many areas of my life, including my career.

I know that this world values youth, but come on! I can't understand why people would look at me like I'm on the downhill side of things already.

Anyone else come across this experience? Any suggestions on dealing with it?

How's it going Chief? Still getting no respect for your aged wisdom?

Well, thanks for asking!

I am still hanging in there, but I'm less worried about how the world sees me now. I guess I was missing the admiration I often felt as a younger man when I first posted this thread. When I was starting out in my field I was a bit of an overacheiver, and the approval and respect it got me became addictive.

When you are young, and good at what you do, you can turn some heads. When you are my age (48) and still good, I guess it's less impressive.

So, I have had to modify my own expectations of how the world treats me. I find my job satisfaction in other ways, and I am fairly content about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Aino:
Hi there! I know I'm bit too late to reply in this topic. But some sort of advice for you... I just figured out that younger men are more active and energetic than aged men... In work, younger men was given a heavy task and load compare to aged men.... Because, younger men are more active at work, and if they're pressured with their work they like to give their best shot....

Bzzzt, try again. Younger men may be *perceived* as more enegetic, but perception is not reality my spamming friend.

Spending a great deal of energy on a task is not always the best way to attack it. Without the experience of some years, younger men flail around on problems. They certainly look energetic - heck, they may stay 'til midnight and all that. But results count more than raw effort. And working until midnight when you don't have to (since your age has given you wisdom) isn't admirable. It's stupid. And face it, most people under 35 are stupid that way.

quote:

Originally posted by Chief Engineer:
Well, thanks for asking!

I am still hanging in there, but I'm less worried about how the world sees me now. I guess I was missing the admiration I often felt as a younger man when I first posted this thread. When I was starting out in my field I was a bit of an overacheiver, and the approval and respect it got me became addictive.

When you are young, and good at what you do, you can turn some heads. When you are my age (48) and still good, I guess it's less impressive.

So, I have had to modify my own expectations of how the world treats me. I find my job satisfaction in other ways, and I am fairly content about it.

Maybe what's causing you headaches is your perception of what you're accomplishing. I mean, we all like to be the front line hero, impressing the cute gals in the office. ;-)

But are the things that were fun at 20 still fun? I find that things that I thought were the bees knees (to coin a phrase) in my 20s are mindless drivel now.

The decisions of a 40ish year old should have a larger impact than the average 20 something. They may just not be understood by the average worker.

But deep down, I mean deep, deep down, where your inner warrior lives, you know that your more of a man than those stupid punks.

And tell them to tuck in their shirts for christ's sake. Damn slackers.