32: What to Do About “I’m Too Old”

Mindset and Midlife
Written By Meghan Krause

Or listen in your favorite app: Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS

 

Nearly 1 in 2 respondents to a recent survey I issued said one of the barriers to pursuing their purpose was the belief that “I'm too old to make a change toward what I want.” Roughly 2 in 5 said, “No one will want to hire me at my age.”

Let me say here at the outset: just because you think these thoughts, it doesn’t mean they’re true.

And you might have a few different reactions to this...like

  1. “Uh...they’re true, Meghan.”

  2. Or “Yeah...I KNOW, Meghan. But I still think them. And it’s a problem, I realize. But I don’t know what to do about it.”

  3. Or just fall into maniacal laughter.

But, remember: a thought is just a sentence in your mind--no more, no less. And when you repeat the sentence enough, that’s when it becomes a belief.

I’m here to help you overcome these unhelpful thoughts. How great, right?

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

  • Why midlife is more of a struggle in the U.S. than other wealthy nations

  • Ways to combat unhelpful and incorrect thought patterns 

  • Research-based support from a Harvard psychologist and author

  • Powerful questions to spur helpful emotion

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Click here to see the transcript!

Enjoy the Show?

“I love Meghan and Bullshift!” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — in creating more satisfying midlives on their terms.

  1. Click here (Apple Podcasts), scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”

  2. Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
46: Overcoming the 3 Paradoxes of Purpose
46: Overcoming the 3 Paradoxes of Purpose

In this episode, Meghan discusses the questions we tend to ask ourselves as we approach the new calendar year. She explains that these are the questions for which purpose is the answer. Who we are today is not the same as who we were yesterday and who we’ll be tomorrow. Yet, paradoxically, we are exactly the same person we were yesterday and will be tomorrow. This is one of a few key paradoxes of purpose that Meghan explores in this episode. Sit back, enjoy the holiday feels, and join Meghan as she gives us a preview of where we’re going with Bullshift in 2022!

Read More →
45: Celebrating Our One-Year Anniversary of Bullshift
45: Celebrating Our One-Year Anniversary of Bullshift

On this special episode, Meghan revisits some of the most listened-to moments from her first year in podcasting. In case you need a refresher or haven't got to these episodes yet, she talked about the power and promise that a Fucket-list holds in her episode titled “Putting the Shift in Bullshift.”

Meghan also talked about how Fucket-lists and Gap Years sound like a good idea, but the best one to take to move forward can be in the Bullshifting the 3 Biggest Blocks to Your Fulfillment episode.

Lastly, she discussed the different types of purpose in “Understanding “Big P” and “Little P” Purpose. So sit back and relax, tune in, and enjoy as Bullshift marks another milestone this year!

Read More →
44: Why We Struggle to Accept Help
44: Why We Struggle to Accept Help

In this episode, Meghan talks about another type of scarcity that we all go through while in the 20th month of this pandemic: the lack of connection and belonging. She emphasizes that when we are used to being the primary person supporting ourselves, we eventually acquire an overdeveloped sense of control as a coping mechanism, which we do not realize, is leading towards more individualism. She stressed out that there’s a common misconception that self-love is about the ability to withstand loneliness or the ability to establish independence. But there is more to self-love other than that. Do we really not need help? Or are we just closing our doors so we won’t get disappointed? Tune in, listen, and reflect, as Meghan shares the common reasons why we all struggle to accept help.

Read More →
43: Why Saying “I’m So Busy” is Out of Touch
43: Why Saying “I’m So Busy” is Out of Touch

In this episode of Bullshift, we’ll focus on the “B” word...no, not that “B” word. The other one: busy. Because saying “I’m so busy” isn’t the status symbol you think it is. Actually, it’s one of the most out-of-touch phrases you could ever utter that’s fueling disconnection, giving the impression of deficiency, and holding you back from actually living what matters most.

Okay, so that’s a pretty confronting opinion. And I’m doubling down on it by also suggesting that we need to strike "I'm so busy" from our vocabulary altogether. Yep. Check it out.

Read More →
42: Understanding Big “P” and Little “p” Purpose
42: Understanding Big “P” and Little “p” Purpose

I just searched “find my purpose” and found about 13.6 billion results. It’s a timely topic in these pandemic times, right? Many of us struggle to answer the question, “What should I be doing with my life?” “What’s my life really about?”

Some of us uncover our life’s direction early in life. But most of us grapple with trial and error as we go through life. The volume on the urgency button seems to turn way up somewhere in our 40s. Thus, the Google results.

Do you ever think that “Big P” Purpose just isn’t for you? If yes, you’re in good company. When I speak with individuals and groups about the reality that there are two types of purpose, they take a deep breath, maybe a sigh of relief, and offer a quick smile. Why? You’ll find out when you listen to “Understand Big ‘P’ and Little ‘p’ Purpose” on the Bullshift podcast!

Read More →
41: Two Unlikely Questions to Help You Unlock Your Purpose
41: Two Unlikely Questions to Help You Unlock Your Purpose

We often get hamstrung when we think there’s a particular or singular manifestation of our purpose. But you can see in what I shared above that my why could be carried out in so many ways...and I find that both energizing and emboldening.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: a useful equation for purpose is “How do you want to grow and how do you want to give?” But when you answer this question, think in terms of now. Not 10 years from now. This sounds like an oversimplified and reductionist approach but there’s so much more behind this powerful equation related to the science of flow, growth mindsets, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and more.

Read More →
40: The Connection Between Languishing and Purpose
40: The Connection Between Languishing and Purpose

“How you see your purpose determines what’s possible for you.” This is a foundational truth I shared last week that I need to underscore right here at the start.

But there’s more to purpose than even this bold proclamation. Let’s do a quick overview of some of the bennies...most of which I haven’t previously shared because I like to tease you with bits and pieces so you keep coming back for more each week. Is it working?

Read More →
39: Using Your Purpose Filter When Life Contains Multitudes
39: Using Your Purpose Filter When Life Contains Multitudes

If you’ve been trying to solve your problem for years, and you haven’t solved it–ain’t nothin' going to change this year or next without some outside support.

Henry Ford once said: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said 'faster horses.” Because you don’t know what’s possible when you’re just basing your thoughts on your life so far. You won’t solve your problems unless you learn how to use your brain to think about them differently. Not by thinking all the thoughts you currently have now, but by learning to think new ones.

Read More →
38: On Wake-Up Calls and Attunement
38: On Wake-Up Calls and Attunement

Wondering, “Is this all there is to life? What happened to all my ambitions? All my drive?” We’re ready to start answering it. In our own way. Not some version foisted upon us by a corporate ladder or fashion rules based on age. This is our era of becoming. Our wake-up call.

Read More →
37: A Better Question than “How Do I Find My Purpose?”
37: A Better Question than “How Do I Find My Purpose?”

The question, “How do I find my purpose?” is the wrong question.

Because if that were the right question, then everyone who found their purpose would have the same answer to it--and we know that’s not the case. There’s no such thing as a purpose store, right? Your purpose isn’t on some secret island that you don’t know about...or is it?! It’s not like there’s a purpose just sitting out there, waiting for you to find it.

Even if there was a location...how do you actually make it happen? You could be in a room of purpose and still not find yours. Plus, we all know people who’ve unlocked their purpose in the most unlikely of ways.

Read More →

Subscribe to Bullshift

If you haven’t done so already, follow/subscribe on your favorite app:

Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS

Feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Meghan Krause http://www.meghankrause.com
Previous

33: The Most Important Question
Next

31: Bullshifting the 3 Biggest Blocks to Your Fulfillment