My Fear of "Too Old" and the Power of a Growth Mindset

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I used to think my chance at a university degree had passed. As a young adult, higher education wasn’t an option for me. Years later, after I'd built a career, I still believed universities were too expensive, too formal, and that I was simply too old to go back. I had given up on the idea completely.

This all came up recently in my personal development class. Our professor was talking about fixed and growth mindsets, and a lightbulb went off for me. I realised that my belief that I was too old or not smart enough to go to university was a perfect example of a fixed mindset. It was a belief that kept me comfortable, but also kept me from growing.

I'm happy to report I’ve been proven wrong.

Just a few weeks from now, I will officially be a university graduate. I'll be a Bachelor's degree holder. The thought still makes me smile. Unconsciously, by taking that first step, I moved from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

Now, I understand that a degree isn’t the finish line—it’s just the beginning. The next step is to continue building on this momentum. My professor showed us a video of Carol S. Dweck's influential presentation on "The Power of Yet," which drove this point home. Dweck spoke about encouraging children to see challenges as a chance to grow, and that’s a lesson that applies to all of us, no matter our age or where we are in our careers.

This realisation has inspired me to aim even higher. I'm now setting my sights on a Master’s degree and other personal goals, like getting back into the gym and working on my music career. I know it won’t be easy. I’ll need to recognise my fixed mindset triggers, reframe my failures, and stay committed to growth. It’s the best gift I can give myself.

If you're facing a similar situation, I encourage you to choose your growth mindset and take action. What's the one thing you've been telling yourself you're "too old" or "not good enough" to do?

"Don’t worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try." Sherman Finesilver