Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning is young. So, if I am old can I continue to learn?
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Table of contents
- Learning can be interpreted in many ways
- Maintaining touch with new technologies
- The need for a future goal
- When you are busy and active you're not getting older
- Talking about learning opportunities
- A lesson learned the hard way
- You are responsible for your future, no one else
- Others that have it bad and overcome adversity
- If I can move just one of you
- Conclusion
- If I am old can I continue to learn by Peter Hanley
Learning can be interpreted in many ways
Our friend Wikipedia says, in part, that it is understanding behavior and new knowledge or skills.
Of course, we never stop learning the basics of life however I am perpetuating the fact that mature age people should continue to learn new skills.
First of all, at what age do we get the honor of being old. McDonald's starts treating you with discounts at just 55 which is pretty generous, to say the least. Then many at 60 and the famous 65 retirement age. However, the goalposts keep changing and moving out to 70 so maybe that is the time to reflect on the advantages.
Who do you listen to
Why would you listen to me? At age 77, I still have a small business, write a blog most days, an active investor in the crypto market all tied in with a wife 5 kids and partners, and 12 grandkids all of who draw on me from time to time. Finally, a healthy exercise regime culminates in a 4 or 5 Klms walk nearly every day.
In that, you will note a mention of the Crypto market. It is relatively new so my knowledge can keep up with the others because we all come from the same starting point.
I first looked at Blockchain technology back in 2018 when it was quite new.
Friends of mine were looking at it so I took the effort to learn as much as I could. I then took advice from those that knew little and decided that was at the top of the market.
Gee Bitcoin was nearly $2000 and Eths just a few dollars. This was a half-a million-dollar mistake. I finally bought Bitcoin for $35,000.
You can learn more here;
Are you too late for this market? The answer is no it is a relative startup that will continue for the next decade or more
Maintaining touch with new technologies
Are you scared of change and resist anything that stretches you too far?
We saw this with mobile phones and particularly the change to smartphones. So many of my friends said “we don't have any need for all this new stuff” so they sat and waited.
When they finally took that big step they were consumed with wonder and pained over the wasted time.
The internet was another of the bogeymen with computers that were too hard to even think about. Now a few short years later a computer is nearly a must-have.
I visited my 96-year-old uncle the other day who had a computer issue and asked me to have a look. Windows 10, super-fast Dell computer however a simple cable pulled out stopped the music from Apple playing.
How often do you go to the Doctor or similar and they ask for your email address? A must-have accessory in the modern world.
Transformational technologies
Satellite navigation is an everyday thing which is great because my map reading skill was not all that good.
All these transformational technologies have made our life easier however resistance to change delays the benefits.
With several hundred small business customers that pay every month, I need to be on top of the game to save time and costly staff.
I had one customer that insisted on paying by cheque. This meant for me a trip to the post office and then to the bank for a rather small amount of money.
Finally, he came good and changed to a direct debit. The funny ending was that he then sent me a script to ensure that none of my staff were in forced or slave labor situations.
That with a fully automated service that does not employ people. From the dark ages to world savior in a short step.
The need for a future goal
Having something to achieve gives us hope. Something to look forward to that will provide enjoyment and satisfaction.
Just going through the daily routines is not living a life, you need some sparkle to make the remaining years as positive and rewarding as they can be.
It may be holidays, dancing, cooking, trekking, bike riding all the fun things.
It may be learning the guitar, piano, or any musical instrument. Art will do it for many in all its forms as you build and develop skills.
Learning something new stretches the mind and drags the body with it to new horizons so that getting old is not the thought of the day.
If I am old can I continue to learn even if I am busy?
When you are busy and active you're not getting older
I don't have time to dwell on my age except that I understand I must achieve as much as I can now because we can't bank on tomorrow.
I want to hit the final years as hard as I can and achieve whatever I can, so my time on this planet is not wasted.
We have kids that need us and their kids as well, even more so, as people they can look up to, to give them an example of hope and high achievement that they can hang a hat on.
It is hard to struggle in this life on your own without a stable commander of the ship.
Give them something to hold in esteem as you go through later life even if the prior years were not all that good.
You can do this by being active and having your mind as sharp as you can for as long as you can.
Like a movie you never really understand where life is taking you until the end. therefore fill it with as much enthusiasm as you can, when you can.
If I am old can I continue to learn and what opportunities are available
Talking about learning opportunities
I chose the internet as my outlet. This is a massive world of opportunity from simple things like Facebook to making a living by selling your services, goods, or ideas.
You can search forever however I found a nice haven at Wealthy Affiliate. They have training in every aspect as well as a huge forum of like-minded people all wanting to expand their world.
learning is expanding your abilities but it is also about creating an awareness of the traps that old people face. We, my friends, are a targeted race because we are trusting and often blissfully bloody ignorant of the changes in our world.
I know many that have been scammed and I sit among them guilty as charged.
Maintaining your interests at a higher level offers some protection from the world around us.
Protection that we need.
Other friends have taken Art classes, which in my case would be a waste of time and music to capture some of the love of sound. ( now available at the press of a button)
Illness will prevent some of us from taking on more skills however never use it as an excuse.
Use your activities to blunt the trauma of pain and sorrow and to light your world in however a small way.
A lesson learned the hard way
I sent two of my technicians to Google University to help with their careers. I paid for the initial courses and left the rest to them, it was their choice.
One of the guys took to a tree on a Motorcycle accident and was left a paraplegic. Life in a wheelchair.
One now runs a large IT section in a well know corporation the other still toiling with the tools.
What a waste of a life, The wheelchair guy was the winner because he would not let adversity get in the way and is now a senior Google Technician operating from the chair.
You are responsible for your life.
You are responsible for your future, no one else
No one else can help you, all the nagging in the world will not shift your bum off the couch and that is fine for those that choose the life.
For all the others that set your world on fire by your own choice, I wish you well.
Remember the current President of America is knocking on the door of 80 and even Trump was over 75. If you can run the world as a senior surely you can adjust your little life.
If I am old can I continue to learn even in the bad times
Others that have it bad and overcome adversity
I am currently reading a book by Jaivet Ealom a refugee who was imprisoned on Manus Island Papua New Guinea for trying to enter Australia by boat. Nearly six years in the most horrible place on earth in modern-day imprisonment without hope of survival.
Six prime years trying to stay alive and even attempting to end it all because it was unbearable. He made it to freedom by escaping captivity.
It hardens my resolve to not waste one moment of my remaining six, or however many years not putting in as much effort as I can.
If I can move just one of you
It is not my intention to lecture or blow my bags. However, I confess that I get frustrated with people just wasting life and we oldies are not the only ones. Some kids smoke dope half the day and the other half play video games that make someone rich.
We can help others, learn new skills, and generally add to a community by being active and involved.
If my time of writing can move just one person I would be happy.
If I am old can I continue to learn concluded
Conclusion
I started writing this in part because of the book I am reading and also because I was bedridden with the flu. Unable to function normally and being downright glad I have had my Covid Jabs, being caught in that would be just too much to bear.
I write my blogs to help people in some small way and to share some of the knowledge I have gathered over three score years and seventeen.
I have friends in the eighties that are still contributing to society, learning, writing, and producing material to help others. They want to keep going as long as they can because their life is enriched by the experiences gained.
It is up to you now, to think and act or sit back and relax waiting for the final curtain.
If I am old can I continue to learn by Peter Hanley
