I recently rewatched Dolemite is My Name because a coworker of mine hadn’t seen it. Shame on him. Dolemite is My Name is the story of the rise of Rudy Ray Moore late in his life. How many times have we heard stories of someone famous finally getting their time in the spotlight later in life? Or what about those people who have had minor, or major, setbacks and have come back stronger but maybe in their 40’s or 50’s? What is the age of success? Does it matter? Let’s talk.
So Rudy Ray Moore is a really good example of someone who worked all their life to be in the spotlight and didn’t make it until, what most would deem, he was well past his prime, but what does being in your prime really mean? I hear all the time of how Ava Durvernay picked up a camera at 40, I believe, and she is one of the best in her field. Her eye for detail and bringing that raw emotion to the screen is unmatched, fresh, and needed in the industry. Could her gift have been better refined because of when she decided to become a filmmaker? Would she have the same eye as when she was younger? Same question goes for Moore. Would his ambition have been the same say when he was 20? Would it have meant as much at that age?
There are a host of names that I found of “famous” (because fame is relative) people who started later in life. Vera Wang launched her brand at 40. Ray Kroc stole McDonald’s and started the franchise in 62 (I said what I said). Harland Sanders, founder of KFC, began this franchise at 62! For the new babies, David Baszucki started Roblox at 41. White people took notice of Samuel L. Jackson when he starred in “Pulp Fiction” at 46 American years old! We all know success is relative and when you become successful depends on you and what you want to do, but what makes us believe that that success and fame has to come when we’re young?
I’ll give you my theory. Back in the day, families were started younger. I’m sure you’ve heard stories of your grandparents getting married at 17 or 16. My grandma had my mom at 16. So, maybe the idea of success or stability (because that’s really what this idea is all about) comes from a time when people were becoming adults at a younger age. As we started to move through the generations, things started to change. People started to focus on their career first and then start their families. The structure of families started to look different. Now, you may be saying, “Well, why do we still have this notion of having to come into success at a younger age?”
Here’s my second theory. As it became more acceptable to start families later in life and start businesses at 30 and beyond, we gave more opportunity to our children. Therefore, they restarted the idea of coming by success at a younger age because the generation before set them up to not have to struggle like the previous generation. They we afforded the luxury of dreaming early in life and going for that dream. And so, the cycle begins again.
Honestly, success is what you make it. Success could be starting a million dollar company. Success could be finally having the family you want. Success could be taking your family on a vacation like the McCallisters. What we have to remember is that success is whatever we make it. Not what society, or Instagram, tells is success is.
Tell me, what is success to you? What does that mean to you and have you achieved it?
