This quote pretty much sums up what happens to successful people as they grow older. They lose the ability to risk it all. The more successful they are, the more they want to protect what they have. You go from being a creator to a protector/hoarder.
One doesn’t have to look too far — those making headlines these days are too worried about the future, instead of trying to build a better one. It is not just individuals — even companies become a bit more complacent and take fewer chances. And nowhere is it more on display than it is in Silicon Valley, where companies are starting to age and are hampered by their valuations. The former risk-takers have become risk-averse.
For me, the hardest challenge is to unlearn, and be willing to embrace change, however scary it might appear to be. I try and do this every day — whether it is in foods I try, clothing trends I embrace or simply just jumping headfirst into new technologies. And then stress test them against the “meta data” of life, which can also be labeled as “knowledge.”
For whatever it is worth, “The Silent Season of a Hero” is perhaps one of my favorite stories by Gay Talese. It is as much about Joe DiMaggio as it is about all of us who know that someday, the lights will dim, the applause will end, and an eerie quiet will begin.
February 9, 2025. San Francisco
PS: I accidentally published a draft version of this piece, and it got emailed to those who have subscribed to get my posts as emails. My deepest apologies — teaches me a lesson to not use the WP mobile app!=
