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You Might Be a Late Bloomer
Article

You Might Be a Late Bloomer

The life secrets of those who flailed early but succeeded by old age

David Brooks
The Atlantic, 2024
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9

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Modern society tends to glamorize the successes of those under age 30. Yet history shows that, in domains ranging from business to science to art, it’s often the late bloomer who achieves more enduring success. The average age of a person who makes a Nobel Prize–winning discovery, for example, is 44. In this insightful article, cultural commentator David Brooks explores notable examples of people who failed early but who, ultimately, made their mark on the world. He explains why late bloomers take longer to achieve their success, highlighting qualities that lead them to achieve great things.

Summary

Society celebrates early bloomers, yet many world-changers only achieve greatness later in life.

Modern society tends to glamorize early achievement — think Mark Zuckerberg, Taylor Swift, and Elon Musk — and downplay the significance of older people. In 2010, more people filed age discrimination claims to California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing than sexual harassment or racial discrimination claims.

Despite the dominance of early bloomers in today’s zeitgeist, late bloomers often enjoy more ensuring success: Data analysis shows that the average age of a Nobel Prize–winning discovery is 44; the average US patent applicant is 47 years old; and 50-year-old tech founders are twice as likely to succeed as tech founders aged 30. Notable figures like artist Paul Cézanne, film director Alfred Hitchcock, and scientist Charles Darwin, don’t merely bloom later...

About the Author

David Brooks is a political and cultural commentator who writes for The Atlantic and The New York Times. His most recent book is How to Know a Person.

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