Synopsis: A research from the New England Journal of Medicine shows people between 60 and 80 are actually at their most productive, creative, and capable stage of life. Yet, in India, companies still hesitate to hire seniors. Why? This thought-provoking piece looks at how age bias is wasting a goldmine of experience.
Beyond 60: The Real Age of Power, Creativity, and Purpose
You know what, I read something a few days back… from the New England Journal of Medicine. It said people who are between sixty and eighty are the most productive ones.
They said the most productive time in life is between sixty and seventy. Then comes seventy to eighty. Third is fifty to sixty. Can you imagine?
The research pointed out that the Nobel Prize winners have an average age of sixty-two. CEOs of big Fortune 500 companies, around sixty-three. Pastors leading big churches in America, about seventy-one. Even the Pope, around seventy-six. So tell me, who says age slows you down? It doesn’t. It actually sharpens you.
That same study says when you reach sixty, your potential is at its top, and it stays strong till eighty. That’s your best time. Those are your golden years.
But here, in India, I see something different. Companies hesitate to hire people above sixty. They think productivity means youth. No. Experience is not a weakness. It is power. You cannot buy it. You cannot teach it in one day.
And you know what hurts most? This age thing is not only in offices. Even writers, artists, and photographers; they also get tied down by it. As if creativity has an expiry date. Tell me, does imagination retire? Does a pen stop working after sixty? Does a camera lose its eye? No, it doesn’t. Art has no age.
In fact, the older you get, the deeper your thoughts, the richer your words, the softer your colors, the truer your lens. A young mind can dream fast, yes, but an experienced mind feels life more deeply. So why should any company, any platform, any editor decide that you are “too old” to create? A writer or artist never becomes old. They just become more alive inside.
Those who are sixty-plus have seen life; they know how to handle pressure, how to lead, how to stay calm when others panic. These are not small things.
So I feel, companies should open their eyes. Give seniors a chance. Let them guide, lead, and share what they know.
And to all who are sixty or seventy. Do not worry about your age. Be happy. You are at your best now. You still have energy, ideas, wisdom - everything that really matters.
