When is THE time? Building your career

I remember growing up wanting to be like my heroes on the sporting field, I wanted to play AFL footy for Carlton, and of course play cricket for Australia, unfortunately I learned quite early I lacked one important ingredient to be successful in these fields.. Talent.

There was always hope though of course growing up, if I could practice that little bit more, do something more like the my heroes did, I'd copy all the techniques in a desperate attempt to glean the gold which will give me that talent... nothing worked..

But there was still hope. Even when I got a little older and things became a little more real for me, people my age were getting drafted into teams, even those great ones, starting to play for these teams. I was really amazed when someone my age got chosen for one of these teams... any moment, they'll recognise my (well) hidden talent and I'll be on my way for a great sporting career. It never happened.

Now I find myself in the bizarre situation where people my age are being labelled as too old to play, have started retiring from these competitions,way past their prime from a sporting sense. That's confronting.... too old? seriously? me? My chances of getting drafted to Carlton or being called up to the Australian Cricket team are officially over. No need to keep the mobile phone fully charged, I'm starting to realise the call just won't come.

I have finally come to terms with this, however something else hit me (apart from my wife for having such silly thoughts) When is my prime? These guys are apparently past it in their chosen fields, when do you hit your prime in a professional sense? Am I already passed it? If not when will I be there? How will I know it when I am there? or is it something you look back on fondly, saying "I remember when I knew everything"

I heard someone say once I'm tool old to know everything like I did when I was 20.

Is the timing, that in your 20s your learning your craft, in your 30s your really establishing yourself, in your 40s you can start milking it, in you 50s are set, 60s you can retire and play more golf!

From that, by your 40s you should be in your professional prime. In this time of Baby Boomers moving on, and Gen Y's getting a bigger part of the professional pie, do these numbers hold. Or in reality are they just numbers? Totally irrelevent in real life.

Gee I hope I haven't passed my prime, I'm still learning so much and having so much fun learning it (and I still have half my house to pay off). However, I'm also at the stage where I am starting to impart my "knowledge" on other people (whether they want it or not) and some grey is coming in, more visible when no product in my hair apparently. I'm still mimicing my heroes, but from my chosen profession now (see my JD (Jason Davis) wannabe hat photo, no I'm not telling you where it is)


I'd love some input from people...

If you are passed your prime, when was it?

If you haven't hit it yet, when do you think it will be?

If you are in your prime, how do you know?