There’s a new kid at work. He’s probably 10 years your junior; tall, dashing but stern looking. HR’s introducing him to everyone in the office and as they introduce him to you, you’re taken aback and quite appalled to know that he’s your new manager.
With that stinging sense of betrayal from your own company that you have shed blood and sweat for during the past 10 years and only to be let down by seemingly poor judgement by management of hiring younger people to take up senior roles, you finally say, “pfft, i’m not taking instructions from this guy”.
Sadly, signs like these are proof that you might be getting old. It’s also probably the first sign of a crack which management are trained to look for and maybe that is why “Mr. Fresh Face” has set foot in the office. Harsh but very realistic, here are some signs that you can avoid so that you can stay ahead of your peers and stop becoming old:
1. You Can’t Be Bothered With The Basics Skills Anymore
A good scenario of this could be that you started out as a skilled animator and then have risen to division director after 10 years of hard work. However, being so caught up with managing your team, you have neglected the basic skills that got you where you are in the first place. By neglecting your basic foundations, you lose track of the technology advances now required to get the basic job done. And the last thing a boss would want to face is admitting to their staff, that you have lost track of today’s technology advances.
2. You Are Paranoid About Everything
When we get older, it is natural to be wary of potential problems as life long experiences have chiselled us into a hardy bunch. But it becomes a problem when it turns into paranoia. For example, when you’re travelling, not being open to new adventures for fear of all the possible bad scenarios that can happen is just a sign that you are not willing to experience new things anymore and definitely one of the signs you’re getting old.
3. You Don’t Listen To Anyone Anymore
By ditching the art of listening, you are entirely missing out on chances to learn new information. By tuning people down, not only do we send a message that we are selfish, we are also lying to ourselves about how much we already know about the world we live in (of which, in fact, we know very little) and thus, we omit the opinions of others.
4. There Aren’t Anymore Goals to Pursue
At the top of your mind, state a current goal that you are pursuing. If the answer is that there aren’t any, it’s a good sign that you have allowed your mind to degenerate and wither.
Like Steve Jobs had mentioned before, “We are here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”
Without a goal or purpose in life at a later age, our minds will turn less sharp, making it harder for us to change our mindset.
5. You Are Unable to Control Your Emotions
Having control over our emotions is the single most important factor of having a healthy social life and in turn a happier life. If we are unable to keep our emotions in check, it’s a sign that we are on a downward spiral to “lonely-ville” where people tend to avoid us due to our inability to acknowledge that our short fuse is keeping everyone at bay.
By keeping our emotions in check with different methods such as taking a step back and thinking postively, taking a deep breath or even meditating instead of losing our temper quickly, we will avoid going into pointless heated arguments with our loved ones. Just remember, that our emotions can affect the rest who we rely on to have a happy and fulfilling life.
Featured photo credit: Depressed ElderlyIsmael Nieto via unsplash.com
