You are never too old to dream a new dream. Isn’t that a beautiful statement? Indeed, the thought of growing older is never appealing. Not only do we feel bad over the physical changes that take place, but with every passing year we look back and wonder what could have been. What could we have achieved if only we started getting serious about life when we were younger? What great things could we have done if only we had a good “start?”

How sad it must be to sit around and mope over lost time! However, what so many people do not understand is that age is just a number. Life is life and if you are alive then you have the potential to achieve anything you set your mind to. So let’s say an older person, a senior citizen perhaps, resents young people for their energy and their youthful bodies. Why? Isn’t it safe to assume that most young people take their youth for granted?

Instead of doing these great things that you imagine, the majority of 20-somethings are watching TV, dating, playing sports, drinking alcohol and generally living it up. Why is a young person’s life any better than yours? You are the one that has time to accomplish things. You are the one that has wisdom that comes from a lifetime of experience. You have friends, contacts and a world of knowledge that would take a younger person a lifetime to learn.

The problem is not your body or your mind—it’s the perception of society that our elders are incapable of great achievement. The media tells us that if you don’t achieve great things when you are young, then you never will. While such negativity does keep many older persons stifled, some people are strong enough to go against the current and find success anyway. And they succeed!

Did you know that author Harry Bernstein didn’t publish his first book (“The Invisible Wall”) until he was 96 years of age? Even in Hollywood, the cruelest business in the world, actors in their 70s and 80s like Fyvush Finkel and Ray Walston were still capable of winning praise and awards for their performances. Both stars remarked at the Emmy Awards that they waited a lifetime for their recognition.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old to start making changes in life—or that you are too old to change the world! If you have definite goals and a burning desire to achieve them then you have precisely what it takes to fulfill a dream. That is true whether you are 18 or 81!

Albert Mensah is a Certified Speaking Professional. Originally from the impoverished African nation of Ghana, Albert travels the country speaking, motivating and inspiring. He has performed as a keynote speaker for companies including Allstate Insurance, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Boeing, John Deere Corporation, Wells Fargo and more. Visit www.AlbertMensah.com to learn more.