Admit it. One cannot remain in the limelight forever. Everyone has their temporary sojourn in the hall of fame, after which they would have to relinquish their baton the next Johnny-come-lately. One cannot stay perched on top of the pecking order forever. Professional decline generally happens in all professions, some earlier than the others. Athletes commence their declines quite early, whereas teachers, writers and researchers lose it much later. Peak performances of many professionals rarely happen at an advanced age.
Not everyone takes the dimming of the spotlight gracefully.
Not everyone takes the dimming of the spotlight gracefully.
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| Charles Darwin 1809-1882 |
Charles Darwin was just 27 when he returned on the Beagle with his discoveries in botany and zoology. From that time, for the next 30 years, he was the go-to scientist who published the famous 'On the Origin of Species'. After 50, Darwin hit a brick wall. Not keeping up with mathematical calculations that were so important in later researches, he became irrelevant and depressed.
On the other hand, Johann Sebastian Bach was also a musical prodigy early in his career. New artistic trends and excellent classical compositions by his children (Carl Phillipe and Johann Christian) made his Baroque-style music passè. Instead of plunging into melancholy, Johann Bach became an instructor and diverted his attention to other areas. He enjoyed the prestige.
Cognitive and performance decline is inevitable after a certain age. The question is whether one is going to embrace it like Darwin or like Bach? Be like Darwin, and you will be the grumpy old man who whines about everything and sings praises of the good old days. Be a Bach, spread your wisdom to the younger generation and be a hip and happy senior citizen.
REF: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/work-peak-professional-decline/590650/
(P.S. Apparently there are two concepts of intelligence, the fluid and the crystalline one. The fluid intelligence is the raw intellectual horsepower that reasons, analyse and solve novel problems. It is abundant in innovators and entrepreneurs. It peaks early in adulthood only to diminish after the 30s and 40s. Crystalline intelligence, in comparison, involves the ability to use past knowledge. As knowledge increases with age, historians, writers and poets find their voices late in life.
On the other hand, Johann Sebastian Bach was also a musical prodigy early in his career. New artistic trends and excellent classical compositions by his children (Carl Phillipe and Johann Christian) made his Baroque-style music passè. Instead of plunging into melancholy, Johann Bach became an instructor and diverted his attention to other areas. He enjoyed the prestige.
Cognitive and performance decline is inevitable after a certain age. The question is whether one is going to embrace it like Darwin or like Bach? Be like Darwin, and you will be the grumpy old man who whines about everything and sings praises of the good old days. Be a Bach, spread your wisdom to the younger generation and be a hip and happy senior citizen.
REF: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/work-peak-professional-decline/590650/
(P.S. Apparently there are two concepts of intelligence, the fluid and the crystalline one. The fluid intelligence is the raw intellectual horsepower that reasons, analyse and solve novel problems. It is abundant in innovators and entrepreneurs. It peaks early in adulthood only to diminish after the 30s and 40s. Crystalline intelligence, in comparison, involves the ability to use past knowledge. As knowledge increases with age, historians, writers and poets find their voices late in life.
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