74. On Why I Love & Hate Arthur Brooks’ “From Strength to Strength” with Kathy Oneto
Overview
In this episode, host Kathy Oneto talks about how age should not be viewed as a limiter. If we want to be ambitious in our second stage, “Go for it!” Despite what Arthur Brooks writes in his recent book, “From Strength to Strength,” decline is not inevitable. Sure, our intelligence may shift, as he claims, but there are more types of intelligence than he references, and there’s plenty of evidence that bucks the claim that older workers don’t perform as well as younger workers.
Frankly, this is what gets us fired up. These are the types of claims that don’t serve us and create a dangerous narrative that suggests that companies shouldn’t hire older workers when the evidence suggests otherwise.
A different book, “The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success,” by Albert-László Barabási suggests the opposite of what Brooks claims. The fifth law says, “With persistence success can come at any time.”
Sustainable Ambition is possible. Find your ambition, then get to work. Be consistent and be persistent.
Topics Covered
Kathy starts by sharing why she wants to talk about this topic of Arthur Brook’s book, “From Strength to Strength.”
She then shares its strengths, which takes up the majority of the book. It aligns with Sustainable Ambition around raising awareness that our ambitions and satisfaction can ebb and flow over time, that constant striving has its downsides, and that there are actions we can take to improve our happiness and increase our resilience to sustain ourselves.
Yet, she still objects to Brooks’ initial premise—that we have to accept that our professional decline will come sooner than we think.
There’s evidence that suggests the opposite—that workers can succeed from decade to decade.
How? Here’s where to focus instead based on the work by Albert-László Barabási and articulated in the book, “The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success:”
Identify where it’s best to apply your strengths and talents to make a contribution and impact.
Then stay productive. Be consistent and persistent.
And to support you along the way, find the community that both motivates you and will amplify your work.
Parting thought: never think it’s too late. If you want to sustain your ambition and still strive for success on your terms: Stay productive. Be persistent.
Resources Mentioned
From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life: https://arthurbrooks.com/book/from-strength-to-strength/
The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success: https://barabasi.com/book/the-formula
Late Bloomers: https://sustainableambition.com/aliving-blog/2017/8/22/late-bloomer
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74. On Why I Love & Hate Arthur Brooks’ “From Strength to Strength” with Kathy Oneto
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