Creativity is often associated with the younger generation. However, it is not necessary the case. More mature people can also be creative. We were once young (not so long ago!). Many famous artists remained creative to the very end of their lives such as Henri Matisse and Claude Monet. Go ahead and flex your creative muscles – Young and mature alike :>

Dear all,
In the year of Monkey,
May you and your family be healthy and lucky;
Bestowed with love and prosperity;
Filled with joy and security.

Having inspiration is very important regardless of one’s age. We all need something to aim for and look forward to. Inspiration is not exclusive to the younger generation. Everyone should dare to dream and go after their dreams. It is not only speed of reaching the goal that matters. The process and destination are also crucial.

The third element on this topic is adoptability and flexibility. In general, more mature people are more set in their way and thus usually come across as inflexible and difficult. However, it needs not to be the case. Adoptability is crucial in the modern society which changes are inevitable.

The second element is curiosity which is the key to many discoveries and new inventions. We tend to be more cautious than curious when we get older. We become more concerned about how other people would think if we ask a simple question.
Don’t let the issue of “personal image” affect your progress. Be more daring and gutsy. Ask as many questions and explore as much as you want. Most of all have some fun.

I am going to devote the next few blogs to start a discussion on mature talents. My goal is not taking side or playing favoritism on young or mature people. However, I want to tell the world that talents should NOT be limited to young people. We all have talents at whatever age we are. I am all for nurturing and developing young people but NOT at the expense of the mature people. I would like to start with discussing how more mature people can improve to stay competitive in a healthy and positive manner.
The first element is enthusiasm and passion. We should be passionate about with we do and show it to others with conviction. Do you recall how we were starting off at our very first job? Bring back your enthusiasm and share your positive energy with others. Jump up and down. Shout. Dance and most of all have some good laughs.

I have read an article in the Economist on youth employment lately and agreed with it. (Issue: 23-29 January 2016; Special Report; The Young; Article Title: Jobs – The walled world of work).
It says:
‘“The first ten years (of youth employment ) are essential. They shape careers in the long term,” says Stefano Scarpetta of the OECD, a think-tank for mostly rich countries. This is when people develop the soft skills that they do not pick up at school, such as conscientiousness, punctuality and teamwork.’

Last but not least, one interesting exercise suggested by the Prince’s Trust trainer drives home a key point in mentoring. He asked the mentor volunteers to fill in an application form with our non-dominant hands in 2 minutes imagining we were at the counter of a job center with a long line of other applicants waiting impatiently behind us. On the surface, other people in the queue might not have realized that we were at a disadvantage (by writing with our non-dominant hands). By the same token, we should not judge others too quickly without understanding where they are coming from and the reasons behind their actions and behaviors. It was a good lesson and reminder.

The Prince’s Trust trainer mentioned that for each young person in the program, there are on average 5-6 volunteers assigned to him/her throughout the entire period that the young person is with the charity. There are approximately 6,000 volunteers working for the charity at the moment. This life-changing transformation is quite “labor-intensive” and requires a lot of hard work for all participants on both sides of the table. The results are amazing and unbelievable. The success rate is 75% with the definition of success being work, education or volunteer work. It is worth every effort.

Another suggestion to mentors is to celebrate successes, big and small, with mentees along the way before they reach their final goals. It is a great way to encourage them as the path to the final goal/destination can be long and difficult at times.