I think sometimes we (more mature people with me included) may be a bit too harsh on younger people (or people with less experience). Take my very self as an example: My regular Pilates instructor was absent yesterday morning and the replacement, shall we say, was less inspiring. One student walked out. Instead of criticizing her in my mind, I decided to appreciate the fact that the class was not cancelled (could have been worse) and it was probably tough for her to stand in as a replacement. I used the opportunity to tap my experience (8 years with the same instructor who was absent) to adjust for the different style and pace.
At the end of the class, she asked me how the class went. When I was about to provide her with my 10-minute plus in-depth feedback, she “conveniently” changed the subject and promptly said “Have a good weekend!”. Well, it goes to show that I still need to differentiate a genuine request for feedback and a typical case of British “politeness”.

According to the survey by Time Out London magazine:
1) 48% commuters take the tube, 16% by train, 10% by bus, 10% walk, 9% by bicycle and 7% by car.
2) The longer your commute, the worse you feel.
3) You hate people sneezing on the Underground.
4) Walking is the nicest way to go.
5) Cyclists hate motorists more than motorists hate cyclists.

The Time Out London Magazine published the results of their City Living Survey of 12,350 Londoners this week. Here are some of the interesting statistics:
1) You get seven hours and 43 seconds of sleep a night (when you’re not worrying about work).
2) You set your alarm for 6:50am.
3) You take the tube to work and get there for 8.49am which is 38 minutes and 53 seconds after leaving the house
4) You can’t get through the day without checking emails.

Interesting facts and I love their precision (up to the second)!

It is not uncommon for us to OVER-compensate in certain situations and ended up to the other end of the spectrum.
For example, a man growing up in a family with a weak father may over-compensate his experience and become too dominant in his own family.
A worker who had an overbearing and controlling boss previously may become aggressive and over-confident marking his “territory” at his/her new job. It is quite natural for us to do so but we should avoid swinging to the other end of the spectrum which may not be desirable neither. In short, reflection and moderation will help the transition.

Good things come in a dozen. Let me finish this mini-series on rebooting career on a high note of HOPE.
I am sure you would agree with me (to a certain extent at least) that there are miracles in our lives and we are blessed in certain ways.
Our future is ahead of us and it is, to a large extent, up to us to create it in the way we want to. It does not matter how far you are on this life journey. You have the ability and resources to shape the rest of journey. March forward into the future with hope and strength.

I honestly would like to give my readers “a pat on the shoulder” for having come this far on the life journey. Yes, you should be very (a strong emphasis here) proud of yourself for your achievements so far in life (big or small). I sometimes tell my younger friends half-kiddingly that “you have NOT lived as long as me and I considered that it an achievement in itself :>”. Imagine all obstacles and hurdles you have overcome in life. That alone deserves at least a bottle of champagne. Believe in yourself for achieving more in the future.

Another stereotype of more “mature” people is the lack of flexibility. Flexibility is not a black-and-white issue and there are more than 50 shades of flexibility. Keep an open mind and sometimes take a moment/breath to ponder before dismissing a new idea. Be flexible and prove them wrong.

Like it or not – There bounds to be ups and downs in life. Therefore, the ability to weather the storms of life is very important.
Be an experienced warrior in life. Recover fast and stand up tall after a fall. Keep your chin up.

Passion is the main driver for excellence and great work. We need to keep the fire of passion burning strong and bright (I meant for work here). Look for interesting topics and areas that you are passionate about and continue to fuel your motivation and drive. Let your passion shine through your work.

Keep the mentality of hard work. Nothing can will replace hard work. Despite all the years (decades) of foundation work you have already put in to establish your career so far, you still need to remain hard working. The world and everything around you are evolving and changing. We need to work hard and keep up at all times.