Growing Old

My boss is in his mid-40s. He is already married and has three or four kids.

I remember in our various "mentoring" sessions, he advised me that I should be learning what I can about managing time, people, resources, etc. while I'm still in my 20s and early 30s. He says that by the time I get married and have kids, I will have different priorities. I guess this is true.

He also added that by the time a man (or a woman, I guess - though he did not explicitly say a woman) is in his 40s. He should already know himself and be stable in his personality. In the sense that when you are in your 40s, you should already have a "signature" scent. I'm so far from that right now. I'm using and love Lacoste Essentials, CK Eternity for Men, Bulgari Aqua Marine, Davidoff Cool Water, Pure by Hugo Boss and Polo by Ralph Lauren. Doubtless I will like more when I get a change to smell them (I generally like citrusy smells with some floral notes - the smell of freshness and summer).

I don't really know his scent or if he wears any. But it seems like he is living what he is preaching. He goes to the office like 7:30 or so every morning (I can't really check since I arrive somewhere between 8:30 am to 10:00 am), almost always light colored long-sleeved shirts and dark (mostly grays) pants (even on Fridays which is the casual dress down day).

My boss's advice got me thinking, is growing old like being a slave to habit and being boring?

Maybe he has a point, when we grow older, we have other priorities (like family) that we don't have time to think much about many stuff (vanity for instance) that by then, we should already have our "habits" that can get us through our lives despite the more pressing priorities.

I really don't know if his advice on growing old is for everybody or only for some people. But he is successful and seems happy and contented so it worked for him.

Next years I'll be turning 29, still 11 years before the 40s (or middle age) but I better start thinking about my life and the future.