Am I Ready to Rest on My Laurels?

Do not let people underestimate your abilities because of your youth, and on the opposite end of the spectrum stay sharp, nimble, and relevant. Years ago, I read a great line: “Never rest on your laurels, because the hardest thing on your laurels is resting on them.” We often tell our children they are too young to try something new, and our parents that they are too old.  

Never let someone else tell you what you cannot achieve or put limits on your potential. 

I started my business career at the age of eleven and have worked for more than sixty years, and I do not have any plans to sail off into the sunset anytime soon. I stepped down as CEO of Caribou Coffee in 2008 at the age of sixty-five. While contemplating what to do next, I kept hearing the same question from friends and acquaintances: “When are you going to retire?” I could not even imagine retiring, and I know that I am not done yet. 

Time to Get Tough: Published by UGA Press