I don't think the OP is talking about whether to focus on running the race or not, but rather which race to run. As you grow older, the number of open tracks diminishes and that is the point the OP is trying to make.

While one can change tracks at any time, success is far from guaranteed. Being a distinguished engineer at 40, one cannot suddenly decide to enter the track for CFO or CEO. The track for that accepted entries 10 years back and is already over-subscribed. Only the CTO track is open at that point and only in certain companies.

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Gud 7 months ago | parent | next [-]

Disagree here. Start your own company, boom, you are the CEO.

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12thhandyman 7 months ago | parent [-]

Can’t really tell if this is tongue in cheek but starting a company doesn’t make one CEO. It makes them a partner/owner but typically CEO needs a board of directors etc

	▲	ido 7 months ago \| parent [-]
		I don’t see where you get that definition. If you’re the one running the company, you’re the CEO. You may argue you need employees to be a CEO rather than a consultant but you certainly don’t need a board of directors.

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tossandthrow 7 months ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I don't think the number of open tracks diminishes. But I do think we generally focus.

When one is 55 it is probably not too interest to attempt to go into the race to become and investment banker. Not because it is inherently impossible, but because there are more interesting opportunities.

Or at least: I think this narrative is the most productive, and the one I will stick to.

	▲	rakejake 7 months ago \| parent [-]
		Depends. If one had been planning to shift tracks earlier in life but something got in the way, there would be some disappointment that the window for that track had passed. But your narrative implicitly signals acceptance of one's station and a realistic assessment of the tracks still open which is probably the right way to go.

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valval 7 months ago | parent | prev [-]

Source: made it up.