How bad is the ageism with respect to career length? For example the average professional NFL player running back career length is a bit over 3 seasons. On th

How bad is the ageism with respect to career length? For example the average professional NFL player running back career length is a bit over 3 seasons. On the other hand the average lifespan in the USA is lower than real 1st world countries, at 78, but still not too bad. So in the introduction the implication is throwing away a year of career is utterly tragic WRT "starting over" now in terms of career damage is throwing away one year like throwing away an 1/3 of their pro football running back length career or like throwing away 1/78th of their lifespan which is a rounding error? Another way of looking at the world, is if ageism is so rampant that the dude will be permanently unemployable in the field by 30 such that throwing away one year is a substantial measurable loss, you have to consider it from a long term perspective in that a lifespan of 78 and unemployability starting at 30 means you'll live, unemployable, for nearly a half century after your career ends, half a century of wondering what would have happened if you had made that jump to try the startup. I mean, lets say due to ageism your career does end at 30, at age 55 will anything be different in your 55 year old life if you had stayed put rather than trying? So you may as well try. You're gonna live a long time. For various macro economic reasons your career will only be a couple years. That implies you should never live to work and should only work to live. In that situation it would be foolish not to take a risk. Extreme ageism is like terminal illness. If you know your career will be dead in five years no matter what you do for reasons way outside your control, you can complain and feel bad, or make the most of what little time you have and risk it. You're done in five years anyway no matter what, so you may as well go for it while you can.