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That's a question with many corollaries so my answer will be a bit lengthy. The reason you need to take less risks is because your ability to execute a task th

That's a question with many corollaries so my answer will be a bit lengthy. The reason you need to take less risks is because your ability to execute a task that you were used to executing before is reduced due to the ageing process. For example, you need to take longer breaks and sooner. In other words, your full speed to work goes down. So to compensate, you have to be more careful with the work you undertake. For example, it's easier to supervise someone else on a task you are familiar with instead of doing yourself at your lower efficiency. In a sense, your conclusion about needing to take more risks is true. But the risk is being taken by your oerganization in betting on you to be able to execute on the task you have set out to do. What I am talking about is personal risk, that you take in your choice of what you will do. That choice needs to get a little more conservative as a you age so as to give some margin for error that you probably didn't need as much before. The second part of your question regarding how things will turn out regarding whetehr you work for an org or yourself is more circumstantial than anything else. The third observation seems to make sense regarding success of business as a function of age of founder. As you age, you choose your work better because you have more experience.

deleted 8y ago
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jachee 8y ago
> your ability to execute a task that you were used to executing before is reduced due to the ageing process > your full speed to work goes down > your lower efficiency Do you have sources on this? On its surface, it sounds like fairly ageist thinking. I'm not young, but I don't feel like I've slowed down at all. In fact, my experience keeps me from making as many mistakes as when I was younger. I know folks, considerably older than I, who are faster still at the things with which they have experience, and quick to pick up new things, too.
- khitchdee 8y ago
  Yes. This is a ageist thinking. It's in sync with the tenor of this thread.
barrkel 8y ago
The reason you need to take less risks is because your ability to execute a task that you were used to executing before is reduced due to the ageing process. I don't think this is true. It might be more true if the task involves learning a lot of completely new stuff, but there's very little completely new stuff - experience helps in learning most of what comes out these days. Execution is sped up more by doing the right thing than doing things quickly. Just like typing speed is not normally the limiting factor, speed qua speed isn't what makes things slow. I've seen younger devs work very fast in the wrong direction especially when they are lacking in code design and debugging skills. Interesting that you mention breaks. Breaks are opportunities to get your head up. Taking fewer breaks will increase the probability of spending too much time on the wrong road.

deleted 8y ago

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jachee 8y ago

> your ability to execute a task that you were used to executing before is reduced due to the ageing process > your full speed to work goes down > your lower efficiency Do you have sources on this? On its surface, it sounds like fairly ageist thinking. I'm not young, but I don't feel like I've slowed down at all. In fact, my experience keeps me from making as many mistakes as when I was younger. I know folks, considerably older than I, who are faster still at the things with which they have experience, and quick to pick up new things, too.

khitchdee 8y ago
Yes. This is a ageist thinking. It's in sync with the tenor of this thread.

barrkel 8y ago

The reason you need to take less risks is because your ability to execute a task that you were used to executing before is reduced due to the ageing process. I don't think this is true. It might be more true if the task involves learning a lot of completely new stuff, but there's very little completely new stuff - experience helps in learning most of what comes out these days. Execution is sped up more by doing the right thing than doing things quickly. Just like typing speed is not normally the limiting factor, speed qua speed isn't what makes things slow. I've seen younger devs work very fast in the wrong direction especially when they are lacking in code design and debugging skills. Interesting that you mention breaks. Breaks are opportunities to get your head up. Taking fewer breaks will increase the probability of spending too much time on the wrong road.