Back-to-School Season is one of my favorite times of year. I love everything about it. From getting new notebooks, pens (Dr. Grip – Amazon Link – is the best!) and pencils to the anticipation of learning something new. Learning is exciting to me.
Going Back to School at 50
It started years ago, almost by accident. I was touring college campuses with my son, half paying attention to the admissions pitch and half remembering my own freshman year, when it hit me: nothing was stopping me from doing this too. Not long after, at 50, I enrolled in an evening MBA program while working full-time. It remains one of the most rewarding, most exhausting, most transformative decisions I ever made. It was so much fun! It is also why I am constantly buying books online to just keep learning.
Why Continued Learning Matters
This isn’t just sentimental. Research backs it up: mental engagement slows cognitive aging in much the same way physical activity protects the body. Psychology Today article, “Education and the Aging Brain,” reports that continued learning improves what researchers call our “cognitive reserve” and that adults who keep taking on new educational challenges show measurably less cognitive decline over time than peers who don’t.
The benefits go beyond brain health, too. Learning something new builds confidence, gives you a real sense of accomplishment, and maybe, my favorite part, expands your social circle. Every new thing I’ve picked up since 50, from the MBA to whatever book I’m currently pushing on everyone I know, has come with a small, unexpected community attached to it.
Women and Men Who Started Late
If you need proof that a late start is still a start, some of my favorite examples:
- Julia Child didn’t set foot in a professional kitchen until her 30s — she published Mastering the Art of French Cooking at 49 and launched her television career soon after.
- Grandma Moses picked up a paintbrush seriously for the first time at 78, after arthritis ended her embroidery, and became one of America’s best-loved folk artists.
- Laura Ingalls Wilder published Little House in the Big Woods at 64.
- Vera Wang left figure skating and a career in journalism to enter fashion design in her 40s, launching her own bridal label at 40.
- Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence at 70.
- Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum at 91.
- Peter Mark Roget published the Thesaurus at 73 and edited it until his death at 90.
- Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence at 70 and continued public service until 85.
- Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum at 91.
- J.R.R. Tolkien published The Lord of the Rings trilogy in his 60s and wrote into his 80s.
And here’s my favorite reminder:
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.
– Henry Ford
My Own Learning Journey at 60
Starting this blog was its own back-to-school moment. I launched OverSixtyInsights to talk honestly about what I call the “third act” of life Social Security, downsizing, grandparenting, health, Medicare, and all the smaller, less-talked-about parts of building a life after a full-time career. What I didn’t expect was how much I’d have to learn just to build it: website design, SEO, the mechanics of writing for an audience instead of just for myself. Two years in, I’m still learning something new about this work practically every week — and I still like that feeling.
How to Get Started
You don’t need to enroll in an MBA program to get the benefits of learning something new — honestly, I don’t look to sign up for more classes these days either. Most of what keeps me learning now is a lot lower-lift. A few ways to start this week:
- Start a stack of books on something you’ve been curious about. This is genuinely my go-to — I’m constantly ordering books online just to keep learning something new.
- Queue up a podcast on an unfamiliar topic for your next walk. It turns time you’re already spending into learning time, no extra hour required.
- Pick up a hands-on hobby you set aside decades ago — a sketchbook, an instrument, a new recipe each week.
- If you want more structure, check whether your library card unlocks free access to Coursera or LinkedIn Learning, or look up a local OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) chapter — low-pressure, university-affiliated courses built for adults 50+. No obligation to go further than that.
Learning something new is also one of the mindset shifts I write about most often. If you haven’t grabbed my free “5 Mindset Shifts” workbook yet, it pairs well with this 5 Mindset Shifts. And if you’re thinking about your well-being more broadly this fall, I wrote about reframing fitness as part of retirement planning in Exercise Over 60.
It doesn’t have to be big, it just has to keep you growing.
Still struggling – Try reading Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It, by Marshall Goldsmith (Author) – it really helped both my husband and myself!
Your Turn:
What’s something new you’ve learned recently, or something you want to learn this year? Share in the comments — I’d love to be inspired by your journey!
Note: This post includes Amazon links. I may receive a small commission (thank you) at no additional cost to you.
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