TOO OLD TO INNOVATE ?

We admire the wisdom of the elderly. At the same time, we take it almost for granted that younger people are more creative, innovative and dynamic.

A recent study by the US National Bureau of Economic Research seems to dispute this “common sense” notion of ours. The exuberance and energy that are required by innovation are not exclusive to youth.

‘Conceptual innovators’ tend to be young. ‘Experimental innovators’, instead, launch out with trial and error, and gather knowledge while tinkering with established ideas; they are older. 

Thank God, I am 65 years ‘young’ – not too late for conceptual innovation and still a long way to go for experimental innovation! Or, am I mistaken? Have I lost all capacity to innovate, experiment, create?

How about you?