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You’ve probably heard of the term late bloomer. Lateblooming can apply to various different aspects and dimensions of learning and developing into someone admirable or at least worthy of praise. Usually, though, this is associated with talents and skills that seem to come quickly and easily to some but not to others, making it a matter of context. It basically refers to being behind at something in relation to others.
But why is it taking someone longer? Could be a number of reasons:
a) They have extra obstacles and challenges to overcome, inside or outside.
b) They are multi-talented, unable to stick to a single thing but able to synthesize or extract from many.
c) They are “talentless”, though maybe ambitious and persevering enough to keep going regardless.
d) They have not yet found their talent and are still searching for it, elusive as it may be.
e) They are not where their talent lies, so progress is harder and slower.
f) They are confusing or stealthy about it.
Etc.
Considering these possibilities, it can be oversimplistic to measure the totality of someone based on where they are currently at, to give up on yourself or on them, and assume that you are doomed to always being less-than. When you might just be a late bloomer, like many other accomplished people that exist or existed.
Being a late bloomer doesn’t guarantee that you will eventually be better than everybody else, but it is sometimes the case. When you finally gain some sort of momentum and are propelled forward. When you persist after others have stopped or ceased to have intense dedication. When it turns out that you were actually accounting for more and it’s key. And so on. It can be tempting to seek this sort of glory out of spite, too. For all the times you were doubted or overlooked, maybe even ridiculed and humiliated. But simply reaching a level that you’re happy with, if not much else, can be fulfilling enough.
It is up to you and maybe you're not too late.
