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I was in a conversation that comes up once in a while to mature job seeker.  Tough questions like “how do you see yourself compete with younger ones?”, or other more politically correct questions.  The perception is that one learns faster when we are young;  young guns are better; and there are scientific evidence that our brains cells stop to grow at certain age, so on and forth.

If you know of a professional tennis player, chances are that you have heard of “Roger Federer”.   According to some poll, he is the second most respectable person just behind Nelson Mandela. (by the way, the movie Invictus on Mandela is a good one).   Even if it is debatable if Roger Federer gains that level of global respect,  his record is not controversial.    He has countless records on the number of tennis tournaments won, 17 majors won, 300+ weeks at number one  on the ultra-competitive individual sport of tennis.  In short, his number of records is by itself a record.   How does he sustain the level of excellence, now at age 31 approaching 32?  At age 31 in 2012, he regained the number 1 spot from the generation in the age of 25 or 26; and he is a better player than a few years ago.   How could he go against the natural path when tennis professional are thinking of hanging up the rackets after 30?  I believe his secret is his passion in what he is doing, his motivation and belief to be better, more so than his own natural talent.  Many accomplished tennis stars lose the passion and motivation, and rapidly comes down. It is not a skill deterioration, it is the going away of the desire.

In our career, when we lose the passion, motivation and the belief, it becomes harder to compete.

To those tough questions “how could you compete?”  I believe it is not the ability but the desire and motivation.  Assuming you apply for the position, it may already prove the desire is there.

To the contrary, one has the ability to learn smarter, faster, grasp the big picture and apply the learning better with experience, but we don’t see that happen often.    It may not be the ability but the desire and motivation.

Most people have a much longer career than the short tennis career.  The challenge is – how do we keep  up our interest and motivation?  Next time when the tough question shows up, it may become your shining moment.

Posted in Career Management