Most people believe dreams belong to the young. Is that true?

I recently read a few inspiring stories about how grandpas and grandmas turn their dreams into reality later in life.

No matter how difficult their dreams are, they stay passionate, work hard, and never give up.

Now, let’s see what the grandpas and grandmas have accomplished.

DJ Gloria

DJ Gloria is a famous DJ who began deejaying at 65 after her husband passed away. She learned to DJ by taking private lessons from her friend’s son. Now, at 81, DJ Gloria performs at some of Sweden’s hottest nightclubs for partygoers over 50.

Ernestine Shepherd

Ernestine Shepherd is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest female competitive bodybuilder. She did not start exercising until she first went to the gym at age 56 with her sister. As Ernestine Shepherd approaches her 90s, she still insists on going to the gym every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Fauja Singh

Fauja Singh started running at the age of 89 after the passing of his wife and son. Since then, he appeared in various marathons around the world. His last marathon was the Hong Kong Marathon in 2013. Fauja Singh died in a car accident at the age of 114 in 2025.

Kimiko Nishimoto

Kimiko Nishimoto was a hairdresser and track cyclist before becoming an amateur photographer at 72, after learning photography and image editing skills from her son. She became famous for taking humorous self-portraits and gained hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram. Kimiko Nishimoto held multiple exhibitions in Japan starting in 2011, before her death at the age of 97 in 2025.

Many people discover their talents and dreams only in their middle or later years. They may have other priorities, such as family or work, that prevent them from pursuing or even recognizing their dreams when they are young.

A bookish guy may one day become a world traveler.

A full-time housekeeper may one day become an athlete.

A workaholic may one day become an educator.

Human desires, motivations and ambitions can remain latent for many years. Life sometimes asks us to focus on responsibilities first, leaving our dreams quietly waiting in the background. That is why I always find human stories like the four I just shared in this blog post so fascinating.

By the way, what is your dream?

Vincent

I am Vincent Kwong, a seasoned consumer planner with nearly two decades of market research and business planning experience on both the agency and client sides. Currently, I am Director & Partner of Intuit Research, a research agency specializing in multi-country market research projects. Companies that I have served in my career include McDonald’s, Diageo, PepsiCo, Estee Lauder, Heineken, GSK, Pizza Hut, Lenovo and HSBC. I am also a part-time instructor at Schulich School of Business, York University in Canada.

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