Young people can gain wisdom far beyond their years if they make the most of their time, though this is rare. In general, youth often lacks the careful thought that comes with experience. Our early ideas are usually less developed than the ones we have later, and this is true both for how we think and for how our experience grows as we get older. That said, young minds are more creative and energetic than older ones; their ideas flow more freely, almost as if inspired by a higher power.
People with passionate, intense personalities are often not ready to take action until they’ve passed the peak of their youth. Look at Julius Caesar or Septimius Severus, for example. Severus’s younger years were full of mistakes—he was even described as living with “errors and madness”—but he became one of the most capable emperors of all time. On the other hand, calm and steady people can achieve great things early on, as seen with Augustus Caesar, Cosimo de’ Medici, and Gaston de Foix.
That said, combining the energy of youth with the wisdom of age is a powerful mix for getting things done. Young people are better at coming up with ideas, taking action, and pursuing bold new projects. Older people, however, bring experience to the table, which helps guide decisions—but this same experience can also limit them when dealing with something entirely new. The mistakes of youth can ruin a plan, while the mistakes of age usually result in things simply taking longer or being less ambitious.
Young people often overreach in their ambitions. They take on more than they can handle, cause chaos they can’t control, and rush toward the goal without carefully planning the steps to get there. They’re eager to make changes, but they don’t always see the problems those changes might bring. They prefer extreme solutions and, worst of all, are often too stubborn to admit when they’re wrong. It’s like a runaway horse that won’t stop or turn when needed.
Older people have the opposite flaws. They hesitate too much, overthink decisions, take too few risks, and give up too quickly. They rarely see a task through to its full potential and are often satisfied with mediocrity. The best approach, then, is to combine the strengths of both ages. Young people can learn from older ones, while older people can lead and guide. This balance not only improves current projects but also prepares for the future. Young people bring energy and popularity, while older people carry authority and wisdom.
When it comes to morality, youth might have the upper hand, as age tends to excel in politics. A rabbi once noted that the Bible says, “Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” He suggested that visions, being clearer than dreams, mean young people are closer to divine insight. The more someone indulges in worldly experience, the more they’re influenced by it. Age brings better understanding but often weakens the heart’s passions.
Some people mature too quickly and burn out early. These individuals tend to fall into three categories. First, there are those with sharp but fragile intellects, like Hermogenes, the speaker, whose youthful brilliance eventually faded into dullness. Second, some talents—like eloquent and extravagant speech—are more impressive in youth but seem out of place in older age. Cicero once said of Hortensius that his style remained the same, but it no longer suited him as he aged. Finally, there are those who aim too high too early, like Scipio Africanus. As Livy observed, Scipio’s later years couldn’t live up to the promise of his youth.
Bacon Blueprint 