Last week, I really enjoyed watching Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra perform in concert for BBC Radio 2.

ELO enjoyed tremendous success across the world in the 1970’s and 1980’s producing great tracks like Mr Blue Sky, Livin’ Thing and Don’t Bring Me Down.

Prior to the show, I heard Jeff Lynne (now 68) interviewed and he explained that he thought his days of delivering concerts were over in 1985. Since then he has established himself as a very successful record producer.

However, in 2014 he was persuaded to be part of the Radio 2 live concert in Hyde Park. He stated that he was extremely nervous prior to going on stage given he hadn’t played a concert for almost 30 years.

He thought that it wouldn’t be a very big audience and that not many people would be interested in watching their set because they were only interested in watching the headline acts perform later. Therefore he was amazed and thrilled to play to 50,000 people who seemed to really enjoy the show!

This positive experience inspired him to go back to his home in Los Angeles and write some new material and record a new album which was released last Friday. A concert tour is planned for 2016.

It is always wonderful to see people start a new chapter in their life and enjoy a renaissance in their later years.

It made me think of all the times that I have heard people talk about a dream they had when they were younger or talk with a touch of regret about something that they have always wanted or would like to do but have not accomplished. Only to say “but I am too old now.” If I had a pound for all the times I have heard that phrase!

A story that I love which counters this limiting belief, is the story of Cliff Young, an Australian potato farmer and athlete, best known for his unexpected win of the Sydney to Melbourne ultra-marathon (543 miles) in 1983 at 61 years of age.

What makes this feat even more incredible is the way that Cliff went about winning the race. It is normally only attempted by world class athletes, who train specially for the event and are typically less than 30 years of age. In fact it was the first race that Cliff had entered!

When he showed up at the start of the race in 1983, Cliff was wearing overalls and work boots! Everyone watching was shocked to discover Cliff was not a spectator when he picked up his race number and joined the other runners.

He was told that he was crazy and there was no way he would finish the race. To which he replied “Yes I can. See, I grew up on a farm where we couldn’t afford horses or tractors, and the whole time I was growing up, whenever the storms would roll in, I’d have to go out and round up the sheep. We had 2,000 sheep on 2,000 acres. Sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days. It took a long time, but I’d always catch them. I believe I can run this race.”

Once the race was underway, Cliff didn’t even run properly; he appeared to shuffle. Many people feared for the farmer’s safety. The professional athletes knew that it took about 5 days to finish the race. In order to compete, they ran about 18 hours a day and slept for the remaining 6 hours.

Cliff was not constrained by conventional wisdom. He was unaware of this approach to the race. Whilst the top athletes slept, he kept on running!

To everybody’s disbelief, Cliff ran the whole five days without any sleep and secured an amazing victory!

Today, the “Young-shuffle” has been adopted by ultra-marathon runners because it is considered more energy-efficient. Cliff Young passed away in 2003 aged 81.

This week, why not take a few moments to reflect and consider if there is a goal or dream that you would like to pursue.

What is the first step you can take to progress things?

This week’s quotation:

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C. S. Lewis.

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