"ایده‌ها مهم‌تر از سن هستند"

Sometimes, we get caught up in thinking that age equals wisdom or capability. But actually, it's the ideas that really matter. Your age doesn’t automatically make you wise or innovative. What you think up, the creativity you bring to the table—those are the real game changers.

Historically, there have been plenty of moments where the brilliance of ideas outshone age. Think about Mark Zuckerberg. He was just a college kid when he launched Facebook from his dorm room. People probably thought, “He’s too young to make anything of this,” but look where we are now. Or take Malala Yousafzai. She was a teenager advocating for girls' education in Pakistan when she was shot by the Taliban. Instead of silencing her, they amplified her voice. Her ideas about education and equality became a global movement. These stories show that age is just a number when it comes to making an impact.

Consider a real-life example: Imagine a young startup founder in Silicon Valley. She's 22, fresh out of college, and has this brilliant idea for an app that connects volunteers with local nonprofits. She pitches this idea to a room full of seasoned investors, many of whom have grandchildren her age. Some might dismiss her because of her inexperience, but the strength of her idea shines through. Her app takes off, helping thousands of people contribute to their communities more effectively than ever before. Her youth didn’t hold her back because her idea was solid and met a real need.

So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? First, don’t let your age—whether you think you’re too young or too old—hold you back from sharing your ideas. You might have a solution to a problem that no one else has thought of yet. Speak up in meetings, pitch that wild idea, start that project you’ve been dreaming about. The world needs diverse perspectives, and your age shouldn’t be a barrier.

Also, when you’re in a position to evaluate someone else’s ideas, try to focus on the idea itself, not the age of the person presenting it. This can be harder than it sounds, especially if you’ve been conditioned to think that older means wiser. But remember, innovation often comes from fresh perspectives.

Picture this: You’re at a family gathering. Your 12-year-old niece starts talking about this cool invention she’s thought up—a device that can translate dog barks into human language. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? Maybe your instinct is to chuckle and say, “That’s cute.” But what if you dug a little deeper? Asked her how she thinks it could work, what inspired her, what problems it could solve for pet owners. You might find that her idea has more potential than you initially thought. And even if it doesn’t, encouraging her creativity and taking her seriously might lead to even more groundbreaking ideas in the future.

In the end, it’s all about valuing creativity and innovation over the arbitrary number of years someone has been alive. Ideas are the true currency of change and progress. So, let’s nurture them, no matter where—or from whom—they come.