10 Inspiring Individuals Who Changed Careers After 50 and Achieved Great Success

Dismiss the outdated notion that older individuals can't learn new skills. Many highly accomplished people have launched thriving careers well past their fiftieth birthdays. Here are some notable examples.

1. Colonel Sanders

Harland Sanders was a hardworking individual in his youth, but it wasn't until he turned 65 that he became the iconic fried chicken magnate we admire today. Known as "The Colonel," he operated a thriving restaurant and motel on U.S. 25 in Corbin, KY. However, when Interstate 75 opened nearby, his business suffered. Instead of facing financial ruin, he dedicated himself to refining his secret spice mix and fast-cooking method for fried chicken in 1952. He then traveled across the nation, selling Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises. By 1964, when he sold the company for $2 million, there were more than 900 locations.

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder

Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series remains among the most cherished children's books globally, yet she was far from young when she began writing them. Wilder didn't release her debut novel until the age of 65, and she went on to produce 12 books in the series, some of which were published after her passing.

3 & 4. Tim and Nina Zagat

The duo behind the renowned dining surveys began their journey as corporate lawyers. Initially, they created restaurant guides as a side project, but their popularity soared. By 1986, at 51, Tim left his role as corporate counsel for Gulf & Western to focus on the business. Nina later joined him, leaving her corporate law career to contribute to the surveys. In 2011, Google acquired Zagat for $151 million.

5. Takichiro Mori

Achieving the title of the world's richest man doesn't require an early start. Mori was an economics professor before transitioning to real estate investment at 55 in 1959. After inheriting a few properties from his father, he immersed himself in Tokyo's real estate market. Beginning in the Minato ward, where he grew up, Mori quickly capitalized on Japan's real estate boom, building a vast empire.

By the time of his death in 1993, Mori had twice been named the world's richest man by Forbes, with a net worth of approximately $13 billion. Often compared to Warren Buffett, Mori remained unpretentious despite his wealth. He adhered to traditional attire, avoided alcohol, and led a relatively simple lifestyle.

6. Grandma Moses

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, a legendary figure in American folk art, didn't start painting until her late seventies. Initially passionate about embroidery, she switched to painting in the mid-1930s when arthritis made needlework too painful. At 76, she created her first painting and continued for another 25 years, witnessing her works' value soar from $3 to over $10,000.

7. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The founder of the Hare Krishna movement was 69 when he established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Originally a chemist and Sanskrit scholar in Calcutta, Prabhupada arrived in New York City in 1965 with just $50, a pair of cymbals, and a mission to share the teachings of Lord Krishna.

Prabhupada began humbly, chanting on a sidewalk in the East Village. By the time of his passing in 1977, his followers were said to number in the thousands.

8. Edmond Hoyle

Whether you realize it or not, you likely owe Hoyle a nod of gratitude every time you pick up a deck of cards. Recognized as the first technical writer on card game rules, Hoyle didn't start documenting them in his youth. At around 70, in 1741, he began writing down the rules for various games. His bestseller, A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist, saw over a dozen editions in the last 27 years of his life.

9. Jack Cover

While Jack Cover's name might not ring a bell, his invention, the Taser, certainly does. Cover spent much of his career as a nuclear physicist in aerospace and defense, contributing to NASA's Apollo program. At 50, in 1970, he founded Taser, Inc., aiming to create a non-lethal weapon to subdue attackers. He patented his design in 1974, and by 1980, the Los Angeles Police Department adopted his invention. By the time of his death in 2009 at 88, Tasers were used in over 45 countries worldwide.

10. Ronald Reagan

While Reagan was a well-known actor, he didn't enter public office until the age of 55. In 1966, he secured California's governorship with a landslide victory, winning by over a million votes. Before this, his political experience was limited to his role as president of the Screen Actors Guild and as a spokesperson for General Electric. Few could have predicted his rise to a two-term presidency. (In 1988, he even met a young Johnny Depp at a tennis tournament benefiting the Nancy Reagan Drug Abuse Fund.)