Yesterday I was sitting in the podiatrist’s waiting room (issues following a broken ankle three months ago) flicking through the reading material on offer when I came across a feature in the Observer Magazine from a few weeks ago titled It’s Never Too Late. The piece by Donna Ferguson tells the stories of five people who have each learned a life skill later in life and whose lives have changed for the better as a result.

As a life coach focussing on mid-life and beyond it immediately caught my attention. The stories are heartwarming and inspiring and will resonate with many people. One woman mastered riding a bike in her forties, and another with dyslexia learned to read in her thirties. For three men, learning to swim, cook and play a musical instrument in their fifties, seventies and sixties respectively has brought new pleasure and joy into their lives.

There are lots of reasons why we might not achieve or try things when we’re young – fear, disinterest, lack of encouragement, confidence or opportunity. And it doesn’t necessarily change as we get older. Patterns of behaviour and thinking that begin in our youth are frequently reinforced over the years – they’re often described  as limiting beliefs: I’m not good enough, girls don’t do that kind of thing, boys don’t do that, people from my background aren’t supposed to aspire to that, I’m not strong enough, funny enough, clever enough, pretty/good looking enough … and so it goes on.

But here’s why you shouldn’t let these beliefs become barriers to you reaching your full potential.

Obviously, whatever you believe about yourself has seemed true in the past and you probably have the evidence to back it up. Perhaps you can identify with my friend Alison (not her real name) who believed she’d never find her person because she’s had a few relationships that have ended badly. Does this really mean she’s incapable of love or commitment? Of course not. She’s learned a lot from those failures, both about herself and others, and now, armed with her new knowledge, she believes there’s every possibility of a different outcome next time.

Social conditioning can also play a part in all this. Some people are sure they’ll never amount to anything or be financially successful because they come from a poor background. But the truth is many hugely successful people started with nothing. Oprah Winfrey, Dolly Parton, Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Michael Caine and Dame Vivienne Westward are all proof that where you come from may be your starting point, but it doesn’t dictate where you can end up.

And then there’s that real gem of a belief: I’m too old! But transformation doesn’t have an expiry date on it.  You’re not the same person you were in your twenties and who’s to say you have to stop changing and evolving now just because you have an increasingly hefty number of candles on your birthday cake. You’re older and wiser, with greater insight and emotional strength. It’s a great time to look at your values, decide what really matters to you and make choices about the direction you want to take.

So, like the people featured in the magazine, don’t let the opinions of those around you or your own inner critic stop you from reaching for more. Your dreams might be modest, or they might be big and bold – but they’re yours. Be brave and believe in yourself – because if you can do that then you’ve already started charting your new course.