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I watched a documentary recently about the late satirist and comedian John Clarke. One of the interviewees told a story about a moment when he was convinced his new show was terrible and that nobody understood what he was trying to do. Then he got a phone call out of the blue from his idol, John Clarke. They didn't even know each other, so it was a genuine shock. John simply said: "You're doing great. I really love what you're doing." That was it. Nothing more. But that simple, powerful gesture meant everything.

Clarke later described this as a gift voucher that never runs out—one you can use whenever you need it, a voucher of encouragement and generosity.

Here's the thing: someone is trying to reach the exact place you're standing right now. That means you have the ability to help them. Too often, experience gets bundled with jadedness or cynicism. But reaching out with genuine encouragement or practical advice to people coming up behind you is a genuine win-win. They benefit from your hard-won knowledge. You get exposure to fresh talent and ideas. And here's the bonus: offering encouragement creates surprisingly good internal vibes. You feel better. It's just how humans work.

The midlife pivot crowd especially gets this. You've already reinvented yourself once, maybe twice. You know what it feels like to be terrified, to wonder if you're too old, too late, too far behind. Someone else is feeling that right now. Your validation isn't just nice it's proof that the path is real.

When you offer encouragement to others, you have to actually observe their work. You have to stay engaged with what's happening in your sphere of interest. This keeps you sharp, connected, and aware of where your field is heading. You're not just handing out compliments; you're staying plugged into the present so you can anticipate what comes next. That's invaluable.

Think about it: if you're only consuming work from established names, you're always one step behind. But if you're actively looking at what emerging voices are doing, you're seeing the trends before they become obvious. You're spotting the gaps. You're understanding what the next generation cares about. That's market intelligence you can't buy.

Try this: Pick one person in your field or industry whose work you've noticed but haven't acknowledged. Send them a genuine message. Not a generic "great job"—something specific. What did they do well? What did it make you think about? Keep it brief. Keep it real. You're not looking for anything in return. You're just passing on the voucher.

That person might be where you were five years ago, doubting themselves, wondering if anyone gets it. Your message might be the thing that keeps them going for another month, another project, another attempt. And when they make it, they'll remember. They'll pass it forward too.

This isn't about being nice. It's about recognising that we're all in this together, moving through different stages of the same journey. The voucher never runs out because generosity isn't a finite resource. The more you give, the more you have. You're not depleting anything by encouraging someone else. You're building a culture where people actually support each other instead of hoarding their knowledge or waiting for permission to matter.

Start today. Make the call. Send the message. Be the person who believed in someone before they believed in themselves.