Anthony Bourdain Didn’t Find Success Until His 40s

One of my heroes was Anthony Bourdain. At 43, he was broke, working in the back of a kitchen, struggling. My publisher, Harper Collins, happened to be the person who gave him his advance for his first book, Kitchen Confidential. That book exploded, and all of a sudden he was this wanted person. And then he made shows. You know, there was a show before, Parts Unknown, no reservations. And then Parts Unknown sent him into a whole other world of fame. He's in his 40s and makes a name for himself. He's in his 50s and takes up Brazilian jiu jitsu, a when most people say it's too late to take up another sport, especially one as demanding as jiu jitsu. And then he takes his life. How many people tell themselves by 40, if I haven't made money by now, it's never going to happen for me. It's too late for me. At 43, I'm behind. I'm famous and I'm rich now. I'm ahead. But then someone takes their life. How far ahead were they? This idea of, am I ahead? Am I behind? You're not behind. Life doesn't work like that.