What should I have accomplished by 40?
See what remarkable builders and entrepreneurs achieved at age 40
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Notable Achievements at Age 40
Declaration of Independence approved
Congress approved the Declaration; Adams had been a leading advocate and served on the Committee of Five.
Purpose won Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2025)
Purpose was awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (Branden Jacobs-Jenkins named Pulitzer winner).
Landslide re-election; Labour wins majority
Led Labour to a landslide victory with an overall majority of 65 seats (first single-party majority since 1996); party won ~50% of the vote.
Set Platformer paid subscription price at $10/month
Platformer on Substack offered a paid tier costing USD $10 per month.
Academy Award nomination — Best Original Screenplay
Nominated (with Emily V. Gordon) for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Big Sick (Oscars held in 2018 for 2017 films).
Suffered ring avulsion finger injury
Tripped and injured his finger on June 26, 2015; underwent microsurgery, spent 10 days in ICU, expected months of recovery.
Public release of Slack
Slack's go-to-market/public release occurred in February 2014.
Announced release of Slack (preview)
Announced Slack—an instant-message-based team communication tool developed inside Tiny Speck—previewed publicly in August 2013.
Turned 40
Jessica turned 40 in February 2013; in Sept 2013 she noted having won the 2012 world title and preparing for the 2013 world champs in Canberra.
Death of mother Willie Maxine Perry
His mother died at age 64 after an illness; she had been a major influence on his life and work.
Daughter Alice born
Daughter Alice Rigney Oswalt born to Patton Oswalt and Michelle McNamara (April 15, 2009).
Founded Teach For All (co-founder & CEO)
Co-founded Teach For All, a global network supporting independent social enterprises adapting the Teach For America model worldwide; serves as CEO.
Co-founded Creative Commons
Founded Creative Commons, a nonprofit to expand legal sharing and reuse of creative works; became a founding board member.
Married Phillip James 'Jamie' Rubin
Married James (Jamie) Rubin in Bracciano, Italy; Rubin is a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State.
Awarded DBA from Harvard Business School
Completed doctoral study in business administration (DBA).
Awarded Nobel Peace Prize (1983)
Received the Nobel Peace Prize for non‑violent struggle for free trade unions and human rights in Poland; wife Danuta accepted on his behalf because he feared being exiled if he traveled.
Married Jacob T. Schwartz
Married mathematician and NYU CS professor Jacob T. (Jack) Schwartz (later divorced in 1982).
Found dead — acute morphine poisoning
Found dead in his Hollywood Hills home on Aug 3, 1966; official cause 'acute morphine poisoning' (overdose).
💡 What this means for you
At age 40, you're at a pivotal point where many successful entrepreneurs made their breakthrough. Whether you're building your first company or scaling an existing one, these examples show what's possible with focus and execution.
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