Is It Too Late for Me? The Truth About Success in Life

I am here to argue on behalf of the discouraged that there is enough time. 

By Becky 베키

My friends, I believe that the concept of generally being ‘too late’ in life does not exist and should not be treated as though it does.

Memorable though the celebrations of the youthful geniuses and early billionaires might be, they are equally demoralizing. We’re quick to appreciate those who find ‘early’ success. (Without the sense of ‘early,’ would it be so noteworthy?) I also contend that if there is an ‘early’ on this timeline of Available Time to Make It Big, then there must also be a ‘late;’ after the mid-life crisis, in your 70s, after a major failure, etc. Whatever you’d like to define as ‘late’ in your life. 

It makes for a tragic & helpless character who claims that ‘it’s too late for me,’ right before a crucial moment in a movie.

We feel a certain frustration when we see that character claim they can do nothing now because they’re in too deep, have done too much damage, have so little of their life left, whatever the reasoning behind their despair, all the while we on the outside watching from the theater seats want to grab the character by the shoulders and shout, ‘but it’s NOT too late!' Their very inaction spells disaster that could have been avoided, if only they hadn’t given up. 

When we are simply the audience of the drama, it’s very clear to us that it’s never too late. There is always something that can be done.

This is the beauty of film & art - they allow you to view your own life from a new perspective, revealing truths that feel impossible in the real world but are in fact very much a reality; they just look different than in the movies.

Pause for a moment, and think of those you admire most; who comes to mind? Allow me to speculate that at the very least one person was someone who continued their mission despite the seemingly impossible circumstances.

Samwise Gamgee climbed Mount Doom, burdened with his friend and the Ring. Have you felt burdened before? Did the mountaintop feel too far away? Yet, we cheer Sam on until he reaches the peak and destroys the Ring because we believe it’s possible. I believe it’s possible for you, too. 

Giving into the concept of Too Late and saying “but I have no choice,” is in fact already a damning choice made. Inaction is a choice.

There’s nothing more I can do = I choose to do nothing because it does not benefit me, I don’t have the strength to carry on, I don’t believe I can do it, etc. If we can only understand that it is never too late then perhaps we will discover the incredible depths of human power that exist inside of us all.

Eliminate the impossible (“it’s too late”) and then we are left with the answer (“there is always something that can be done. It’s never too late.”) 

There is no tragedy in doing something long after the usual time it is done. The real tragedy is making the choice to give up because you believe it’s Too Late. 

The beautiful and maddening truth is that no one can determine if it’s too late for you except for yourself.

Lift yourself from helplessness into the actuality of your freedom in choice, though dark the night and long the road. Even if it’s with your last breath, you have the choice to do good, to make things right, to discover who you’ve always wanted to be. For those moments, it is never too late. 

Read “How To Change Your Perception” for more on changing your life.