Time is so weird when you think about it. This thing we invented to keep trains running on schedule now dictates whether or not we feel like our lives are worth living. And for what? Who decided that 25 is the perfect age to have a career, a house, and a solid skincare routine?
I hate the idea that life is a race. Like, who are we even competing against? There’s no referee. No finish line. Just a bunch of people huffing and puffing, trying to get somewhere they don’t even want to go.
I used to think I was behind. In my 20s, I’d meet people who seemed to have it all figured out—these perfectly curated lives where they already knew what they wanted to do, and they were on their way. Meanwhile, I was over here juggling whatever idea came into my head, half of which were objectively terrible.
But you know what I’ve realized? Nobody knows what they’re doing. Not at 20. Not at 30. Probably not even at 50. People just get better at faking it.
The other day, someone asked me if I ever regretted starting things “late.” Like YouTube. Or that software company I launched when I was already the old guy in the room. And honestly? I don’t. Because late compared to what? Some imaginary timeline I’m supposed to be following? Who came up with that timeline? Probably the same people who decided low-rise jeans were a good idea.
I’m 45, and I quit my job to make videos on the internet. That’s objectively ridiculous. I’m not here to prank anyone or do TikTok dances. (Although, if I did, you’d all better watch.) I don’t fit the mold of what a YouTuber is supposed to be. And that’s exactly why it works. I’ve lived an entire life before I ever hit “record.” I’ve made a million mistakes. Hired the wrong people. Married the right one. Built a company. Burned it to the ground. Raised kids. Paid bills. Failed spectacularly and lived to tell the tale.
If I’d started in my 20s, you know what I’d be talking about? Nothing. I’d have no stories. No perspective. Just vibes.
The funny thing is, we spend so much time agonizing over what we didn’t do when we had the “chance” that we forget the chance is still there. It’s always there. Life doesn’t have a syllabus. You don’t need to cram for midterms or hand in your project by some arbitrary deadline.
There’s this idea we get in our heads that if we miss the boat, it’s gone forever. Like there’s one boat, and once it sails, we’re stranded on the island of mediocrity forever. But the truth is, there are so many boats. Some are ugly, some are slow, some are full of screaming toddlers. But there’s always another one coming. You just have to decide when you’re ready to get on board.
I think about this a lot when I hear people say, “It’s too late.” Like the world has already moved on without them, and there’s no room left at the table. But time is going to pass anyway. Five years from now, you’ll still be five years older. The question is, do you want to look back and say, “I wish I had,” or, “I’m so glad I did”?
Here’s the thing: I don’t regret the choices I made when I was younger. Not because they were all good, but because they were mine. And the ones I didn’t make? I don’t regret those either, because I know I can still make them. Or not. Who cares?
Time isn’t running out. That’s just something we tell ourselves when we’re scared to try.
I know this sounds preachy. Like I’m the wise old man sitting on a mountain, dispensing life lessons to anyone who’ll listen. But the truth is, I don’t know anything. I’m just a guy who’s tired of pretending we’re all supposed to have it figured out.
If you’re reading this and thinking, Yeah, but what if it’s actually too late for me? Let me tell you something: it’s not. It’s never too late. To start a business. To fall in love. To make a video, write a book, learn the guitar, or finally dye your hair that stupid shade of pink you’ve always wanted. The only thing standing in your way is you.
Or, you know, a lack of pink hair dye. But that’s fixable.
If you want to hear me rant more about this whole idea of “too late,” I made a video. Or don’t. The internet’s full of videos. But if you do, you’ll find it here.
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