It’s never too late. It’s never too late to paint a new picture. It’s never too late to write a new story. It’s never too late to sing a new song. It’s never too late.
That passage—from my book Hello Again—is my favorite paragraph I’ve written in my career. In 2025, I celebrate a decade as a published author, and if you asked me to pick a favorite book, it would be like asking me to choose a favorite child. Impossible.
But this paragraph? This mantra? It has shaped me. It has grown with me. And the deeper I go into my personal development journey, the more I believe it.
It’s never too late.
Never too late to start over.
Never too late to rewrite your entire life.
To show you what I mean, let me introduce you to a man named Scott.
A Life Rewritten: Scott Cochran
For over a decade, Scott Cochran was Nick Saban’s right-hand man with the University of Alabama football program, serving as the team’s strength and conditioning coach. He wasn’t just a coach—he was a force.
He is also one of the best hype men in college foothall. On game days, he was a walking bolt of electricity, chest-bumping players, screaming encouragement, and keeping the Crimson Tide fired up.
His signature? A red-faced, tribalistic roar of “YEAH YEAH YEAH!”—a chant that became legendary in Alabama’s weight room, practice field, and game-day sidelines. Fans loved him. He was so much a part of the program that his image would flash across the stadium’s giant video boards, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
Then, in 2020, he left Alabama to join former colleague Kirby Smart at Georgia as the Bulldogs’ special teams coordinator. After the Dawgs captured back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022, he amassed a collection of national championship rings in different stops in his career, cementing himself as one of college football’s most successful figures.
But behind the scenes, he carried a dark secret.
Cochran was battling a crippling addiction to painkillers, at one point consuming up to 25 Vicodin and OxyContin a day.
Eventually, he sought help, found recovery, and publicly celebrated earning his one-year sobriety coin in his 12-step program. Even for Alabama fans watching him work for a rival, you couldn’t help but root for him.
Then, before the 2024 season, he unexpectedly resigned. The truth came out—he had relapsed.
But he didn’t let that end his story.
During his time away from football, he co-founded the American Addiction Recovery Association, using his journey to help others. He traveled the country, speaking to college football programs about his struggles and his road to redemption.
Finaly, in a full-circle moment, Cochran was named head football coach at the University of West Alabama, just 60 miles from Tuscaloosa, where he first became a legend.
From the depths of addiction to redemption and a new beginning in the game he loves—it really is never too late.
A New Dawn: Marshall Allen
Now, let’s talk about music. Specifically, let’s talk about a jazz legend.
Born Herman Poole Blount in Birmingham, Alabama, Sun Ra was a revolutionary figure in avant-garde jazz. His Arkestra pushed boundaries, blending big-band swing with cosmic, otherworldly sounds that would’ve made Duke Ellington do a double take.
One of his closest collaborators was Marshall Allen, a multi-instrumentalist best known for his mastery of the alto saxophone. For nearly 70 years, Allen has carried Sun Ra’s musical torch, keeping the Arkestra alive and thriving.
On February 15, 2025, Marshall Allen will release his debut solo album.
“What’s the big deal?” You may be thinking. From Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, to Dickie Betts—many “sidemen” release solo albums and become solo stars.
Here’s the punchline: Marshall Allen was born May 25, 1924.
Yes, you read that right. Allen is releasing his debut solo album shortly before celebrating his 101st birthday!
A few tracks have been released on streaming platforms. And the early releases reveal a beautiful shift—more straight-ahead jazz in the Great American Songbook tradition. His tone? Hauntingly gorgeous. One track, fittingly titled New Dawn, is simply stunning.
Think about that. At an age when most assume their best years are behind them, he’s still creating. Still evolving. Still proving it’s never too late.
So often, we impose artificial deadlines on our own lives.
Who says you can’t get married for the first time at 50?
Who says you can’t start a world-changing company in your 70s?
Who says you can’t turn a late-in-life passion for frying chicken into a global empire?
As long as your heart beats, your lungs draw breath, and your mind still fires—there’s time.
It’s never too late.
Never too late to paint a new picture.
Never too late to write a new story.
Never too late to sing a new song.
It’s never too late to start again.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock
