When Bessie Carter, President Jimmy Carter’s mother, was 68 years old, she saw an ad on television for the Peace Corps that said “Age is no barrier.” So she joined.

Almost 70 years old, she went to India and taught nutrition and family planning!

Is it any wonder then, that Jimmy Carter’s, post-presidential years have been so productive and service oriented? That even at age 96, he is still building houses for Habitat for Humanity, still writing books, still teaching Sunday school, still helping people? His mother had shown him. Age is no barrier. Not for doing the right thing, not for finding fulfillment and purpose. 

We talked about Nell Painter’s mother, who became an author late in life. We’ve talked about other parents who got their act together late. We should be inspired by these examples. It’s never too late. It’s never too late to lose weight, to change, to find a new career, to try something new, to invest in yourself. The window is never closed on us… or on teaching our kids. 

This is a job with no end. We are always on the clock… even as the clock is ticking. Keep working–on yourself, on making a difference. Remember that age is no barrier. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past either. Now is now. Now is the time to teach them. Most of all, with your actions. 

The e-book edition of The Daily Stoic is now on sale on Amazon US for $1.99, and deeply discounted on Amazon UK as well. It’s designed to be read one page per day—a perfect way to start the new year. Check it out here.

P.S. This was originally sent on January 1, 2021. Sign up today for the Daily Dad’s email and get our popular 11 page eBook, “20 Things Great Dads Do Everyday.”