It's Never Too Late to Become What you're Becoming

Cleo Wade wrote, “The best news of all is that it is never too late to become the person you always wanted to be.”

That idea makes you pause for a sec. You mean, I’m not too late? You mean my story’s not yet written? I have time to breathe again?

And honestly? I need that reminder more often than I’d like to admit.

Some days I look at the calendar and feel like time is slipping past me at full tilt. It’s 2025. Depending on how you count it, I have maybe ten solid working years left in my voiceover career, give or take. And there are still so many milestones I haven’t hit yet. Not because I’ve been sitting still. But because creative work unfolds in its own rhythm. Clients come and go. Budgets shift. Algorithms do whatever algorithms do. And when you’re in a field like professional voice acting or creative audio production, you’re always aware of the clock.

But when I catch myself spiraling, I think about Cleo Wade. Not just her quotes, but the way she moves through the world. Her poetry, her activism, her community work… she creates with gentleness and conviction at the same time. Nothing rushed. Nothing forced. Just a steady, compassionate pursuit of meaning, connection, and purpose.

That’s something worth modeling.

In an industry where we’re taught to sprint (audition more, post more, network more) Cleo reminds us that becoming isn’t a race. It’s a practice. A lifelong unfolding. And it’s okay if your path curves around the mountain instead of climbing straight up it.

I look at my own journey in voiceover and see that truth all over the place. I’ve built relationships that matter. I have representation I’m grateful for. I’ve been honored with a SOVAS nomination. I’ve booked national work, tackled long-form eLearning narration, and partnered with producers and creative teams who make this job a joy. And beyond the booth, life is full—steady marriage, good dog, strong family, a home that feels like home.

But there’s still room. Still chapters left to write. Still stuff I want to accomplish. and that'd goopd news because it's never too late to become what you're becoming.

Long-term creative careers, whether it’s voiceover, audio storytelling, or any kind of independent production, aren’t defined by a single moment of arrival. They’re shaped by the small steps: one script, one client, one new technique you try. They’re shaped by the pauses too, the seasons where you’re learning, recalibrating, or simply catching your breath.

I love people who have this way of urging people to care bravely, about themselves, about their communities, about the work that calls to them. And that’s what keeps me grounded when the doubt creeps in. Caring about your craft is never wasted time. Honoring your voice, literally and figuratively, is never a detour.

So if you’re looking at your own timeline and feeling behind, here’s the truth I’m clinging to: our stories are not on a timer. There is no expiration date on growth, reinvention, or possibility. You can still be curious. You can strengthen your skills, deepen your artistry, and build meaningful creative partnerships at any stage. That’s as true at 25 as it is at 55.

Becoming is still available.

And that’s really good news. Because none of us are done becoming. Not yet.