You know, I recently reread the story of Colonel Sanders, and it always amazes me. Harland Sanders is not just a name on a chicken package; he’s a symbol that it’s never too late to start.

Imagine his life. His father died when he was 6 years old. A young boy prepares food for his younger brothers and sisters instead of playing. School? He dropped out in seventh grade. Then he worked everywhere he could — on a farm, as a conductor, a fireman on the railroad, a soldier, even an insurance agent. And everywhere he was fired, faced failures.

Here’s the interesting part — most people would have simply given up after that. But not Colonel Sanders. By age 40, he finally found what he was good at. Managed a gas station, cooked food for travelers. His fried chicken became legendary. For the first time in his life, he felt he was creating something valuable.

But fate struck again. At 65, a new highway was built that bypassed his restaurant. The business declined. All he had left was a government benefit — $105 a month. For most, that would be the end of the story.

And for Colonel Sanders, it was only the beginning. Loaded his car, took his recipe, and went from restaurant to restaurant. Slept in his car, knocked on doors, offered his idea. He was rejected 1,009 times. A thousand times people said no. But he didn’t give up. On the 1,010th attempt, a restaurant agreed. That was the first KFC franchise.

By age 70, his chicken was everywhere in America. In 1964, he sold the company for $2 million — just a number for that time. Today, KFC operates in 145 countries with over 25,000 outlets. His face became an icon of the brand.

What amazes me about Colonel Sanders’ story? It’s not luck or genius. It’s simply refusing to give up. He failed hundreds of times, lost everything at 65, but chose action over despair. Every time I hear someone say it’s too late or too difficult, I remember this story.

Colonel Sanders proved that age is just a number, failure is information, and true success comes to those willing to knock on the 1010th door.