Mindset Monday: Never Too Old? Tom Cillo's 58-Year-Old College Football Comeback Story!
At the age when most people are slowing down, he’s lacing up—proof that your next chapter can start long after everyone else thinks the story is over!
Mindset Monday: Are You Really “Too Old”… or Just Getting Started?
At 30, many people quietly decide their best days are behind them.
At 40, they start talking more about what could have been than what still could be.
By 50, a lot of dreams are boxed up with the old yearbooks and trophies.
And then there’s Tom Cillo.
At 58 years old, Tom suited up as a freshman defensive lineman in college football—banging pads with kids young enough to be his sons, battling in the trenches, and proving on a national stage that age is a number, not a prison sentence.
This Mindset Monday, we’re talking about Tom’s mindset—and how you can steal it to reignite your own life, no matter how “late” you think you are.
Tom’s Story: Still Kicking Ass at 58
Picture this.
You show up to college football practice for the first time. Helmets clanking. Music blasting. Coaches yelling. Your teammates are 18, 19, 20 years old—full of energy, speed, bravado.
And you’re 58.
You’ve lived a whole life—career, family, responsibilities. Most people at your age are talking about retirement, managing their aches and pains, and playing it safe.
Tom Cillo chose the opposite!
Instead of slowing down, he leaned into a lifelong love: football.
Instead of saying, “I’m too old,” he asked, “Why not me?”
Instead of watching life from the stands, he ran back onto the field.
That’s not just a great sports story.
That’s a Mindset Revolution!
Before we go deeper, watch this short feature on Tom Cillo—a 58-year-old freshman D-lineman who refused to let age write his story.
If that didn’t convince you that it’s never too late to chase what you love, nothing will—so let’s break down the mindset that makes a comeback like this possible.
Because Tom isn’t just a 58-year-old freshman D-lineman...
He’s a living, breathing rebuttal to every excuse we quietly tell ourselves:
“It’s too late to start over.”
“I missed my window.”
“People my age don’t do things like that.”
“What will people think if I fail?”
Tom answered all of those with his Actions—not his words!
Quote of the Week
“People are not old when they reach a certain age; they become old when they decide to stop growing.”
Let that sink in.
You don’t “become old” at 30, 40, 58, or 75.
You become old the moment you decide that your story is already written.
Tom simply refused to make that decision.
The Core Concept: Age Is a Story, Not a Sentence
Underneath Tom’s story is a powerful concept:
Your age is a story you tell yourself—about what’s possible, what’s allowed, and what’s realistic. Change the story, and you change your life.
Most of us carry one of these age stories:
The Deadline Story
“If I haven’t made it by 30/40/50, it’s over.”The Comparison Story
“Everyone younger than me is ahead. I’m behind. Why bother?”The Respectability Story
“At my age, I should be more ‘settled.’ Chasing big dreams is irresponsible or embarrassing.”
Tom lives a different story:
The Expansion Story
“Every year I’m alive is another year I can get better, stronger, and more aligned with what I love.”
Same calendar. Different narrative. Completely different life.
Tom’s mindset can be summed up in three beliefs:
Passion doesn’t expire.
Football didn’t stop mattering to him just because decades passed. Your love for music, writing, fitness, business, art—none of that has an expiration date unless you give it one.Discomfort is the bridge back to aliveness.
Lining up against teenagers as a 58-year-old man is not comfortable. But that discomfort is where confidence, energy, and joy are reborn.Identity is flexible.
You’re not just “a parent,” “an employee,” or “someone past their prime.” You can wake up and decide: I’m an athlete again, a student again, a creator again.
Tom didn’t time-travel back to age 18.
He just refused to let 58 mean “done.”
Courage is what it looks like when you stand shoulder to shoulder with people half your age and decide you belong there anyway.
How to Apply Tom’s Mindset in Your Own Life
You don’t have to play college football at 58 to live like Tom.
You just have to update your internal story about what’s possible at your age.
Here’s how:
1. Catch Your “Too Late” Language
Start paying attention to phrases like:
“At my age…”
“I’m too old for that.”
“That’s a young person’s game.”
“I missed my chance.”
Every time one of those thoughts shows up, pause and ask:
“Is this a fact… or just a habit of thinking?”
Most of the time, it’s habit, not truth.
2. Find a Passion You Buried, Not One You Borrowed
Tom didn’t pick football out of a hat. It was a genuine love.
Ask yourself:
What did I love in my teens or 20s that I quietly gave up because “life got serious”?
What do I watch videos about, read about, or admire from a distance?
That’s your version of football.
It might be:
Weightlifting or running
Painting or photography
Starting a business
Going back to school
Learning an instrument
Speaking, writing, or content creation
You don’t need permission. You need a starting point.
3. Choose an Arena, Not Just a Hobby
Here’s the key difference:
Tom didn’t just toss a football around. He entered an arena—a real team, real competition, real stakes.
Your arena might be:
Signing up for a local league or competition
Enrolling in an actual class or program
Launching a side business with paying customers
Scheduling your first performance, show, or posting schedule
Arenas create accountability, feedback, and growth.
4. Expect Resistance—from Yourself and Others
Not everyone will get it.
Some people will think you’re having a midlife crisis.
Some will project their own fears onto you.
Your own body and mind will scream, “This is uncomfortable. Stop.”
That doesn’t mean you’re wrong. It means you’re alive.
Tom didn’t earn respect before stepping on the field.
He earned it by showing up again and again.
You will, too.
Big comebacks start quietly—often with a pen, a blank page, and the decision that you’re not done yet.
⏱️Your 5-Minute Mindset Monday Action Plan
You don’t need to overhaul your whole life today. You just need to start the pivot.
Here’s a simple 5-minute action plan inspired by Tom’s story:
Minute 1: Rewrite Your Age Story
Finish this sentence in your notes or journal:
“At my age, I still can…”
“At my age, I’m just getting started with…”
Make it bold. Make it specific.
Minute 2: Name Your “Tom Cillo Dream”
What’s the thing you’d love to do that feels “too late” or “too crazy”?
Write it plainly:
“I want to run a marathon.”
“I want to go back to school.”
“I want to start a YouTube channel.”
“I want to play in a band again.”
“I want to be strong and athletic again.”
No filtering. Just honesty.
Minute 3: Choose Your Arena
Ask:
“What is the real-world arena for this dream?”
Write one:
A league, competition, class, race, certification, live show, launch date, or public commitment.
Example:
“Sign up for a 5K in 90 days.”
“Enroll in a local art class next month.”
Minute 4: Take One Tiny Visible Step
Right now, before you move on with your day, do one concrete thing:
Google a local team, league, class, or group.
Bookmark the signup page for a program.
Email or message someone who’s already doing what you want to do.
Block 30 minutes on your calendar this week labeled “Working on [Dream].”
Make the dream visible in your real world.
Minute 5: Set a “Tom Check-In” Reminder
Set a reminder on your phone for next Monday called:
“Mindset Monday: Am I still playing small?”
When it pops up, ask yourself:
Did I move one inch closer to my arena this week?
If not, what’s one small action I can do today?
Consistency beats intensity. Tom didn’t become a freshman D-lineman in one decision—he followed that decision with daily actions.
Mini FAQ: Mindset, Age, and Starting Late
Q1: What if my body isn’t what it used to be? Isn’t that a real limitation?
Absolutely—your body changes with age. That’s real. But a limitation isn’t a full stop; it’s a design constraint. Work with your reality:
Get medical or professional clearance if your dream is physically demanding.
Adjust intensity, not ambition. Maybe you can’t play full-contact football, but you can lift, run, train, or compete in age-appropriate categories.
Focus on progress, not comparison to your younger self.
Tom didn’t deny his age. He trained for it.
Q2: I feel embarrassed starting as a beginner at my age. How do I get over that?
You don’t wait for embarrassment to disappear—you move with it.
Remember: everyone you admire was once a beginner.
Most people are too focused on themselves to judge you as much as you think.
The courage to be seen starting is exactly what inspires others—just like Tom’s story inspires you.
Being a beginner at 58 is not shameful. It’s rare and powerful.
Q3: How do I stay motivated when progress feels slow?
Shift your focus from outcomes to identity:
Outcome: “I want to win / dominate / be the best.”
Identity: “I’m the kind of person who keeps showing up.”
Celebrate:
Every practice, not just every win.
Every rep, class, or post—not just big milestones.
Tom’s real victory started the day he stepped onto the practice field. Everything after that was bonus.
At some point, you stop watching from the stands and run toward the light yourself—that’s the moment your life starts over.
Final Thought: What Will Your 58-Year-Old Self Thank You For?
Tom Cillo didn’t wait for permission from society, his birth certificate, or anyone else.
He decided:
“I’m still in the game.”
“I’m still allowed to chase what lights me up.”
“I’m still writing new chapters.”
So here’s your Mindset Monday challenge:
Act today in a way that your future self will point to and say,
“That’s the moment I stopped aging and started living again.”
You may not be a 58-year-old freshman D-lineman.
But you are the author of your next chapter.
And the pen is still in your hand.
Pay It Forward! 🚀
~Brett
TheMorningMotivator.com · CompleteBusinessFitness.com
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