When you reach a certain age, you might think that the dreams you’ve had for so long will never come true. Philippe Dumas, however, shows us that our lifelong wishes can happen, and that we’re never too old to start pursuing them.

The 60-year-old man from Paris always fantasized about becoming a model, but life pushed him in a different direction. “I studied law but never practiced and instead worked in the movie business and advertising,” he explained on Bored Panda. For much of his career, he had been a location and unit manager, but had recently quit the film industry and still yearned for his true calling. In a post on the subbreddit RateMe he took the first step towards it, writing, “Retired but not out, giving a last go to my lifelong dream of becoming a model, do I have it in me?”

The response was a resounding YES from Redditors. In the seven months since that post, Dumas’ new endeavor has blossomed into a full-blown career. He’s signed with six modeling and talent agencies and starred in a number of campaigns. Younger models love his look of a full gray beard and tattoos. “At my great surprise most of the time they compliment my look and ask for a selfie with me,” he told Style Aria. “Finally I keep thinking that getting older is not such a bad thing.”

Here's the initial photo that Dumas shared with Reddit:

Dumas' career has since taken off.

Philippe Dumas: Instagram | Facebook

via [Reddit, Bored Panda, Huffington Post]