"Never Too Late": "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil trades the anchor desk for a toolbelt

Haunted by "childhood regret" of never learning carpentry skills from his stepfather, "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Tony Dokoupil, recently set out to fulfill his long-held dream of building his own house despite having zero construction experience.

"While I watched my stepfather, Paul, a carpenter, renovate this old farmhouse for my mom ... the dumb teenage me refused to learn how he did it," Dokoupil said.

His dream of that type of self-reliance — along with desire to feel like a hardened pioneer instead of a soft 21st century office worker — led him to reach out to professional woodworker Will O'Connor, who teaches classes in New York and started Dokoupil with a modest birdhouse project. 

The 16-square-inch birdhouse was smaller compared to his ultimate dream of building his wife a 3,000-square-foot house.

Dokoupil struggled with basic carpentry skills like sawing and planing, yet got right into and enjoyed the craft. That enthusiasm led him to Asheville, North Carolina, where he volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.

Under the guidance of construction supervisor Matt Grant, Dokoupil attempted to build interior walls for a bedroom. Despite ambitious goals, his inexperience proved limiting. By day's end, all they'd completed was a single closet.

"It's like a NYC apartment in here," Dokoupil joked.

Back home, Dokoupil presented his completed birdhouse to his wife.

"It's really good," said Katy Tur,  Dokoupil's wife.

Our "CBS Mornings" series Never Too Late highlights stories of people conquering new challenges or embracing a second chapter at any age in life. Watch the 6-week run, showcasing "CBS Mornings" anchors and correspondents achieving their dreams — both big and small. Share your own Never Too Late story here for a chance to get featured on the show.