No matter how bad we think we are, we can always become better.

Here is the story of how the Tabi’ee Zaadhaan repented. He narrates:
I was a boy with a nice voice and I was good at playing drums. I was once with a friend and we had nabeedh (a date infusion drink that can turn alcoholic) and I was singing for my friends. Ibn Mas’ud was passing by and entered upon us; he struck the drink container we had and broke the drum. Then he said, “O boy! If your nice voice was to be heard reciting Qur`aan instead you would be the man!” And then he went on his way. I asked my friends, “Who was that?” They told me it was Ibn Mas’ud. At that point tawbah was cast into my soul, and so I ran after him crying, I grabbed his garment and he turned to me and embraced me and cried. He said, “Welcome to him who Allah loves. Sit down.” He then went inside and brought out some dates for me.
Thereafter, Zaadhaan became pious; Al-Dhahabi also reports that he was seen praying and it was as if he was a piece of wood or a tree in his stillness and humility in prayer.
He died in 82H, Allah have mercy on him.
Al-Dhahabi said about Zaadhaan:
He was one of the major scholars, he was born during the life of the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him…he was a reliable and truthful reporter…he reported numerous ahadith. The following are some of the Companions he reported from:
‘Umar
‘Ali
Salmaan (Al-Faarsi)
Ibn Mas’ud
‘Aa`ishah
Hudhayfah
Jareer Al-Bajali
Ibn ‘Umar
Al-Baraa` b. ‘Aazib
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’laam Al-Nubalaa`, in his biography of Zaadhaan.