Starting an accounting career at 31 years old. Realistic? Ageism? Will 22 year olds run circles around me?

I, a 30 year old American, have no experience in accounting. I don't really have much experience in anything other than spending the last 5 years getting wasted every day in Asia. Not an alcoholic, it was just fun and easy/expected over there.

Spent too much time messing around. Now it's time to pick up the pieces and thinking accounting, while boring, is probably the safest bet. I could finish an online degree in probably a year through WGU (already have a previous degree from a normal university).

So I'll be around 31 or 32 before really starting my career. I'd like to go to one of the Big4's and just get absolutely destroyed there for two or three years just for the experience/exit ops. Not sure if I'll be able to compete with 22 year olds that have done internships and probably smarter/quicker than me.

If I can't go Big4, what other realistic paths are there? I don't want to be an AP/AR accountant doing data entry (that's what this sub describes that as). I want to eventually be putting out fires or solving/fixing real problems.

I do plan to take the CPA exams if I go down this road. Maybe I should pass the exams before applying to Big4? Is that better or just wait and see what happens?

In 5 years:

Dream goal - $120k remote working from Thailand.

Realistic goal - $80k hybrid in my local city (Louisville, KY)

Hopeful worst case goal: $50k in office with decent health insurance and free pizza on Fridays