Not Being Serious in Your Twenties is a Recipe for Failure

If there’s one notion that is absolutely keeping people back, it’s the idea that your twenties are somehow meant to be fun and exploratory. What’s worse is that this is a very common piece of advice dished out by older adults, people whom these younger folk look up to for guidance.

Almost everything in your life is determined by the time you hit 30: your career prospects, your relationships, your health habits, your degree of financial responsibility, and your hobbies.

Yes, you can change some of these later, but most people don’t, and those who do face disadvantages and struggles. Yes, some people “make it” in their 50s, but those are the exception to the rule and shouldn’t constitute a model.

I’m not advising anybody to suffer through ten years of a rat race, but rather to take this period seriously and make calculated decisions. Don’t study something you’re “interested in” just for the heck of it – if you’re really interested in something, invest your spare time in it. At least try it out in your spare time before committing to a BA. Don’t take two years off to “find yourself” in the jungles of southeast asia. Hunker down and get serious about your future first, while maintaining a healthy balance with other activities you enjoy and areas of interest, and only once you figure that out go and have extra fun by doing things off-course.