I forgot how I stumbled upon The Defining Decade. But it was the wake-up call I needed. This book talks about the importance of our 20s, a topic that I always knew was hugely important. The overarching argument is that what we do our 20s is most pivotal to the development of the rest of our lives into the 30s, 40s and on – and that the paradigm that “30s are the new 20s” is completely false.
I recall one conversation with my ex in which I was expressing how worried that I was hitting my goals with my personal business & entrepreneurship ideas. She reassured me that I already had a decent job and that I’m worrying too much, cause goddamn, I’m only 23.
But after reading this book, I thought to myself “Goddamn, I’m already 23!” Time is precious and if I always get comfortable with my youth, then pretty soon I might be 25/26/27 without going all in on an entrepreneurial venture. To tell you the truth I’m fucking scared of being directionless. I believe I do have a pretty solid direction right now. It’s ambitious:
- Make a graceful transition into UX
+Apply UX skills to freelance and start a digital/internet business
+Make a small fortune
I just hope to not get discouraged on this path and switch directions completely. I’m already switching directions from the business analyst/finance route to user experience design, wishing I studied something UX related back in college. I do have the luxury of youth on my side…for now. But if I don’t hustle, then the years may roll by with stagnant career growth.
I’ll explore this idea of the 20s being a defining decade in more detail later on, as I’m tired and hell and need to get out of this coffee shop. Point is, our 20s fuckin’ manner. We need direction and focus more than ever, for the rest of our lives depend on it.