Your 20s or 30s or 40s if you are slow like me)
Are for Building, Not Just Partying
If you were to ask a young man of twenty how he plans to spend the next decade, you might hear something about seeing the world, making memories, and living “without regrets.” And if you were to ask that same man at thirty how that plan worked out, you might find him staring at his empty pockets, scratching his head, and wishing he had a time machine and a good book on compound interest.
Life has a funny way of moving along whether we’re ready or not. The trouble is, it gives the test first and the lesson later. Your 20s are a peculiar stretch of road—wide open, seemingly endless, but full of hidden potholes. If you think you can race through them with reckless abandon and arrive at 30 without a few dents, you may be in for an unfortunate surprise.
This isn’t to say you should live like a hermit, locked away with nothing but a savings account and a self-help book. No, the trick is to have your fun without being a fool. Your 20s should be a decade of building—laying a foundation sturdy enough to hold the weight of all your grand ambitions.
Invest in Yourself
Your 20s are the best time to learn, experiment, and fail without the heavy burdens that come later in life. Use this time to:
- Develop marketable skills – Learn skills that will make you valuable in your career, whether it’s coding, writing, public speaking, or leadership.
- Expand your knowledge – Read books, take courses, and seek mentorship from those ahead of you.
- Prioritize health and fitness – The habits you build now will determine how you feel in your 40s and 50s.
Build Financial Discipline
Many people in their 20s fall into the cycle of spending everything they earn, assuming they’ll have time to “figure out money later.” But the earlier you develop financial discipline, the more freedom you’ll have later.
- Save and invest early – Even small investments now can compound into significant wealth.
- Avoid lifestyle inflation – Just because you start earning more doesn’t mean you have to spend more.
- Learn financial literacy – Understanding money is just as crucial as making it.
Focus on Relationships That Matter
While casual friendships and socializing are fun, this is also the time to surround yourself with people who challenge you, support your growth, and align with your ambitions.
- Network with people who inspire you – The right connections can open doors and shape your future.
- Seek mentors – Learning from others’ experiences can save you years of mistakes.
- Be intentional about relationships – Not all friendships or romantic relationships contribute positively to your life. Be selective.
Master Your Mindset and Discipline
Success is built on discipline, not motivation. In your 20s, work on:
- Time management – Learn how to balance work, learning, and fun effectively.
- Resilience – Failure is inevitable, but how you handle it determines your success.
- Self-awareness – Understand your strengths, weaknesses, and what truly drives you.
Enjoy Life, But With Purpose
This doesn’t mean you should never have fun. Travel, explore, and create memories—but do so with intention. Let your experiences contribute to your growth rather than just being temporary distractions.
So the other day, in a moment of what I can only describe as supreme absentmindedness—or perhaps just sheer bad luck—I managed to get my little finger caught in the convertible top of a sports car. Now, don’t go asking how or why. Some mysteries are best left unsolved. The important thing is, there it was, and there it stayed, until I was thoroughly convinced that fingers were not meant to be flattened like a pancake.
With a newfound appreciation for pain and a growing concern for whether my hand would ever be useful again, I hobbled over to the urgent care. The fine folks there patched me up—sewed me back together like an old quilt—and went about their business as if seeing mashed-up fingers was just another Friday Night. The Nurse Practitioner in charge was a pleasant young lady, and her assistant still had her university ID clipped on, so naturally, I got to asking questions.
“You’re both Nurse Practitioners,” I said. “You planning to go all the way and become doctors?” They laughed—not the kind of laugh that means “Oh, we hadn’t thought of that,” but the kind that means “Good heavens, no.”
“We’d rather stay NPs,” one of them said. “Doctors work too much, deal with too much stress, and don’t always get to spend time with patients the way we do. This way, we make good money, help people more, and still have time for our families.”
They said it with such conviction that for a moment, I questioned everything I’d ever known about ambition. Here were two people who had figured out the great riddle of life—not just how to make a living, but how to actually live. I congratulated them right then and there, partly because I admired their wisdom and partly because I was still dizzy from the painkillers.
And for the first time in a long while, I walked out of a doctor’s office with something better than just a patched-up finger—I walked out with a little more hope for humanity.
If wisdom were measured in dollars, most young folks would be bankrupt before they even opened an account. The good news is, the bank of experience is always open, and it takes deposits in the form of hard work, discipline, and a little common sense.
So go ahead—enjoy yourself, see the world, laugh with friends, and make a few memories worth telling. But don’t forget to tuck away a few skills, a little money, and some good habits along the way. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re not the fellow at thirty who’s still borrowing gas money and wondering where the last ten years went.
Your 20s are a wild ride, but if you steer with a steady hand, you just might arrive at 30 with more than just a collection of stories—you’ll have a future worth looking forward to.
If a list of pitfalls is more useful to you than a pep talk, here’s what not to do in your 20s if you don’t want to spend your 30s cleaning up the mess.
People in their 20s make all kinds of mistakes—some harmless, some costly, and some that haunt them well into their 30s and beyond. Here are some of the biggest blunders:
1. Thinking They Have Endless Time
The biggest lie young people tell themselves is, “I’ll do it later.” Later to save money. Later to get serious about health. Later to start that business. But “later” has a bad habit of turning into “never,” and by the time they realize it, they’re playing catch-up.
2. Living Beyond Their Means
Nothing torpedoes financial freedom faster than living paycheck to paycheck because of impulse spending. Fancy cars, designer clothes, expensive apartments—all for the illusion of success. The real flex? Not being broke.
3. Neglecting Their Health
Binge drinking, fast food diets, and all-nighters might not seem like a big deal in your 20s, but your 30s will send the bill with interest. Good habits now mean fewer regrets later.
4. Avoiding Hard Work & Discipline
Some people spend their 20s dodging responsibility, thinking success will magically appear. Spoiler alert: It won’t. This is the decade to grind, build skills, and prove your worth.
5. Ignoring Financial Literacy
Not saving, not investing, not understanding how credit works—these mistakes can trap people in a financial hole. The earlier you learn about money, the more freedom you’ll have later.
6. Wasting Time on the Wrong People
Chasing toxic relationships, keeping friends who don’t push you forward, or dating people just to avoid being alone—these are expensive mistakes, not just in time but in emotional energy.
7. Thinking Success Means a Degree (and Only a Degree)
A college degree is great, but it’s not the only ticket to success. Many people graduate with debt and no real-world skills, while others who learn trades, coding, or sales end up ahead. Skills and experience matter more than a diploma.
8. Fearing Failure
Too many people avoid risks because they’re scared to fail. But your 20s are the best time to fail—you have time to recover. Start the business, take the job abroad, try new things. Playing it too safe often leads to the biggest regret: never trying at all.
9. Staying in Their Comfort Zone
Comfort is the enemy of growth. Too many people stick to what’s familiar instead of pushing themselves to meet new people, learn new skills, or take on challenges. Growth happens when you’re uncomfortable.
10. Not Investing in Relationships That Matter
Family, mentors, and true friends—these connections will outlast jobs, money, and even some relationships. But people often neglect them in pursuit of short-term fun.
11. Chasing Status Instead of Substance
A lot of people chase jobs, cars, or social media clout to impress others. But what actually matters is personal growth, meaningful work, and real relationships—not what strangers think of you.
12. Not Defining What They Want
Drifting through your 20s without any real goals means you’ll wake up at 30 wondering how you got there. Take time to figure out what success looks like for you, not just what society says.
Your 20s can either set you up for a great life or put you in a hole you’ll spend decades climbing out of. The choice is yours.
EXTRA CREDIT
Rewire YOURSELF!
DISRUPT — YOURSELF!
The Steady Grind: Why Consistency Beats Inspiration Every Time
SLEEP
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