Stepping into the 20s has felt like walking on a tightrope; feeling stuck on one single line, with no option to turn left or right. The people in our lives turn into an audience, who constantly watch the reel of our lives unfold, screaming at us in hopes that we rely on the directions that they convey to us. And in the midst of listening to a hundred voices giving you well-meant advices about how to run your life, you find yourself lost in a tumultuous whirlpool of indecision. Sooner or later, we are all stuck in a cycle of not knowing what to do anymore.
Losing sight of your dreams and goals is perhaps the worst outcome of adulting. The societal pressures demand that we find a way to do everything essential before we reach the 30-mark milestone. Succeed quicker, make money quicker, avoid failing as much as possible, achieve certainty as soon as you can, dreams can wait but get settled first, get married and have kids, accept these as blessings in your life even if you weren’t prepared to take on these responsibilities, cross off the to-dos of your personal life that work on the clock, pass down the trauma as part of your inheritance. We all lose our identity and the goals that were once crucial for us to have a sense of self-respect. And as the years pass by, we succumb to the voices that dictate what we should be, who we should be, what we should be doing. And we turn into a line of puppets, following life as per the dictations of others.
Stepping into your 20s feels like walking a tightrope, stuck on a single line with no room to turn left or right. The people in our lives become an audience, watching our lives unfold like a reel, shouting directions in hopes that we follow their advice. Within the chorus of a hundred, well-meaning voices telling you how to live, you find yourself lost in a whirlpool of indecision. Sooner or later, we all find ourselves trapped in the cycle of not knowing what to do next.
Losing sight of your dreams and goals might be the harshest outcome of growing up, or as we like to call it, adulting. Society pressures us to check off every essential box before we hit the 30-mark milestone: we must succeed quicker, make money faster, avoid failures, find certainty and stability. Then all of a sudden, we must let our dreams take a pause. Settle down first. Get married, have kids, embrace these blessings even if you’re unprepared, and check off life’s to-dos that work on a clock. Pass down the trauma as inheritance. Forget about the dreams and courage we once held.
Within this cycle, we lose our identity. And the goals that once gave us a sense of self-respect, start fading away into existence. As years pass, we succumb to the voices that dictate who we should become and what we should do. We become a line of puppets, moving through life under the strings of others’ expectations.
And that is exactly why our 20s are more than just a bridge to our 30s. They are more than a phase of enjoyment that eventually gives way to responsibilities. No, these years are when we fill the gaps in our identities and shape the future we desire. The lifestyle we embrace now sets the foundation for the life to come. The 20s are a time to explore who we truly are, beyond the expectations imposed by society, and to define what success means to us on a personal, profound level. If we simply shut our eyes and follow the crowd, we’ll only reach as far as the crowd has gone. To go beyond, we must create our own rules and make intentional choices. So, in this post, we’ll share pieces of our journey to help you define success in your own words.
Knowing Who You Are (And Who You’re Not)
When you take time to reflect and get real with yourself, you discover what you genuinely want and value, which is ultimately the secret to figuring out your own version of success. When you’re unaware of what really matters to you, every step that you take is a vain attempt to achieve something, anything. Growth will only resonate as real growth when you gain some clarity on the metrics you choose to measure life by. Is it wealth, recognition, or simply the freedom to live unbound? That choice is yours to make.
Ask Yourself Real Questions
‘What vibes with my core values?’
‘What activities and work roles make me forget to check the time?’
‘What kind of mark do I want to leave on the world?’
Tune Your Goals With Your Values
Instead of chasing what looks good on paper or what will get you the most likes, focus on achieving goals that resonate with who you really are and what really matters to you. Learn to kill the people-pleaser within yourself.
Roll With the Flow (And Don’t Regret It!)
It’s totally okay to switch up your goals as you figure out more about yourself. Your twenties are all about trial and error, so being adaptable is not just a good-to-have skill, but a must-have. You are in charge of finding your groove and the idea of this should excite you. After all, this is your chance to make your mark on the world.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
And dive into new experiences as much as you can. Whether you’re picking up new hobbies, exploring new places, meeting new people, or exploring different interests, these experiences will help you discover new parts of you that you probably weren’t aware existed. They’ll help you understand what really lights you up and where your talents lie.
Keep Your Brain Buzzing
Never stop learning. Read a diverse genre of books, join cool workshops whenever possible, and find at least one mentor who can help you level up in your career journey. It’s all about staying curious and growing continuously.
Learn From The Fails
View your setbacks as epic learning moments. Every stumble is a chance to build resilience and bounce back stronger.
Prioritize Your Well-being
Don’t forget to take care of your mental and physical health. Let’s set aside some time to practice slowing down once in a while, staying active, and keeping in touch with those few, meaningful connections that we make in life. Success is never just about landing your dream job or hitting big milestones. Real success is about feeling good inside-out.
As you continue on your journey, I encourage you to pause every once in a while and reflect on the progress that you’ve made. Because it’s so easy to underestimate how far we’ve come if we never look back.
Ultimately, your success is uniquely yours, and as long as you stay true to yourself and celebrate your progress, you will enjoy the process of growing up. Let’s remember that life is not just about achieving milestones but about enjoying every single step along the way and becoming the kind of people we really wanted to be as kids.
