The Mindset Shift You Need if You’re in Your Twenties

So many millennials I know (including myself) are overthinking way too much.

We’re often worrying too much about being successful at something that we cripple ourselves into taking no action. Action is the greatest thing we can do in our twenties in order to grow. Through action, we can figure out what we’re passionate about, and what we wouldn’t mind taking a pass on.

Success is what you define it, and nobody else’s opinion should matter more than your own. You can do anything you set your mind to! People in their twenties these days feel like they need to have life figured out already.

The truth is, some people in their thirties, forties, and even fifties aren’t exactly sure if what they’re doing in life is “right” for them, so don’t sweat it.

Think About What You’ll Tell Your Grandkids

A major factor that goes into figuring out what you want in life has to do with the things you did in your twenties.

Do you want to be the grandma or grandpa who tells the grandkids about how you always played it safe? How you always colored within the lines? Never made mistakes?

Or would you rather be the grandparent that inspires your grandkids about how you went all-in on your passion? Would you love to tell them about how you lived life with no regrets?

The optimal strategy for living a happier life overall is by failing a lot. I have no fear of telling my grandkids about how much I failed in my twenties.

I’m only twenty-two, but I’ve made my fair share of mistakes with money, business, honesty, education, and so much more. I have grown through each mistake I’ve ever made, no matter how severe or how small it was. You can too.

Your grandkids will be the deciding factor in whether or not you are an inspiration or an example of what not to do. It’s all up to you to write that script right now.

“The goal isn’t to live forever, it is to create something that will.“ — Chuck Palahniuk

Pave Your Own Journey of Self-Discovery

By trying new things, you’ll discover things about yourself you didn’t know existed. If I hadn’t taken the leap of faith and joined the army, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to deploy overseas for an incredible experience. It was like a study-abroad trip on steroids!

During my deployment, I discovered how passionate I am about blogging, well creating content in general. You may feel the same way too. If you hadn’t written your first blog post, you would never know that you have some writer’s DNA inside of you. You would’ve never made your first penny.

Too many people fear to fail because of the potential judgment or backlash they think they’ll face from their friends or family. The one that gets me is the people who compare themselves to the kids from high school. Why should you care about where they are in life?

All that truly matters is where you are headed. Most humans fall prey to envy. The content you consume on social media and in entertainment will bee crucial to your self-discovery. If you consume content that doesn’t align with your values, it could be time to tune into something different.

Your self-discovery has to be your own journey, whatever that looks like.

Time Is Not A Limitless Commodity

Ultimately, we’re going to grow up and it’s all going to happen really fast. I’m only two years into my twenties, and I already feel like it’s zooming by. It’s scary to think that I’ll be a “real” adult in only about eight years.

Building a sense of urgency is one of the great advantages of being fearless in your twenties. Those who live life with a sense of urgency accomplish more, learn more, experience more, and end up making more money.

When you’re on your grind, you’ll go all-in on different tasks and accrue valuable experience that would do your resume justice.

Be sure to keep track of all your accomplishments and reflect on them. There’s always a reason you do the things you do. You either enjoy them, or they make you money — both of which are very beneficial.

By the time you reach your thirties, you’ll have started a family or will be planning to start one. You will be hammered down with more bills and responsibilities.

No longer will you be the only one you have to take care of. Having a family may force you to sacrifice your passions and put them on the backburner. It’s unfortunate, but it happens to so many people.

As long as you budget your time like you budget your money, everything will turn out the way it was meant to be.

Final Thoughts

In short, there are many ways to live the life you want, and a lot of it has to do with what you do in your twenties.

Now is the time to set yourself up with a good foundation so that you can have success in the future. When living your life with strategy and fearlessness, you make anything possible.

Based on my personal experience of being in my twenties, having mentors much older than me, and studying powerful influencers, these are my top recommendations:

• Think About What You’ll Tell Your Grandkids
• Pave Your Own Journey of Self-Discovery
• Time Is Not A Limitless Commodity

Happiness comes out of being willing to do your work in your twenties to find out who you are, what you love. — Candace Bushnell