Key Messages
Why The Twentysomething Years Are A Crucial Time For Defining Your Future
In The Defining Decade, Meg Jay explains why twentysomethings should make the most of their 20s and not waste this critical decade.
She argues that the twentysomething years are a crucial time of life – much more meaningful than people think.
They can provide an opportunity for growth, career progression, relationship successes and so much more.
Jay explains why living together is not ideal for testing a marriage, how taking odd job opportunities can benefit your career, why having fewer options during your twenties is actually a good thing and why delaying starting a family until your 30s can lead to problems later on.
The Defining Decade provides an invaluable insight into the importance of making the most out of your 20s and outlines exactly how to do that.
Don’t miss out – make sure you get the chance to read it!
For Twentysomethings, Building Identity Capital Is The Key To Unlocking Better Opportunities – But Avoid Underemployment At All Costs
The jobs we have during our twenties play a crucial role in helping us gain the personal and individual resources that are essential for future success.
As described in The Defining Decade, these assets – referred to as identity capital—include everything from college degrees and test scores to the way we communicate and problem-solve.
One great way to build this identity capital is by taking up short-term, even unexpected, job opportunities—such as translating comic books–that expose you to new experiences and empower you to really grow individually.
It’s also important to note that although underemployment – like working as a dog walker with a PhD – can provide some financial stability in the here-and-now, it can lead both emotionally and professionally when seen from an employer’s perspective.
In spite of one’s best efforts in embracing underemployment, research has shown that those who experience this for more than nine months may eventually become depressed and disheartened enough to give up trying altogether.
So, if you’re looking for ways to develop your identity capital while avoiding long stretches of underemployment depression, embrace unusual job opportunities that challenge you personally while offering valuable experience.
Start Working Towards Your Future Goals Early To Avoid Being Left Behind Later
When it comes to long-term wage growth, the jobs we do in our twentysomething years can have a significant influence.
According to the US Census Bureau, two-thirds of lifetime wage growth occurs within the first ten years of a career.
That means if you start your job during your twenties, you’re likely to have higher wages throughout your life compared to those who start their career later.
The issue is that as we age, our lives become less flexible and taking risks such as enrolling in school or moving to a different country for a better job are much more difficult considerations.
This is because families may have mortgages and children who rely on them for stability.
Therefore, people in their twenties should make use of this period where there are no major commitments and do all they can to figure out exactly what they want to accomplish in life and begin working towards those goals.
Doing so will help you avoid feeling left behind later and getting lower salary increases due to starting your chosen career late.
The Power Of Connecting To People Outside Your Circle: The Foot-In-The-Door Technique And The Benjamin Franklin Effect
If we want to improve our career prospects, it’s essential that we learn to value people outside our close personal circle.
We can no longer remain content in just sticking with those we already know well if we want to meet new people and find the best opportunities.
Being able to connect with other people is an important skill that everyone should have in this competitive job market, and the only way to do this is to make ourselves relevant to them.
Making contact with somebody we hardly know will have limited success unless we make a real effort to understand their interests and provide something of value for them.
This kind of approach is known as the “Foot-in-the-Door Technique”, where you start by asking for a small favour and then gradually move onto bigger ones once your initial request has been accepted.
It’s similar in intention to what Benjamin Franklin did when he borrowed a book from someone he wanted favour from, expressing his gratitude afterwards – which ultimately led to mutual exchange of favours and friendship!
So, if you’re looking for ways to engage with strangers outside your close circle, start small and polite – continue building that relationship until it blossoms into something greater!
Realizing The Limits Of Our Options And Overcoming Fear Of The Unknown Are Key To Making Decisions In Our Twenties
When it comes to twentysomethings and the choices they have, there’s a common misconception that is often perpetuated – that they have endless options.
The reality is that twentysomethings actually have far fewer options than they are led to believe, and this is actually a good thing.
This was demonstrated in a study of supermarkets where those which offered more jam varieties than the others attracted more customers.
However, a much smaller percentage of those customers actually bought any jam.
This demonstrates that when we’re presented with too many options, we don’t feel motivated or empowered to make decisions – quite the opposite!
It’s important that twentysomethings recognise their limitations and focus on what they do want rather than dwelling on what they don’t.
Oftentimes these goals are called ‘unthought knowns’ – dreams and aspirations which were forgotten earlier in life because of fear of not knowing how to get there.
For example, wanting to become a politician but having no idea how to go about it!
Therefore it often pays off for twentysomethings to limit their choices in order to make progress and commit fully towards achieving their own achievable goals.
The Importance Of Relationship Guidance – Why We Need More Advice On Choosing Partners
When it comes to planning for our futures, we often get plenty of assistance when choosing our career but not so much when it comes to relationships.
Both require a lot of thought and care, because, after all, selecting the right partner can affect almost every aspect of your life.
And while you may be able to change careers at any time, getting out of a marriage or relationship can be much harder.
That’s why it’s so important that we focus on learning not only how to plan and work on our careers, but also how to do the same with our relationships.
We need guidance from professionals and experts who can help us make informed decisions about who we choose as partners for life in order for us to be successful in both aspects of our lives.
The Defining Decade book argues that, unfortunately, this kind of guidance is sorely lacking—while there are counselors and advisors available for professional advice and guidance about career-related matters, there’s relatively little help available when it comes to determining what we want from a long-term partner.
So if you’re looking for help towards formulating a plan regarding both your career and relationships during this crucial decade of your life, then you need to look no further than The Defining Decade!
Is It Too Early To Get Married At 26?
In her book The Defining Decade, Meg Jay makes the point that postponing marriage does not always lead to a better union.
People may believe that waiting until they’ve acquired some life experience would help them make a wise choice when it comes to their partner, but the evidence suggests otherwise; average age of marriage is indeed rising, but divorce rate remains constant.
Furthermore, if you spend your twenties in low-commitment flings before settling down in your 30s, you might be damaging your chances of finding true love later on.
This fear and pressure of the ‘Age Thirty Deadline’ causes some people to hastily marry without taking enough consideration into whether or not their partner is right for them.
Living together before getting married doesn’t help either.
Although many people think that this provides a trial period where couples can see how well they work as a team – sociology calls this the ‘cohabitation effect’ – research has shown that couples who choose this path are less happy with their marriages and more likely to get divorced than those who don’t cohabit beforehand.
So in conclusion, it appears that getting married at an earlier age does not necessarily equate to having an unhappy union; factors like financial stability or a compatible personality play much greater importance instead.
The Keys To True Love: Dating With A Purpose, A Shared Vision, And Healthy Minds And Bodies
When you’re in your 20s, it’s important to approach relationships with an eye not just towards having fun, but also towards learning about yourself and what matters to you in a potential partner.
This means being choosy about who you date and really thinking about what qualities really matter to you in a long-term relationship.
As your dating experience increases, it’s likely that the people you find yourself drawn to or attracted to are those most similar to you in some way, whether that be by religion, home town, values, or other shared interests.
But it is important not only to focus on superficial similarities; personality traits must also be carefully considered.
Comparing openness- do you prefer routine or exciting experiences? And extraversion- are you talkative or more reserved? can help determine if two partners are a good match for each other.
Characteristics like these become even more important when it comes time for marriage- there is a need for both partners to share a common vision of life that includes flexibility and compromise in order to bridge any gaps between wants and needs.
This will help create trust within the relationship and reduce conflict arising from differences between partners needs or desires.
By taking time during our twenties to thoughtfully explore meaningful relationships we can gain valuable insight into ourselves including our values and goals as well as gain invaluable practice in the art of compromise which will serve us well later on down the road.
Take Chances And Make Decisions In Your Twenties To Develop Your Mental Capacity For The Future
It’s true that our brain only matures completely between the ages of 20 and 30.
That’s why it’s so important that twentysomethings take advantage of the opportunities they have now to learn new skills and make decisions.
The frontal lobe of the brain is what deals with uncertainty and thoughts about the future.
It takes a while for this part of the brain to fully develop, so in order to become better at dealing with serious decisions (e.g., what career path should I take?), one must practice and train as much as possible during this crucial time period.
Many opportunities arise in our 20s, such as taking jobs or attending college – these are great chances for experiencing various things and making meaningful decisions, which will help expand your mental capabilities more than any other age group.
Your 20s are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for learning, which is why it’s essential to take chances and push yourself out of your comfort zone!
Embrace A Growth Mindset To Overcome Negative Emotions And Move Forward In Life
Keeping our emotions in check and taking on a growth mind-set can have a huge impact on our success in life.
Many twentysomethings experience anxiety and low self-esteem, but it’s important to be aware of these emotions and not let them take over.
When worrying takes over it increases the level of stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to depressive thoughts.
At the same time, developing a growth mind-set helps us take on challenges with confidence rather than shying away from them.
People with fixed mindsets are often too quick to assume they don’t need additional skills to accomplish their goals; however, a growth mindset allows us to recognize where we may need improvement and gives us the push that we need to go out and learn new skills.
People who do this gain confidence and have more prospects for job opportunities and better relationships with others.
In short, keeping our emotions under control and developing a growth mind-set allows us to become more successful – both professionally and personally!
Don’T Put Off Having Children Too Long Or Face Potential Consequences
If you want to have children, don’t put it off!
Female fertility peaks in the late twenties.
After thirty, egg quality decreases drastically and your body may not be able to handle pregnancy as well.
So if you wait too long, you may have difficulty conceiving and might need expensive and sometimes unsuccessful fertility treatments.
Delaying having children and marriage can also be very stressful.
You might end up marrying later in life, then wanting to have two children back-to-back quickly so that you don’t have to resort to fertility treatments – a surefire way of putting immense pressure on a relationship between partners.
On top of that, if having children after 35 is commonplace then those parents will find themselves having to take care of both toddlers and elderly parents at the same time with the grandparents unlikely being able to help raise the kids due to their own health issues.
This creates an incredibly difficult situation both financially and emotionally for everyone involved.
Therefore, if you are thinking about becoming a parent someday it’s important to remember that when female fertility peaks during the late twenties is when your chances of conceiving naturally are at their greatest and putting it off will only add more stress for yourself, your partner and your family in the long-term.
Wrap Up
The Defining Decade: The Book Summary’s final message is clear: seize the opportunities that present themselves in your 20s to grow and develop your career, and take the time before you turn 30 to find a partner that is right for you.
In terms of building your career, it’s important to accept challenges and strive for clarity and consistency when it comes to goals so that you can reach greater heights.
Similarly, when searching for a romantic partner beyond superficial similarities like religious beliefs and hometown, consider their personalities as they will determine whether or not the relationship will last.
By investing time into both the career and personal side of life during your 20s, success in all areas will follow throughout the entire lifespan.
