Tuesday, May 14, 2013

30 is Not the New 20




One of the biggest generation gaps for me is the idea that while in your 20s, you're supposed to goof off.  The idea of the extended adolescence is alien and, frankly, abhorrent to me.  The idea of staying with your folks into the mid 20s or later...yikes.  I was told by one 20something that he dind't know what he wanted to be when he grew up...and he was 26.  

Oy.

Contrast with myself.  I moved out when I was 18.  I didn't return except for visits.  I had my first company by the time I was 21.  When I was 27, I had secured my place here at the Lab. 

As the speakers says, the reality is that this is the time to build up your future rather than putter around and goof off.  Goofing off is fun and you can do it while working away, but once you start a family, life is harder to bend to getting your career going and waiting too long to get your career going is a disaster.  

Try the things you like.  Try things you might fail at.  Work your rumpus maximux off.  Find out the path you wish to take.  Find those skills you did not realize you had.  

No says you can't have fun on the way. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

And count your blessings that you didn't have to work a couple of years for Uncle Sam....like in the crazy Asian War.

Will Baird said...

heh.

There is that.

However, Uncle Sam didn't want me when I tried to get in: my eyes are simply too bad.