This Ted Talk was recommended to me by a great friend, and I’m so glad I watched it. People always wonder why I put so much pressure on myself to make my 20’s count.

Here is an excerpt of Meg Jay’s lecture:

We know that 80 percent of life’s most defining moments take place by age 35. That means that eight out of 10 of the decisions and experiences and “Aha!” moments that make your life what it is will have happened by your mid-30s… We know that the first 10 years of a career has an exponential impact on how much money you’re going to earn.

Dr. Meg Jay is a clinical psychologist who specializes in adult-development, so I think she knows what’s she’s talking about.

As I watched Meg Jay talk, the feelings I experienced during “early-life crisis” made sense. After finding myself very under-employed with a college degree, I felt like I had wasted an opportunity. My 4 years in college were mostly empty of value because of my indecisiveness. I felt like I was thrown into adulthood without any guidance of how the real-world works. At the time of my “early-life crisis”, I didn’t know what I was feeling. There was a mixture of panic, regret, anger, and anxiety. There was definitely a lot of denial – I did not want to grow up and face the facts. It’s taken a few years, but I think I’ve got the hang of being an adult now.

I know there a lot of 20-somethings that can relate, but making excuses and procrastinating action is not the answer. One day you’ll wake up and wonder where the time went. Why didn’t I network? Why didn’t I explore this interest? Why didn’t I just that skill on my own time when I was waiting tables? The time to take action is now.

Next on my reading list is Meg Jay’s book, The Defining Decade. I do plan on writing a review when I’m done, but I’ll be honest, I have some other books waiting in line before I start this one.

Watch her lecture. It’s about 15 minutes long. Even if you’re in your late twenties, there’s still time to do something for yourself.

Have you watched her Ted Talk? Have you read her book? Share your thoughts.