The Best Thing I Learned in my Twenties

There have been times during the past decade when I could look back over the past week, or even month, and wonder what constructive thing I had done (if any). I'm not particularly proud of this, and I realize it's an incredible privilege to have had - but there it is. Intermittently I did some fun things, some stupid things, and a few amazing things. Looking back, I realize that I also did a lot of learning.

I learned some great things, definitely - like when you notice synchronicity in your life you should jump on it, and when you're taking the bus in Nepal you should triple-check to make sure you're on the right one lest you find yourself carrying your luggage several miles down a mountain you never should have been up in the first place. But since no one is actually sitting around asking me what the best things I've learned are, I won't bore you further with a comprehensive list. There is one thing, though, that I really wish someone would have told me earlier, and that is this:

YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT

You don't have to figure out the meaning of life, or why the world is the way it is. You can ponder these things if you like, but you'll never really, truly figure it out (at least not by over-thinking it). In particular, not figuring it all out certainly shouldn't stop you from doing what you want to do, or what you feel you should do. To put that another way, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO FIGURE OUT EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE.

You probably don't have to worry too much about choosing a career. Sure, some jobs take lots of forethought and preparation, but if you might really become a pro ballet dancer or a neurosurgeon, you probably already have some inkling that you might be on that path.

Misspent youth notwithstanding, it's not that I'm opposed to hard work or dedication - far from it. I've just come to think it's more important to consider what you want right now. For example, if you want to go to college or grad school, if you think that would be interesting and fulfilling and you're willing to take on the financial obligations, then sure, go for it! Or if you have another goal, like working to buy a house or save up for something you're excited about, then great. Otherwise, why not get up and ask yourself WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO TODAY? On any given day you could apply for an interesting job, make some art, research an interesting topic, check out a place you've never been before, or hang out with a friend. For the most part, you can do this stuff even if you're already or employed, or in school...

Over time, these choices add up. People learn new things and encounter new directions. Our past experience is rarely as irrelevant as we might imagine, since some of the fundamental skills we acquire - to learn, to grow, to use our intuition, to work hard, to be happy - are pretty much always relevant. Just do something incredible, okay? Like, today.


ETA: I did end up adding this post on a similar topic: Other Best Things I Have Learned!