I loved Ted Talks. Some are defiantly better than others. Here is one that I believe is worth your time.
In this talk, Meg Jay shares how many millennials have the idea that they have all the time in the world to figure out their career, themselves, and their life. “30 is the new 20,” is a sophisticated way to say “there will always be more time.” This mindset of putting off our personal development until a later day is an attractive trap that we all fall into from time to time. In junior high, nothing mattered until 9th grade when you were technically in high school and then everything “counted.” Even then, high school didn’t really count—it was college that really mattered. My question is, when did anything quit counting?
Last time I checked, it ALL counted. Every paper, assignment, calorie, conversation, step, project—they added up and fast. I love the quote by Leonard Bernstein, “to achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” How true that is! It reminded me of Parkinson’s Law that work will expand to fill the time allotted to its completion. So how do we make sure our days, our 20’s, our decades, count? I made a short list of the top five ways to do so.
Five Ways to Tackle Your 20’s
1. Be Urgent
Don’t be rude, don’t run over people, but know that your time is extremely valuable. One key to achieving greatness is to know that you only have so long to do it before someone else does.
2. Write a 5 year Plan
It’s easier to break huge goals into tasks. Tasks that build on each other and lay the roadmap for the years to come. This 5 year plan can appear simple, but you need to understand the “why” behind everything you write down. Collectively, I have spent hours mapping out a 5 year plan that on paper is only 5 lines. However, those 5 lines hold a lot of meaning to me and there is no doubt about how or why I will achieve those things.
3. Get a Mentor
I have lots. Jim Rohn, Karlie Kloss, Ronald Reagan, Elaine S. Dalton, Liberace…. All of these individuals are role models to me for different aspects of my life. Their character traits, life experiences, and life ambitions inspire me to walk outside my comfort zone daily.
4. Take a Serious Look at Your Associations
You can have lots of friends—you should! BUT—take a serious look at the individuals that you spend a considerable amount of time with. Whether you are aware of it or not, who you are around has a powerful effect on you and the person you become. Make sure to spend casual time with casual friends, and major time with the major influences in your life. Don’t forget that spending time with yourself can create lasting value, so don’t skip out on one-on-one with yourself.
5. Create a “Burn List”
Whatever it takes to light a fire under you—do it! I created a “Burn List” on my phone so I can take a look at it whenever I feel that life is too hard and I want to ease up on my current ambitions. Revenge is a beautiful motivator. The key to using this tool for success is that once you get to the top, truly burn the list and forget about it. There is no room for hate in a life as successful, spectacular, and beautiful as the one you are going to create.