Our 20s are usually a fascinating period of our lives—fewer worries and responsibilities, more joy and fun. It’s a decade full of new opportunities and growth.
However, it’s also a period when you build habits that can have a lasting impact on your life, whether good or bad. That’s why taking control and making the most of those years is vital.
But there is a problem. In your early adulthood, you lack one trait: wisdom.
As a result, you often end up feeling overwhelmed by the things you should or should not be doing, with the danger of getting caught up in routine and missing out on opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
That’s why I decided to come up with a list of 7 mistakes you should avoid in your 20s to reach your full potential. These are:
1. Playing safe and not taking risks
During your 20s, you discover your identity and try to find your true self. It’s not the time to play safe. Chase your dream, try different things, quit the job you don’t like, and take risks. You will make mistakes, for sure. But that’s the best period to do that—not when you are 40 or 50.
Pivoting is easy in your early adult years. You have almost nothing to lose, and the time works in your favor. So, use that time wisely, and don’t always try to be right.
2. Not networking and meeting new people
A big mistake most of us make in our 20s is believing we can achieve anything we want without any assistance or external help. That’s not how things work in real life, though.
The world rewards those who can cooperate and work together. That’s not a spiritual mantra. It’s just simple math. Even if you can achieve your end goal all by yourself, you will get much faster to the finish line if you ask for help and work with others.
So don’t be a lone wolf in your 20s. Go out there and meet new people with different traits, stories, and backgrounds. Those connections will end up shaping your personality. And you will realize that true happiness comes from helping others, too.
3. Not traveling
Traveling allows you to visit new places and encounter new cultures and people with different mentalities and traditions. It’s one of the most fulfilling experiences for people of any age.
What’s different in your 20s than at any other age? You have the time and flexibility to go almost anywhere you want without many limitations. You probably don’t have kids, haven’t settled somewhere yet, and have limited professional responsibilities. So now is the time to do it.
Yes, you probably don’t have the financial means you will have 20 years later, but you don’t need luxury in your 20s. Just save some money, book a cheap flight, and travel the world. You won’t regret it.
4. Believing you have time
That’s a big one and one of the most difficult to address. You can’t just take action and solve it; you need to reshape your mentality and change your perspective.
In our 20s, we believe that the world is ours and that the time we have at our disposal is endless. It makes sense; we just finished school, enjoy adulthood’s freedom, and gain new experiences along the way. That can sometimes make us lose touch with real life, though.
We might say, “I have this dream, but it’s too hard; I will enjoy life a bit more and work on it later”. But the longer you postpone taking action towards your dreams, the harder it is to reach them later. And then, in the blink of an eye, you turn 30 and realize that time flies faster than you thought.
The time is now.
5. Underestimating the power of self-education
It’s probably not your fault, but you were raised to think that you need to finish school and go to college to get educated so you can pursue a career and become successful. But that’s not true anymore—at least not for every profession.
Yes, formal education is still essential in some areas. But the power of self-education nowadays is immense. You can literally be clueless and pick a dozen books, complete some online courses, follow professionals with exceptional knowledge on a topic, and get better than 80% of students who have completed the most prestigious or expensive university courses.
So don’t despair if you still feel professionally lost or don’t know what career path to pursue. The solution is in your hands.
6. Neglecting your health and well-being
As mentioned before, in our 20s, we usually feel invincible. Freedom, energy, joy—it’s all there.
But the habits you follow every single day in your 20s are the foundation for the life you’ll have in ten years.
So, take care of your health and nutrition, exercise regularly, and check in with yourself and your feelings. These tiny habits add up, for better or worse, in the future. Unfortunately, bad habits are more difficult to break.
7. Not gaining work experience as soon as possible
I don’t intend to sound like your parents.
However, I want to emphasize the importance of practical work experience instead of the theoretical knowledge we acquire in college or school.
Instead of pursuing degree after degree, focus on getting yourself out there and gaining real work experience. Even if it’s not something you love 100%.
I say that for this reason: By the end of your 20s, you need to distinguish between what you like doing and what you don’t. And you can’t just realize that without entering the market and getting your hands “dirty”.
Your 20s are for trial and error until you find what suits your personality and your dreams.
Recap
To sum up, the 7 mistakes that you should better avoid in your 20s are:
1. Playing safe and not taking risks
2. Not networking and meeting new people
3. Not traveling
4. Believing you have time
5. Underestimating the power of self-education
6. Neglecting your health and well-being
7. Not gaining work experience as soon as possible
