As 20 something year olds, we often tell ourselves that this is our transition period. That this is when we wait. Wait till our dream job finds us, our magical spouse sweeps us off our feet, our bank populates itself enough so we take a trip to the Caribbean, and that everything that happens in between is temporary. Because 30 is the new 20, right?

Wrong. It really isn’t. Yes, maybe now that humans live for longer (and can possibly become immortal in the next 50 years), have their health for longer, have longer term retirement plans, our 20 year old selfs aren’t exactly in a hurry to buy a house, and become a CEO. But we can’t swish through life and on our 30th birthday magically wake up successful, with a Lamborghini in the driveway and a man grilling sausages in the beautifully trimmed front lawn. 20s are when you put in the work, the energy, the effort and the money to get there, to realise your dream.

The most common cause of drifting through 20s aimlessly is in virtue of the fact that we often don’t know who we are, or what we really want to be. Good news is, you, and your dreams will change, evolve and grow with the passing years. But that isn’t a good enough reason to make start your hustle now. There are teenagers on YouTube juggling school, a YouTube career, the terms and conditions that come with entreprenuership along with all of their teenage, puberty concerns, so you really don’t have an excuse.

Step 1 to getting to your dream, is realising your dream. And step 1 to that, is to find your calling, your Ikigai or your  Raison d’être.

Ikigai
生き甲斐, pronounced [ikiɡai] (ee-kee-gah-ee)
A Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.”

The reason that makes you wake up in the morning, your purpose. Like I’ve talked about before in my previous posts, your job doesn’t have to be something that depraves you of your happiness, if anything it should be able to contribute to it, and not just monetarily.

As a simple way to discover your Ikigai, make 4 lists:

  • Things you like to do, that give you happiness
  • Things you’re good at
  • Things you think the world needs
  • Things you can be paid for

Your Ikigai, would be something that overlaps in all four of your lists. Something that drives you, satisfies you, fulfils you and benefits the people around. It won’t always be obvious, but nothing a little permutation-combination and creativity can’t solve.   

As someone in your 20s, now is when you start to unravel your life, and you are all you believe you’re capable of, and worthy of. This when you begin to create, to design the life that you really want to live.

So prioritise what you love, respect what you don’t, and let go of all that is killing your vibe!

Until next time!

 

 

 

 

 

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