“I think your 20s are the hardest part of life. I mean, everyone goes on about how hard it is to be a teenager, but actually I think it’s tougher to be in your 20s because you’re expected to be a grownup and expected to earn your own living and be successful and I think you feel like a kid still.” – Nigel Col

People say life begins at 40 but I think whatever life would begin for you at 40 takes its shape from what happened in your 20s. Your 20s is such a delicate stage of your life and contrary to expectations the last thing you should do is to be careful. Yes! You read me right, 20s is the only age you can be very adventurous and still get away with it.

(My definition of adventurous includes, trying something new, going against odds, wanting to leave home to another country, wanting to change course, job, career, deciding to startup your business, making friends in high places and so on. My definition of adventurous excludes illegalities.)

Your twenties is when you can be reckless and still have enough time to get it right. Reckless in terms of being selfish and maximizing how much you can bend the rules and still get away with it. You can decide to move fast, make hasty decisions and at same time be smart. In your twenties you can come up with a business idea and then rush into it without proper knowledge of what the terrain is. You are driven by ideas and not by sustainability and the good part is, you can pull it off because you are young and you have enough time to learn on the job and get it right.

Being single is another advantage you have in your twenties. You have no baggage to weigh you down or slow you down. Your decisions can be selfish and you would not have to feel guilty about them or explain to anyone. That’s why I will always advise especially men, do not tie someone down (in relationship) until you have the means to do so. Being single is a blessing at 20s, don’t let anyone put you under pressure. It is easier making decisions for one, and putting your life in perspective view of what your desires are before bringing someone else into the equation.

So if you are still in your twenties your time starts now get busy, make your mistakes now, try new things one after the other, fail forward and don’t stop trying. Also, get close to God as there are lots of temptations out there such as rituals, Internet frauds, sexual scams and sex for money. These are not hustles, these are you mortgaging your future. Get close to God so you can be less tempted in an ever-increasing temptation-filled world.