Our twenties are supposed to be an exhilarating time in our lives, but more often than not, this decade feels like a long stretch of bewildering lonely experiences, with minor existential crises rife in our lives.
Those years can pass quickly, but they can also be some of the most important phases of your life.
In studying dozens of life stories written by notable successful people shortly before their deaths, researchers at Boston University and the University of Michigan discovered The most important moments, as the twenties were the most focused.
Clinical psychologist Meg Jay, during a TED talk about the importance of this decade, said, “Claiming your twenties is one of the simplest, yet most transformative things you can do for work, for love, and for your happiness.” Maybe even for the world.
Steve Adcock, in turn, used his twenties to pursue his dream of retiring early and traveling across the United States with his wife, Courtney.
In 2016, Adcock and his wife retired at the ages of 35 and 33, respectively, after making about $870,000 working in information technology.
With the right investments, their net worth skyrocketed to $1 million soon after.
Adcock credits much of his success to the clever habits he adopted in his twenties.
Adcock shared three habits every twenty-something needs to lead a prosperous life:
Change your job often
Generation Z and millennials get a bad rap for quickly jumping between jobs, but Adcock thinks it’s one of the best moves you can make in your career.
“If you don’t switch jobs regularly, you’re leaving money on the table,” he said, adding, “I changed jobs 5 times in my 14-year career and got raises of 15% to 20% each time, increasing my salary beyond Inflation rate”.
In turn, the chief economist at ZipRecruiter, Julia Polk, said that the difference in wage growth for job changers relative to those who remain in their current positions has reached a record level, according to what she told CNBC, and Al Arabiya.net viewed it.
People who switched jobs got a 7.7% increase in wages in November compared to a year earlier versus a 5.5% increase for people who kept their jobs without moving, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
He also advised Adcock, to stay at least a year in the same company, because “some employers will not hire candidates who leave their jobs after a short period of time, as the recruitment and hiring process is expensive.”
Say “yes” more than you say “no”
Your twenties are the best time to get out of your comfort zone and take risks.
“If you have an easy, low-stress job, you should change it,” Adcock said. “Your 20s are the time when you have to push your limits and experience your maximum stress levels, because you have more energy and fewer responsibilities than you will have when you’re older.”
Adcock recalled turning down a promotion to a higher role in his early 20s because he didn’t feel confident or prepared.
He added that he then accepted the role, a decision that set him down a higher salary path for the rest of his career.
He emphasized that saying “yes” to more promotions and opportunities early in your career will often lead to better results in the long run, while expanding your experience as you meet new people who can help move your career forward.
Maximizing retirement savings
Although retirement may seem so far away, how you spend – and save – in your 20s can determine the kind of life you’ll lead when you’re older.
Adcock recommended opening an account, which allows you to invest money you’ve already paid taxes on for tax-free withdrawals during retirement, and to maximize the annual contribution.
He said, “If you do not think about any of the savings strategies for retirement, I guarantee that you will regret them later in life,” adding: “In order to live a rich and full life, you always want to think about the next 10 years.. Your twenties do not last forever.” .
