Escape Average: Outperform 99% of Your Peers in Your 20s

Your 20s are often described as a tutorial phase—a crucial preparation period that sets the foundation for the rest of your life. This decade is not the main event, but how you navigate it will determine whether you soar to new heights or get stuck repeating the same cycle over and over. To truly get ahead of most 20 year olds, it’s essential to understand the traps to avoid and the strategies to embrace during this formative time.

The Reality of Your 20s: Two Paths to Choose

In your 20s, you face two fundamental options:

1. Become the person you are meant to be by pushing your limits, embracing discomfort, and growing continuously.
2. Repeat the same 6 months for the rest of your life, stuck in a loop of anxiety, overwhelm, and shallow routines.

Many people plateau around age 23 and settle into a repetitive lifestyle, believing they are “just living life.” However, there is no such thing as standing still—either you improve or gradually decline. This stagnation often leads to emotional immaturity well into the 30s and beyond, while the world around you moves rapidly forward.

Three Critical Traps to Avoid in Your 20s

1. Don’t Listen to Anyone Who Doesn’t Have the Life You Want

The vast majority of people—over 99%—do not live the life you aspire to. Most advice comes from those who have settled for mediocrity and are often trapped in outdated mindsets. They might push you to be “realistic,” stick to a budget, or accept a boring 9-to-5 job as a rite of passage. However, blindly following their advice risks wasting your potential.

Instead, seek out the rare few who have achieved what you want. Study their methods, experiment with their advice, and adapt the best parts to your own unique journey. This deliberate ignorance of the masses is essential for breaking free from the norm.

2. Get Your Taste of Distractions Quickly and Move On

Youth is a precious currency, not just a time to spend on fleeting pleasures. While partying, watching Netflix, or other distractions aren’t inherently bad, they drain your time, energy, and focus—resources that are abundant in your 20s but diminish rapidly with age.

The key is to experience these distractions early, recognise them as mistakes, and move on. This requires having meaningful goals to contrast against the distractions. When you’re actively working toward something significant, it becomes easier to see how certain habits hinder your progress.

3. Avoid Getting a Traditional Job That Drains Your Time and Energy

Taking on a typical 9-to-5 job often means sacrificing a third of your life to work you dislike, followed by another third spent recovering from that work. This cycle can drain your motivation, health, and creativity, making it harder to pursue personal growth and meaningful challenges.

Instead, strive to build your own business or alternative income streams. Entrepreneurship allows you to control your time, energy, and money, and provides continuous challenges that fuel personal development. The repetitive nature of most jobs leads to stagnation, whereas starting a business—even if small or experimental—opens doors to exponential growth and freedom.

5 Empowering Actions to Take in Your 20s

1. Set Goals That Scare You

Goals that push you beyond your comfort zone generate an intrinsic motivation unmatched by any external stimulant. By aiming high and embracing discomfort, you ignite a powerful drive to grow and evolve.

Try writing down 10 ambitious goals for the next 10 years, focusing on one major goal each year. This approach expands your mindset, shapes your daily actions, and aligns your efforts with long-term success. Whether building a million-dollar company or mastering a new skill, the scale of your goals determines the scale of your growth.

2. Make As Much Money As You Can

Money is often misunderstood and stigmatized, but it is a fundamental tool for freedom and growth. Having financial resources supercharges your ability to develop across multiple life domains—mind, body, spirit, and beyond.

Develop a healthy psychological relationship with money. Understand that making money is a skill like any other, requiring practice, resilience, and interaction with others. It’s not about greed or morality; it’s about creating options and security to pursue your highest potential.

3. Commit to Self-Actualization

The ultimate aim of life should be self-actualization—the process of becoming the best version of yourself. Every decision you make should align with this goal.

Train your mind to zoom out and consult your highest self when faced with choices. Ask yourself “Who do I want to become?” and “What life do I want to live?” This habit shifts your focus away from short-term pleasures toward meaningful, conscious growth.

Self-actualization protects you from the slow decay of complacency and ensures that your actions contribute to a fulfilling, resilient life.

4. Embrace Failure as a Learning Tool

Growth in your 20s involves trial and error. Whether it’s launching a business, mastering a skill, or improving your health, failure is inevitable and necessary. Each setback is data that refines your approach and strengthens your resilience. View failure not as a defeat but as an essential part of your journey.

5. Prioritise Physical and Mental Health

Your body and mind are the vehicles for your ambitions. Invest in consistent exercise, proper nutrition, and mental wellness practices. Physical energy fuels productivity and creativity, while mental clarity enhances decision-making and emotional regulation. Neglecting health undermines all other efforts.

Conclusion: Own Your 20s to Own Your Future

Your 20s are a powerful, fleeting opportunity to set the trajectory for your entire life. Avoid the traps of listening to uninspired advice, falling into distraction, or surrendering your time to uninspiring jobs. Instead, set bold goals, cultivate financial skills, and commit to becoming your highest self.

By embracing discomfort, learning from failure, and prioritising your health and growth, you can break free from the cycle that holds most people back. The world is evolving rapidly—take control of your journey now to ensure you’re not left behind but thrive well into your 30s, 40s, and beyond.