When you turn 30, you feel more like you’re in your 20s, but you’ve turned 30 and your life has fallen into a trap that lurks in the shadow of your past. Now you don’t think you want or need the full version of yourself for a fulfilling, happy and sustainable life. There are things you haven’t figured out about yourself, things you’ve forgotten about, and there are many things you’ve forgotten, like your family, your friends, or even your career. All of these things contribute to the unfillable void that a lot of people experience later on in life.
People hold themselves back from achieving the life that they desire. And it’s no coincidence that I witness people make the same common mistakes.
- Believing life ends when you turn 30. For some reason, this trap springs on intelligent and unintelligent, rich and poor alike. 30 seems “old”, and old people don’t have wants, desires, needs and aspirations. Then one day you turn 30, and it hits you. You feel like you are more “you” than you were in your 20’s. You’re more creative, more focused, more emotionally intelligent than before. And until now, you haven’t given a lick of thought to what a fuller version of you would want and need for a fulfilling, happy, sustainable life.
- Not finding your “thing” and committing to it. Some people find their stuff early, like Colonel Sanders, who was a great cook as a boy and came out in the 1950s when he founded KFC, but didn’t commit to it. Other people are committed to something that is not their thing, like a depressed doctor who realizes that only his parents go to school and that’s all they want. Some people, like Steve Jobs, are lucky and succeed after developing their brains, but they must commit to it before consciously choosing a conscious commitment. They could have worked on their theory like Einstein, who worked on his theory for 14 years. Some of the other Beatles practiced for seven years before their big break.
- Not expanding your horizons. If your life is perfect, that means you’ve got everything you need right in front of you. If it’s not, that means the answers are out in the world somewhere. Everyone knows that travelling expands the horizon and that it is one of the most important things in life. You can learn new skills in another country, with other people, in different cultures, at different times of the year and in new places. But so do books. So do new social situations. So does learning new skills. Spend a lot of time doing at least one of those so that you can find the gold nuggets that will make your life better in the future.
- Not understanding yourself. Not everybody knows themselves, but people that have a handle on life sure do understand themselves. It’s just like anything else. You don’t know how an iPhone works, but you understand how to use it. So you don’t need deep introspection, or personality type tests, etc. (unless that stuff works for you). But you do need to know your patterns, your tendencies, what motivates you and what drains you — enough to be able to say “this is right for me, this isn’t right for me”
- Not picking a life anchor. You need something that when the storms of life come (and they will), gives you peace, clarity, and purpose. For me, I am a strong capitalist that firmly stands behind the empowerment of people and freedom for all. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to take control of their lives and gain financial freedom. Without some sort of anchor, I guarantee you life will be hard. You have to stay grounded with the things that you are passionate about. Don’t go too far off into the clouds that you lose sight of reality.
So remember, you have to approach your life with confidence, knowing that you will succeed one way or another. Don’t fall into the trap of these common mistakes. Keep a strong mind and move with strategy. Most importantly, avoid making the same mistakes as all of the other “Average Joes.” Take charge of your life and live it to the fullest.
