What should I do in my 20s?
The short answer
Compound one hard skill, build a small group of high-agency friends, get financially literate, and take reversible risks aggressively. Optimize for optionality, not prestige.
Signals to weigh
- 01Which skill, if you owned it deeply by 30, would multiply your options?
- 02Who are the 5 people you spend most of your time with? That's your average.
- 03Are you saving 15-25% of gross income — the earlier you start, the more time does the work?
- 04Are the risks you're taking reversible? Those are the ones to say yes to.
How to decide
- Step 1Pick one hard skill and go deep for 3-5 years. Depth compounds; dabbling doesn't.
- Step 2Build financial literacy this year — index funds, tax basics, credit, insurance.
- Step 3Say yes to reversible risks: moves, side projects, unusual roles.
- Step 4Invest in 5-10 friendships that will still be here at 40.
- Step 5Travel and live somewhere new before responsibilities harden.
Framework used
Second-Order Thinking →Full walkthrough of the framework, with examples and pitfalls.
Consider these alternatives
- ·A 12-month structured stretch program (fellowship, apprenticeship) if you thrive with scaffolding.
- ·A gap year at some point, deliberately taken, not drifted into.
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