Becoming successful at a young age is a desire almost every human on this planet would have. After all, who would want to enjoy life only in their 50’s and 60’s, after all the fresh youthful days are gone? That, of course, is a valid point there, isn’t it?
But, in recent decades, the desire to achieve young has transitioned into an obsession. Especially, right after the computer revolution began in the 1970’s and 80’s. Until that point, most of the millionaires were around 60-ish or somewhere above that age.
Only a very few young women and men ever were millionaires. And that too, most of them in the list were popular singers, sports stars, celebrities and people who had inherited wealth.
It was during this computer revolution that “computer wiz guys” rose to prominence. These are the lads that excelled at coding and developing computers, and who created path-breaking techs. All of a sudden, software and computer companies popped up from different parts of America and across the world.
Young founders became a trend in the computer tech industry. From Apple’s two Steve(s) to Microsoft’s Bill Gates, whose age averaged 22, young tech leaders started ruling the computer world.
From then on, the computer and software industry has spun off thousands and thousands of young multi-millionaire entrepreneurs everywhere round the globe. And with the internet revolution, things just took a wild turn. The age of the internet produced a number of tech giants–like Google, Facebook, Paypal, and Amazon–helmed by young founders, compared to what the computer revolution churned out.
A Classic Scam
So, this era proved people that the tagline “Life starts after retirement” is nothing but a scam and that anyone could become rich at any age. But strangely enough, this “young-rich-is-cool-mindset” has gone way too far to negatively influence our society. The most affected are the millennials and the generations following them.
Before diving into how “young-rich-is-cool-mindset” impacts our generation, let me add a footnote first.
Becoming successful at any field–be it becoming an NFL star, or becoming a Golf pro or starring in a movie–isn’t just a matter of talent, but also luck. There are many other factors that come into play for a person to become successful.
To blindly believe that you can become highly successful at a very young age if you are very talented would be a misconception. Sure, there are numerous prodigies out there who have been recognized by the world and have become popular. But as I said earlier, luck plays a huge part in that too. (Yes, even in a digital era like this.)
Another thing to notice is the type of industry or field you are in. Each of our passions differ and so is each of our fields. You can be the best in your field, yet it might take some years for you to see the real results. And this “rich-at-a-young-age” may not work there, as it takes time. Under such circumstances, one has no way but to keep putting in the work and dedicate himself to the profession over a period of time.
In other words, you can’t expect to become successful unless you have the needed years of experience and time. So, envying young people that have made fortunes in other fields by comparing yourself to them just doesn’t make a point.
Even when it comes to the very field you are in, where the average age of people becoming successful may be young, why should you even bother about it? I can repeat the work luck or probability as many times as I could. Those factors just change the game.
Unrealistic Deadlines Is Your First Enemy
Unrealistic deadlines create enormous stress. And what ultimately happens when you keep abusing yourself for failing to meet your deadline is you will waste your time, and therefore your life. For instance, let’s say you aspire to become a football star before the age of 22. Assume that you are 18 now.
You shoot for the deadline from 18 and keep putting your heart, and soul into the game. You are doing everything you can for the next four years, and guess what? You are not able to make it.
What would it feel like? Something you wouldn’t even want to dream about, right? As days go by, the pain gradually translates into depression, and that depression cripples your future actions.
It’s true that many get to achieve things despite the enormous stress and number of heartbreaks. But that number is very less compared to those who end up going nowhere.
So what do we do now?
You say that we shouldn’t set deadlines so we won’t be disappointed, but how do we even reach our goals if we don’t set a specific time frame to reach them? You ask me.
Well, I never told you that you shouldn’t set deadlines, what I mean to say is to not set unrealistic deadlines about your plans. Our intention should always be to give 100% in what you are doing and to sketch the right strategies to reach the destination. When you set unrealistic goals, by comparing your life to all those instagram influencers and celebrities, you are more likely to disappoint yourself.
Time is an illusion, so is age
What you should say to yourself, in turn, is that it’s okay if you succeed at 30 as much as you want to succeed at 23 or 25. The goal is to enjoy what you are doing and ultimately be the best at it. Age, after all, is a number and an illusion.
Pretty easy to say, isn’t it?
I totally agree with the fact that achieving early would mean you don’t have to work at that gruelling part-time or full-time job to fend for yourself or your family. But, don’t you think it’s worth the wait to become successful at what you truly love? Something that would give your life a meaning?
However, when it comes to fending for yourself and your family financially, if you are really that passionate about your ambition, you will figure out a way to manage things no matter what. The following line may sound a little cringy at this point, but I feel it’d be worth it: “Love makes you do crazy things.”
For you to go to that level, you have got to be truly, madly and deeply in love with your profession.
That said, even if you manage the financial aspects, it might take a while for you to succeed at your ambition, or who knows, God forbid, you may never pull it off. But at least. you will die a satisfied being, after having done what you loved all your life and died trying it.
Millennials, chill out..
The reason why I said millennials and the following generations are most affected by “young-rich-is-cool-mindset” is because, this is their primetime and they are tormented by “fucked-up” “young-rich-is-cool-mindset” advice and news from social media, television, newspapers and fake motivational speakers (some).
What all these people who post and talk about things as such are forgetting is that, in the process, we are creating a whole generation of people with anxiety and depression. It’s high time we stopped doing this to them. It’s high time we started being kind.