I'm intentionally delaying marriage and kids partly for this reason. I think it's important to not feel like too much is left on the table before settling down.

I'm intentionally delaying marriage and kids partly for this reason. I think it's important to not feel like too much is left on the table before settling down. I'm 27 now and not planning to have kids until 35 at the earliest. A lot of it is that I'm only just evolving into the person I want to be (more disciplined, focused on the right objectives, happier, etc), and I want to capitalize on that. I studied pretty hard all the way through to the end of college. Then worked really hard after that. I think I missed out on a good amount of what makes youth enjoyable as a result. So I look at the time between my late-twenties and mid-thirties as a chance at a redo, but this time with better financial security. It's actually a lot more fun when you're more experienced, know more about what makes you tick, and have optionality. I sometimes wonder how many very ambitious people have a similar life experience.