5 ms·

Yes. I'm 43 and I'm feeling that I'm only now just hitting my stride, career wise, with good idea what I'm actually good at, want to do and can contribute. 20-

by dagw 5y ago

Yes. I'm 43 and I'm feeling that I'm only now just hitting my stride, career wise, with good idea what I'm actually good at, want to do and can contribute. 20-40 was basically floundering around, trying things, learning things and working out what I wanted to do when I 'grew up'. And looking back, I wouldn't want to have had it any other way.

WJW 5y ago
For sure. When I was 15, I looked back on my 10-year old self as someone who didn't know anything but now I had learned a lot. When I was 20, I looked back on my 15-year old self as someone who knew nothing but now I was an adult. At 25, I looked at my 20-year old self in the same way. Repeat for the next few steps. I'm now 35, pretty happy with how it is going life- and career-wise and I look back on my 30-year old self as someone who was starting to get it but was still rather young and naive. Today I feel like a proper adult who does adulty things and has life figured out reasonably well, but no doubt 40-year old me will think my current self was still pretty young and inexperienced.
- benibela 5y ago
  On the other hand, now I am 32, and when I look at back at my 15-year old self, I just knew everything back then. I am only regressing since then in all ways
  - edzillion 5y ago
    The Best Lack All Conviction While the Worst Are Full of Passionate Intensity
  - adamsmith143 5y ago
    Maybe in feeling but certainly not literally. A 32 year old working in a field is going to know far more than their 15 year old counterpart. Of course you may be getting into the "I know that I know nothing" regime. While your 15 year old self subjectively thought they knew everything.
kilroy123 5y ago
This gives me hope! I'm mid-thirties and getting older.
chasd00 5y ago
It's like the stopping problem or "secretary problem". When you have the time ( 20s, 30s) try as many different things as you can. In your 40s and 50s narrow and cash in. "cash in" doesn't have to mean literal cash but could be a metaphor for happiness or contentment.
- dagw 5y ago
  I'd never thought of seeing life/career planning as a version of the secretary problem, but it makes sense. Cool!

by dagw 5y ago

WJW 5y ago

For sure. When I was 15, I looked back on my 10-year old self as someone who didn't know anything but now I had learned a lot. When I was 20, I looked back on my 15-year old self as someone who knew nothing but now I was an adult. At 25, I looked at my 20-year old self in the same way. Repeat for the next few steps. I'm now 35, pretty happy with how it is going life- and career-wise and I look back on my 30-year old self as someone who was starting to get it but was still rather young and naive. Today I feel like a proper adult who does adulty things and has life figured out reasonably well, but no doubt 40-year old me will think my current self was still pretty young and inexperienced.

benibela 5y ago
On the other hand, now I am 32, and when I look at back at my 15-year old self, I just knew everything back then. I am only regressing since then in all ways
- edzillion 5y ago
  The Best Lack All Conviction While the Worst Are Full of Passionate Intensity
- adamsmith143 5y ago
  Maybe in feeling but certainly not literally. A 32 year old working in a field is going to know far more than their 15 year old counterpart. Of course you may be getting into the "I know that I know nothing" regime. While your 15 year old self subjectively thought they knew everything.

kilroy123 5y ago

This gives me hope! I'm mid-thirties and getting older.

chasd00 5y ago

It's like the stopping problem or "secretary problem". When you have the time ( 20s, 30s) try as many different things as you can. In your 40s and 50s narrow and cash in. "cash in" doesn't have to mean literal cash but could be a metaphor for happiness or contentment.

dagw 5y ago
I'd never thought of seeing life/career planning as a version of the secretary problem, but it makes sense. Cool!