I recently read an article about how one ought to gingerly select what job you take soon after campus, or secondary school, for you may soon find yourself in a deep financial hole – living beyond your means, servicing vicious loans and competing with the Jonses. But we all know that we do not have the luxury of getting a job in the industry we desire, and not all of us have the guts, or the skills to be entreprenuers (for the grave of failed businesses is filling fast) – the odd 24 year old is in a tight bind.
One cannot simply pass up a well paying, or even an average paying job because it does not fit neatly into one’s future plans – this could be your future plans nudging you into something that you may find challenging at first, and soon grow to love and enjoy. But we all know the youth aren’t that open minded – but you are lucky if you are.
On the flip side are those people in employment, between the ages of 25 and 30 years who seem to be drifting with the ebb and flow of the current. A 9-5 job that pays the rent, puts food on the table (if they have another piece of furniture aside from their bed), and pays for the not so occasional tipple with the boys, or girls. The problem with this YOLO attitude is that it fails to appreciate (and ironically pretends to do the same thing) that the future is fast approaching – and that “living every day as it comes” (though a sexy and catchy mantra) will not serve.
Sacrifice and planning always come up top when pitted against spontaneity and childish impulsiveness. So what if one is living young and wild and free – truth be told, in the greater scheme of things, a patient and relentless attitude will always trump a carefree one hands down.
Youth is but a fleeting ball of smoke, which seems solid and unshakable, but in a brief moment is blown away to one’s 30’s – an age I hear can be the climax of professional and personal growth – but can also be the as tumultuous as an angry pirate.
The Bean Counter Thinks: Go slow on the “youth rhetoric”, get a job/get involved in something you really believe in and get a little bit serious – and have some fun along the way – that’s a good thing as well.