The Truth About Being Young and Feeling Inadequate

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Ever scrolled through Instagram at 2 AM, staring at people your age who seem to have it all figured out? That knot in your stomach isn't unique. It's practically a generational birthmark.

Here's what nobody tells you: The world doesn't hate you. You're just not good at anything yet. And that's completely normal. Think about it.

The 25-year-old CEO you're jealous of? She failed at twelve businesses before this one. That guy with perfect art? He's been drawing since he was four. Your friend who landed that dream job?

Applied to 200 positions and got rejected from 199. Nobody posts their learning curve. They post the highlight reel. Remember learning to ride a bike?

You didn't just hop on and race down the street. You wobbled. You fell. You cried. You got back up. Then one day, you just... could do it.

Life skills work exactly the same way. The brutal truth is that being good at meaningful things takes time. Years, sometimes. The 10,000-hour rule isn't just a clever saying—it's the reality of skill acquisition.

What's happening is simple biology: Your brain is still physically forming connections. Your abilities are still developing. Your judgment is still calibrating. This isn't an insult—it's neuroscience.

Society has created this bizarre expectation that you should be fully formed and accomplished by 25. It's a lie. A dangerous one.

Most people don't find their stride until their 30s or 40s. Some even later. The ones who seem to have it all figured out in their 20s?

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Many of them crash and burn from the pressure. Stop mistaking your current skill level for your potential. Stop confusing temporary struggles with permanent inadequacy. The world isn't against you.

It's just waiting for you to put in the hours, make the mistakes, and develop the expertise that makes you valuable.

Your 20s aren't for arriving. They're for starting. For failing. For learning. For building the foundation of who you'll become. So breathe. You're exactly where you're supposed to be—at the beginning.