This is a fantastic article. It beautifully articulates crucial lessons I importantly (and at times painfully) learned in my 20s but are still trying to act upon in my 30s. Reading this was both very affirming and jolting. I'm already almost a third of the way through my 30s and still have such a long way to go. It just so happens that Lesson 1, "Start Saving for Retirement Now, Not Later," aligns with my new year's resolution for 2014: get our financial shit together. I'm definitely a work in progress (and a piece of work! haha).
The title urges us to "excel" in our 30s. I can't say that verb really attracts me to this enterprise called life. It implies an element of comparison with others and being superior. Sometimes I struggle enough to get by in a sane manner. I prefer to look at life as something in which I make the most of what I've got, do "the best I can with what God has given me." I admit this is inspired by a quote from Sargent Shriver I read in a book about him by his son, Mark Shriver.So here is my approach to these life lessons for my 30s...
1. Start Saving for Retirement Now, Not Later (includes paying off debts asap, saving saving saving, and not spending frivolously): Be A Good Steward
2. Start Taking Care of Your Health Now, Not Later: My Body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit
3. Don't Spend Time With People Who Don't Treat You Well: I Am Beloved
4. Be Good To the People You Care About: Go and Do Likewise
5. You Can't Have Everything; Focus on Doing a Few Things Really Well: Humility... I Am Not God
6. Don't Be Afraid of Taking Risks, You Can Still Change: But I Am A Child of God
7. You Must Continue to Grow and Develop Yourself: Already But Not Yet
8. Nobody (Still) Knows What They're Doing, Get Used to It: Keep Discerning
9. Invest in Your Family, It's Worth It: Honor Your Father and Mother
10. Be Kind to Yourself, Respect Yourself: Be Selfish
I will dedicate a separate post to each of these points.
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