You Don’t Have to Have It All Figured Out. And Maybe You Shouldn’t

Let’s cut the shit. 

There’s this unspoken (and sometimes very spoken) rule that by 26 or 27, you should have your life locked in. 

Good job, nice place, healthy relationship, stacked savings account, maybe even a wedding on the calendar. 

And if you don’t have all that? 

Well, something must be wrong with you, right?

Wrong.

That’s not real life. That’s Instagram life. That’s Netflix sitcom life. But in real life, most of us are just figuring it out as we go. Even the ones who look like they’ve got it all together are usually barely holding on.

The Grindset Lie

You know what makes this worse? Hustle culture. This idea that if you're not tired, burned out, and juggling six side projects, you're lazy.

“Hustle harder.”

“Sleep when you're dead.”

“Grind now, shine later.”

Look, I’m all for working hard. But there’s a difference between discipline and masochism. 

This obsession with always doing more is wrecking people. 

Especially younger folks trying to prove themselves. 

They’re grinding their gears down to dust trying to keep up with a vision of success that doesn’t even exist.

And who are they grinding for? 

Some faceless standard set by influencers and corporate culture? Fuck that.

You Learn More From Falling Than From Winning

It's okay to make mistakes, have hardships, and it's 100%  okay with not having things “together.”  

We've all been there: losing internet, dental issues, having your power shut off, choosing between a car payment and paying rent, and many other setbacks. 

And you know what? 

Those are the moments that build people. 

Not the bullshit Instagram highlight reel stuff. 

The ugly stuff.

And that’s real. We don’t grow when we’re comfortable. 

We grow when we’re forced to adapt, figure things out, and move forward even when things suck.

That job you hated? 

That relationship that crashed and burned? 

That time you had $17 in your bank account on payday? 

All of it shaped you.

So no, you don’t need to be some finished product at 25. You need to be a work in progress that doesn’t quit.

The Trades: A Real Path That Makes Sense

Let me throw something out there. You want real freedom? 

You want to build something of your own, on your own terms? 

Look into the trades.

Here’s the truth: not everyone’s built for the office. 

Not everyone wants to sit in Zoom calls and type on a keyboard all day. 

And not everyone wants $60k in student loans for a degree they’re not even using.

Why the Trades Make Sense:

• Quick Start: You can be making real money in less than 2 years. Sometimes less than 6 months. While your college friends are writing term papers, you’re earning and learning on the job.
• Less (or NO) Debt: Most trade programs are affordable. Many companies will even train you for free. That’s a massive head start in life.
• Job Security: The world is desperate for skilled labor. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, welders... they’re not going away. AI can’t fix a leaking pipe.
• High Pay, Real Satisfaction: You’re not just doing a job, you’re literally building something. Fixing something. Solving real problems. That feels good. And the pay? A skilled plumber or HVAC tech can clear six figures easy.
• Freedom: Learn the trade, master the skill, and eventually? You can start your own shop. Be your own boss. Build your own empire.

But Most Importantly...

You get to define your version of success.

Not what society says. Not what social media shouts. Not what your aunt at Thanksgiving thinks.

Your version.

You can be 21 and still figuring it out. 

You can be 45 and starting over. 

There’s no expiration date on growth. 

Life isn’t linear. 

It’s messy, it’s unpredictable, and that’s okay.

Reject the Checklist

This idea that you need to check off all the “success boxes” by 30? Burn that list.

Instead:

• Chase skills, not titles.
• Chase fulfillment, not approval.
• Chase purpose, not perfection.

If you’re young, don’t panic if your life isn’t a tidy Instagram story. 

That chaos? 

That confusion? 

That’s the process.

And if you’re looking for a real path? 

A path where your work means something, where your hands build a better life, where you get paid well to be useful?

The trades are calling. And they don’t care how many followers you have.