What should we maximize for in our 20s?

Sep 13, 2026 | blog

This question often pesters me.

Is it money, time, connections, learning, and so on?

As a deeply subjective question, the answer is definitely: “It depends.”

The first thing is to understand the context of the person answering it. Our opinions and beliefs are often limited by our own experiences. They may or may not transcend when applied to another person with a different context.

I “believe” one should optimize for access, outlook, and critical thinking.

I often think the skills athletes possess only create value for them because there is demand for those skills today.

A poor football prodigy born 500 years ago probably would have worked his entire life as a labourer, not because he didn’t possess the same gifts, but because those gifts didn’t translate directly into anything, as modern football didn’t even exist. In the modern era, if they get the right coaching, have the right mindset, and work very hard, they often become some of the most valued people in society.

Of course, some of it is luck, but the other tricky part, which most people often miss, is the ability to think critically. That is what truly defines our journey.

Things like:

Which tech stack should I study?
How much depth should I go into?
Should I attend that meeting?
Should I do it the same way it was done five years ago?
Should I read more on this topic?
Should I put more effort into what I am doing?
What should I prioritize, given that I can only do so much?

Luck might be the macro factor, but it’s seldom in our control.

What is in our control is the ability to think about what we do, why we do it, what the macroeconomics are, and the sociology of the industry we work in.

Things that improve our outlook towards our lives, careers, money, etc. are the ones that truly hold the greatest value. Understanding that and putting yourself in the right positions is always the key.

It’s not just about rigour. Keep improving your thinking; it deteriorates pretty fast if you don’t use it often.

It often comes down to the choices we make and the things we believe in.