Ideas change everything

Why 30 is not the new 20

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Meg Jay |

TED2013

• February 2013

Clinical psychologist Meg Jay has a bold message for twentysomethings: Contrary to popular belief, your 20s are not a throwaway decade. In this provocative talk, Jay says that just because marriage, work and kids are happening later in life, doesn’t mean you can’t start planning now. She gives 3 pieces of advice for how twentysomethings can re-claim adulthood in the defining decade of their lives.

Clinical psychologist Meg Jay has a bold message for twentysomethings: Contrary to popular belief, your 20s are not a throwaway decade. In this provocative talk, Jay says that just because marriage, work and kids are happening later in life, doesn’t mean you can’t start planning now. She gives 3 pieces of advice for how twentysomethings can re-claim adulthood in the defining decade of their lives.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

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About the speaker

Clinical psychologist

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In her book "The Defining Decade," Meg Jay suggests that many twentysomethings feel trivialized during what is actually the most transformative -- and defining -- period of our adult lives.

Learn more

The Defining Decade: Why your Twenties matter — and how to make the most of them now (Revised and updated)

Meg Jay | Twelve (2021)

Meg Jay - *The Defining Decade: Why your Twenties matter -- and how to make the most of them now* (Revised and updated)

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.