Summary Of The Defining Decade By Meg Jay

I believe The Defining Decade is a book that all people in their 20s need to read and I am grateful that it was an assigned reading. Just as the author mentioned, I often feel like people’s 20s are glamorized. However, everyone that I know in their 20s is working, going to school, and is not the carefree, irresponsible, party animal that the media makes them out to be. To see this raw and accurate depiction of what many “twentysomethings” lives look like and feel like, is quite reassuring and inspiring (Jay, 2012). The author, Dr. Meg Jay, reassures us that even though the experiences we have during this time are not what we may expect them to be, they serve a purpose as they shape our future (2012). For instance, the work section of the book

Employment serves as a way to pay bills, gain experience in a field, and make connections. While employment is important, one of the key takeaways of the Work section of this book is the dangers of underemployment. Underemployment is an employment opportunity that is just used to pass the time (Jay, 2012). The author lists part-time or temporary jobs such as retail jobs and coffee shop jobs as common underemployment jobs. People often get these jobs because they seem fun or less stressful than getting a “real” job (Jay, 2012). Unfortunately, people tend to get trapped in underemployment positions that make them feel alienated and ultimately make it harder for individuals to reach their career goals. While underemployment may be occasionally needed to make ends meet, relevant employment opportunities should take

Holding on to the belief that things will just start to work out without putting in the work is unreasonable. If there is something in my life that I am currently unhappy about I must start actively working on it or I will not find the happiness that I seek. This knowledge will help me to define my decade as one of action and not inaction. The author has helped motivate me to not just lament about the traits that I don’t have but to take control of my life and path. Whenever I believe that I can’t do something or that I should just wait for it to happen in the future I will remember this section and start planning what I can do now to start creating the skills and attitude that I will want for my