When I was in my early twenties, I genuinely believed I had my life figured out. Finishing my B.Tech in just three and a half years, spending a wonderful year as a research scholar in sunny Santa Barbara, California, and preparing myself to embark on a PhD journey in computer science—everything seemed neatly laid out. Then, almost as if fate wanted to teach me something, the global pandemic struck, bringing uncertainty and forcing me to pause and reconsider.

Suddenly, those next six years of academic life felt overwhelming and restrictive. I listened to my gut feeling, which whispered to me to explore other possibilities. And that’s exactly what I did—I jumped ship.

Embracing Uncertainty

I took a leap into the unknown by joining Adobe Research as a machine learning engineer. This new path was exhilarating. I got hands-on experience working on innovative AI projects, from network telemetry to multimodal content generation. Yet, after a year, the restlessness returned. There was a nagging desire to build something truly mine. So, once again, I embraced the unknown—I left behind a stable, promising job and started my own tech startup.

Fast forward to today, I’m the founder of a company backed by Y Combinator—an outcome my “PhD-or-bust” self could never have predicted. This journey taught me something crucial: your twenties are meant for exploration, trying new things, and accepting that your plans might completely change. And that’s perfectly okay. Often, these detours lead you to better destinations than you initially planned.

The Myth of Having It All Figured Out

I often hear friends and peers expressing fears and regrets:

“Meri toh poori life barbaad ho gayi hai. 4 saal diye iss exam ko, ab kuch accha nahi hoga meri life mein.”

“Yaar, kuch khud ka shuru karna hai, par pehle 4-5 crore kama loon, tab kuch karunga.”

“Doctors bas construction workers jaise hain. Woh bas wahi deliver karte hain jo unhone memorize kiya hai. Sab inventions toh kisi aur smart logon ne kiye hain.”

It pains me to hear these thoughts because this mindset fundamentally misunderstands what our twenties should be about. Think back to when you were learning to walk as a child—you stumbled, you fell, but eventually, you found your footing. Your twenties are exactly like that: a time for stumbling, learning, growing, and discovering yourself.

Life Isn’t a Race

We all have different timelines, struggles, dreams, and definitions of success. For example, I run a decently successful company but I dont own a house, a car and I haven’t found a life partner yet. Meanwhile, some of my friends are happily married with kids but feel trapped in their careers. Others have neither stable jobs nor relationships but travel the world, embracing the joy and freedom that brings. There’s no universal definition of happiness or success—each path is unique.

Ultimately, happiness is about finding a place where you can truly belong for the next sixty years of your life. If it takes you ten years to find that place, it’s perfectly fine. It’s worth the wait and the exploration.

Challenging Traditional Expectations

In India, particularly, there’s a well-trodden path many are expected to follow: get a reputable degree, clear a prestigious exam, secure a stable job, get married, and settle down. Yes, there’s comfort in following this established route. But it’s not the only route to happiness or success.

Take the UPSC Civil Services exam, for example—over a million aspirants compete every year, but only a fraction achieve their goal. Society celebrates the successes, but what about those who don’t clear the exam? Are their futures doomed? Absolutely not. Many find even greater success and fulfillment in alternative paths. Veda Gogineni, after multiple unsuccessful UPSC attempts, co-founded Earthful, a successful nutrition-focused startup. Roman Saini left his prestigious IAS job to create Unacademy, now one of India’s leading educational platforms. They found their true calling by embracing unconventional paths.

Redefining Failure

Failure—the big scary “F-word”—often keeps us from stepping outside our comfort zones. We worry endlessly: “What if I fail? What will people say? Will I fall behind my peers?”

Here’s a comforting perspective: failing in your twenties isn’t catastrophic; in fact, it’s incredibly valuable. What’s the worst-case scenario? Maybe your ambitious project doesn’t work out, but you gain incredible life lessons, resilience, and stories to share.

Harvard Business School research confirms this, showing that people who take risks and fail often land better positions afterward compared to those who never took risks at all. Employers highly value the grit, creativity, and resilience developed from daring to fail. This mindset is widely celebrated in Silicon Valley and increasingly in India’s tech ecosystem.

The Value of Diverse Experiences

Exploring different experiences in your twenties makes you a richer individual—not necessarily financially, but in ways far more meaningful. By starting a business, traveling, volunteering, or trying out different careers, you learn invaluable life skills like adaptability, problem-solving, and embracing uncertainty.

Life is not linear; it’s full of unexpected turns. Friends who seemed “behind” in their twenties often find success later. Those who seemed “ahead” might pivot to entirely different paths. The truth is, if you’re exploring and growing, you’re exactly where you need to be.

Maximizing Your Options

I recently came across a fascinating idea called “empowerment maximization,” shared by blogger Chip Huyen. It’s a principle from robotics and AI: when facing uncertainty, choose actions that keep your future options open. It’s a beautiful and insightful way to live, especially during your twenties. Your best decisions are often those that expand possibilities rather than limit them.

Your Own Unique Timeline

Society pressures us to have everything figured out by 25. Instead, I encourage you to embrace uncertainty wholeheartedly. Your twenties should be about experimentation and self-discovery. Try that internship in a new city, start that side hustle, join an early-stage startup, or pursue that unconventional career you’ve been curious about. Trust your gut as much as advice from others.

Yes, people might raise eyebrows. Social media might make you feel like everyone else is ahead. But you’re not late—you’re on your own timeline.

What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

Years from now, you’ll regret the chances you didn’t take more than those you did. What’s the absolute worst that could happen? Maybe you’ll briefly move back home (your parents might secretly love having you around!), take a short-term course to upskill, or lean on your suppor t network. There’s always a way forward, and often what seems like a setback is just preparing you for something much better.

The Grand Adventure Awaits

In the grand adventure of life, your twenties are just the beginning—so dare to make them count. Embrace uncertainty and welcome detours. Who knows? You might end up somewhere better than you ever imagined. You’ll never be “left behind” because you’ll be busy carving your own path.

So don’t fear—embrace the uncertainty, explore courageously, and enjoy the journey. Trust me, it’s worth it. 🎉