Why Millennials Should Be Single In Their 20s
Why Millennials Should Be Single In Their 20’s: An advantage to Getting Ahead Financially
There is an overwhelming amount of data suggesting that the majority of millennials in the United States today have massive amounts of student loan debt. According to a study conducted by Experian, between 2008 and 2014 the student loan debt rose a startling 84%, and that 7 out of 10 seniors in the class of 2014 graduated with student loan debt.
If your goal is to get out of debt, and you are in your 20’s with no strings, kids, or significant other to worry about, then you have all the time in the world to work your butt off and pay off your debt. After all, college is overrated and over inflated.
If you are thinking about college, but don’t know what to study – go to a trade school to learn actual work skills for a third of the price.
When you have no strings attached to anyone and you are a single 20-something, you have a lot of freedom to direct your life in the way you choose. You have time to meditate, fix and find yourself, and begin to develop your expertise in a certain field. Work on growing your salary, simply because when you generate your own income, make a lot of it, and are able to put food on the table for yourself, your confidence goes up. Never depend on anyone.
The more hours you work, the more of an expert you become in your given field. If you have been lucky enough to get a full-time job out of college with benefits, keep it as long as you can. Your full-time work is only 40 hours a week. If you are paying off debt, get a side hustle or begin to market your skills and freelance them. Start generating cash flow.
Each person only has 24 hours in a day, it’s how you use those 24 hours that makes a difference.
Money can be a really big source of stress. And if you are all you’ve got to depend on, then you have an advantage. You will be more determined to make it because you don’t have plan-B. Just like the analogy of when the captain who burned his crew’s ships when in a foreign land, he made it clear that there is no return, only progression forward. If you’re dating someone who doesn’t understand the struggle, it can be very difficult. If it’s also not the right person, then you are headed for a distracting and temporary hold on your life while you figure your romance side out. Lower your stress and focus on you, your financial statement, and your ability to generate income. Become self-made.
If you take the time now to find yourself, develop your skills, and pursue your dreams, then you won’t have any resentments when you get older. A lot of people simply jump into relationships because they feel lonely, need their feelings validated, or some other random reason – does true romantic love even exist anymore?
The divorce rate is already above 50% and increasing – this could possibly be that people don’t take the time to think it through and truly figure out what they want in life and who their ideal partner is. In your 20s, you are still developing as a person, and don’t know yet what you want in another person. Don’t push your vision out of the way for some random person who might be the one. If they don’t understand you or get that you are pursuing your passion, then you are wasting your time. When you’re stressed out and they can’t handle your emotions, it’s time to say goodbye. Spend time with people who are like-minded, and invest in friendships rather than romance – which is so volatile anyway. Get your goals and look at the bigger picture. As one book famously puts it:
“We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream.
We do not realize that love is just a further impetus, not something that will prevent us going forward.”
— Paulo Coelho
Develop an unbreakable will. Pursue your goals like they are the last rescue boat leaving the Titanic. Pursuing your goals, financially and career wise, takes a lot of energy. When you are young and full of energy, like in your 20s, you have the most opportune time to pursue your goals. Go out and find yourself.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
