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2.75k reviews for:
The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now
Meg Jay
3.93 AVERAGE
2.75k reviews for:
The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now
Meg Jay
3.93 AVERAGE
I have extremely low expectations for self help books, as I generally only read one when someone is expecting me to. This book I read because I got it as a graduation gift, and it’s a little lame to not have some commentary about it in the thank you note.
Like all self help books, this has a ton of obvious stuff that would only be insightful to the world’s most terminally clueless moron, which is probably who the authors have in mind when they write these books. This is especially true for this book, which is underpinned by stories about a therapist’s most listless beatnik clients. I can only think of a handful of people I know who might be predisposed to the kind of meandering, concrete-goal-and-planless decade this book is trying to put people off of, and it’s a little early to see if they’ll end up as feared. It’s very telling that almost all the clients described are the biggest loser in their friend group, which highlights the selection bias in play here.
While I was not really in the target audience for this book (and I hope the people who gave it to me didn’t read it and think I was), it did have some interesting and novel takeaways about cohabitation before getting engaged and other smaller things that I’ll continue to think about going forward.
This is a five star review only among self-help books, as the genre has a very low bar. I’d recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t immediately have plans after graduating college and/or is in no rush to settle down.
Like all self help books, this has a ton of obvious stuff that would only be insightful to the world’s most terminally clueless moron, which is probably who the authors have in mind when they write these books. This is especially true for this book, which is underpinned by stories about a therapist’s most listless beatnik clients. I can only think of a handful of people I know who might be predisposed to the kind of meandering, concrete-goal-and-planless decade this book is trying to put people off of, and it’s a little early to see if they’ll end up as feared. It’s very telling that almost all the clients described are the biggest loser in their friend group, which highlights the selection bias in play here.
While I was not really in the target audience for this book (and I hope the people who gave it to me didn’t read it and think I was), it did have some interesting and novel takeaways about cohabitation before getting engaged and other smaller things that I’ll continue to think about going forward.
This is a five star review only among self-help books, as the genre has a very low bar. I’d recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t immediately have plans after graduating college and/or is in no rush to settle down.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
solid information, sometimes pretty anecdotal but thats probably the most engaging way to go about it
They had us in the first half... definitely enjoyed and related to Jay's insights on work and love, especially through the eyes of past patients. I wrote down a lot of quotes from those sections. But by the time I got the body and mind section, I wasn't feeling so generous about all the goal-setting. Lots of valid points made - take yourself seriously, be intentional about your life path, etc. but I do think the advice comes with many assumptions - that you are a college-educated, middle class 20 yr old with the desire for a traditional monogamous partnership and plans to buy a home and/or have kids someday. Sometimes narrow scope with limited consideration of alternative lifestyles!
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Halfway between terrifying and motivating, this is really a kick in the butt. Wished for a little more guidance in the advice given.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I think everyone should read this book. It teaches you how you shouldn’t compare your timeline to someone else’s timeline, but it also teaches you the importance of life, milestones, and how you also shouldn’t procrastinate. The time to start something is now and not holding off until you are older because the older you get the more difficulties can arise with certain situations of life. 10/10 would recommend this book to anyone
This book is for privileged slackers, not people with anxiety who worry about everything.
Read for Book Club. Had always heard about this book, but was always a little apprehensive about reading it. I was recommended it when I was twenty, right at the beginning of “the” decade. I’m actually glad I read it now and not then; I don’t think it would have landed as well back then. Really quick read with good tidbits. Much to consider!
informative
inspiring
reflective