Posted in Generation Y Life Advice on February 13, 2008 at 11:00 am
I am thrilled to share the news that my friend and podcast co-host Christine Hassler has just released a must-read book for twentysomethings: 20-Something Manifesto: Quarter-Lifers Speak Out about Who They Are, What They Want and How to Get It.
Here is Christine’s description of the book:
The Gen Y and Millennial Generations are experiencing a vastly different “real world” than any other recent group of emerging adults. They have to navigate loan debt, finances, goals, and the unfortunate Expectation Hangovers™ that come with real world reality. If any members of this generation felt a sense of entitlement, that feeling is washed away in the confusion, and sometimes even exhilaration, of twenty-something life.
What does a twenty-something do when he or she suffers from the dreaded hangover that comes when one confuses expectations with goals? What about the looming uncertainty of choosing a direction when there seems to be an infinite number of career paths? And what about the many men and women who discover they’ve just spent four to eight years training for a job they hate?
Christine Hassler’s 20-Something Manifesto (New World Library) helps women and men delve deeper into the issues of Expectation Hangovers and the life skills needed to create change and direction during the twenty-something years.
I hope you’ll check out the book, and take a peek at the story I contributed on page 130!
[...] find out my answer, check out 20-Something Manifesto author Christine Hassler’s recent column for the Huffington Post, where she interviews me and [...]
[...] Don’t miss the latest episode of “30/20 Vision,” my monthly podcast series with fellow authors Alexandra Levit (author of How’d You Score That Gig, reviewed here last week) and Christine Hassler (author of 20-something Manifesto, featured here). [...]
It ultimately is impossible to judge if being in your 20s is harder in one era v. another because no one has the opportunity to go through that decade of their lives twice under different societal factors.
In my 20s, it seems no matter what I do, I fail. I don’t get it, my parents don’t get it, my friends don’t get it. I keep thinking this time, I’m on the right path and I get smacked down again. I’m sure there’s some point to the struggle, but until I’ve made it out the other end, I’m probably not going to figure out what the point of all the frustration is/was.
Personally, I liked Hassler’s first book better. I think 20 Something 20 Everything offers more in the way of introspection.
@ Gail McDaniel – Thanks for the comments, Gail. Glad you are working with 20-somethings to make life a little easier!
This book sounds great; I just ordered it. 20 somethings often are confused. The clash between their dreams and the reality of working can put them out of sync. Not to mention having to navigate the real world without their parents micro-managing the process . . . .or have their parents let go yet.
When I was in my 20′s there was no confusion. All parents made it clear; the minute we graduated from college, we were on our own. That’s just the way it was for baby boomers.
@ Working Girl – Thanks for the comment. I have to agree that my 20s were very challenging. That’s why I love to help current twentysomethings!
What do other readers think about whether it’s harder today to be in your 20s? I’d love to hear input…
Thanks for the heads up on the book. Sounds fascinating.
Personally, I think your twenties are the hardest decade of life. I wouldn’t go back there for anything (well, maybe for the body).
It’s hard. It’s always been hard. I don’t know if it’s worse now than it was then. Maybe just different!