I turned 30 this year, and I've come to realize that keeping your optimism alive in your 30s is a real challenge. There’s this constant pressure from parents, friends, and society to think ‘more practically’, to set aside your idealistic views about the future and settle into a more 'realistic' approach to life.
For years, I have believed that a Golden Age for humanity is possible in the not so distant future. And the more I learn, the more I realize that the biggest hurdle to achieving this isn’t external obstacles—even physics; it's about retaining our idealism. It's about choosing to believe that it is worth it to aim our talents at humanity’s greatest challenges and opportunities, rather than simply adding a few more dollars to a Wall Street firm’s profits or boosting a corporate giant’s stock price.
Holding onto this idealism takes immense courage. And courage, I've realized, isn’t just an individual act. It’s deeply communal. Being around others who are equally passionate about building a brighter future can be infectious. You start inheriting their courage, their optimism.
When you’re part of a community where every person has a extreme bias for action, shares what they’re learning on their journey, and pushes everyone else to think bigger and bolder, taking that leap of faith becomes far less daunting. These kinds of life-changing communities are far rarer than they should be, so I feel called to make sure more of them exist in the world.
As 2024 rolls around, explore how you can pivot to your highest purpose. Given all of your amazing gifts, are you doing the best, most impactful work of your life so far? It’s so easy to succumb to the fear of leaving a stable job, fearing the loss of security. Don’t let fear win.
I pray that 2024 is a year where you take huge leaps towards the future – leaps that lead you to start not only experiencing your own personal Golden Age, but also contributing to moving humanity forward in a way that only you are capable.