Ideas worth spreading

Why 30 is not the new 20

13,244,399 views |

Meg Jay |

TED2013

• February 2013

Clinical psychologist Meg Jay has a bold message for twentysomethings: Contrary to popular belief, your 20s are not a throwaway decade. In this provocative talk, Jay says that just because marriage, work and kids are happening later in life, doesn’t mean you can’t start planning now. She gives 3 pieces of advice for how twentysomethings can re-claim adulthood in the defining decade of their lives.

Clinical psychologist Meg Jay has a bold message for twentysomethings: Contrary to popular belief, your 20s are not a throwaway decade. In this provocative talk, Jay says that just because marriage, work and kids are happening later in life, doesn’t mean you can’t start planning now. She gives 3 pieces of advice for how twentysomethings can re-claim adulthood in the defining decade of their lives.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Meg Jay

Clinical psychologist

See speaker profile

In her book "The Defining Decade," Meg Jay suggests that many twentysomethings feel trivialized during what is actually the most transformative -- and defining -- period of our adult lives.

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.