--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So here you are, in your twenties…" description: "\"“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper. Bad news. Read th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/adrian-tan-33122_age-life_so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinkin_3178585.png" --- # So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll… ![“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper. Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they’re 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be…” quote by Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/adrian-tan-33122_age-life_so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinkin_3178585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/adrian-tan-33122_age-life_so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinkin_3178585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/adrian-tan-33122_age-life_so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinkin_3178585.png) > ““So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper. Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they’re 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be very disappointed that they didn’t meet their life expectancy. I’m here to tell you this. Forget about your life expectancy. I love that term: life expectancy. We all understand the term to mean the average life span of a group of people. But I’m here to talk about a bigger idea, which is what you expect from your life.”” [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages focusing on personal aspirations rather than statistical lifespan expectations. **In simple terms:** Prioritize what you want from life, not how long you’ll live. Key Takeaway Live deliberately, set meaningful goals. Themes purpose mortality expectations mindset Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - health decisions - financial planning - personal development Key Concepts existentialism psychology goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly want to achieve? - How can you align daily actions with those desires? A Different Perspective Statistical averages can mislead personal motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Average life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-life/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life expectancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-expectancy/) [Life span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-span/) [Term life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-life/) ## Related quotes > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [“Many legacy institutions (like Kodak) once were able to make a great living resting on their laurels. 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I've read that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/when-i-am-at-a-dinner-table-i-love-to-ask-everybody-how-long-do-you/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“Did you know that for pretty much the entire history of the human species, the average life span was less than thirty years? 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Today the final three Ds in our chain reaction can disassemble companies and disrupt industries almost overnight, reducing the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-diamandis/sixty-seven-years-14-not-anymore-today-the-final-three-ds-in-our/) [Peter H. Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-diamandis/) > [Cancer has been the No. 1 cause of death during the last half-century. The trend is getting even worse as the average life span increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasuku-honjo/cancer-has-been-the-no-1-cause-of-death-during-the-last-half-century/) [Tasuku Honjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasuku-honjo/) > [I had two family members involved in World War I: two great-uncles. One of them is on a memorial in France. And the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-had-two-family-members-involved-in-world-war-i-two-great-uncles-one/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [“By not burning their poppy fields to the ground but instead maintaining a security umbrella that international development agencies could safely work under as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-wood/by-not-burning-their-poppy-fields-to-the-ground-but-instead/) [Jake Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-wood/) > [“Death was a constant fact of life. The reaper struck with fire and drowning; typhus, malaria, yellow fever, and a host of other diseases;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-weisberg/death-was-a-constant-fact-of-life-the-reaper-struck-with-fire-and/) Barbara Weisberg ## More by Adrian Tan > [“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinking-that-you-ll-have-another-40/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/you-will-find-that-when-you-have-someone-to-love-that-the-face-is/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [“There’s a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are “making a living”.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/there-s-a-common-misconception-that-work-is-necessary-you-will-meet/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/it-is-far-too-easy-to-be-liked-one-merely-has-to-be-accommodating-and/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Find that pursuit that will energize you, consume you, become an obsession. Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/find-that-pursuit-that-will-energize-you-consume-you-become-an/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Life is complicated. It wtarts before we're ready, it continues while we're still trying to figure out the point of it. And it ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/life-is-complicated-it-wtarts-before-we-re-ready-it-continues-while/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Don't work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone. You're going to have a busy life. Thank goodness there's no life expectancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/don-t-work-avoid-telling-the-truth-be-hated-love-someone-you-re-going/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Don't expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/don-t-expect-anything-erase-all-life-expectancies-just-live/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [“You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that you should expect to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/you-might-be-looking-forward-to-working-falling-in-love-marrying/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/loving-someone-has-great-benefits-there-is-admiration-learning/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-life-doing-something-you-hate/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Be hated. One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it’s often the case that one is hated precisely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/be-hated-one-does-not-have-to-be-evil-to-be-hated-in-fact-it-s-often/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/it-far-easier-to-find-a-reason-not-to-love-someone-than-otherwise/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don’t, or you do with every cell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/finally-you-will-find-that-there-is-no-half-measure-when-it-comes-to/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) [Explore all 15 Adrian Tan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) ## More Age life quotes > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Iam a teenage girl, I love, get my heart broken, break heart, parrty, sleep like there's no tommorow, ake mistakes, tears, get into fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/iam-a-teenage-girl-i-love-get-my-heart-broken-break-heart-parrty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) Kimberley Strassel > [Cancer has been the No. 1 cause of death during the last half-century. The trend is getting even worse as the average life span increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasuku-honjo/cancer-has-been-the-no-1-cause-of-death-during-the-last-half-century/) [Tasuku Honjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasuku-honjo/) > [“sixty-seven years.14 Not anymore. Today the final three Ds in our chain reaction can disassemble companies and disrupt industries almost overnight, reducing the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-diamandis/sixty-seven-years-14-not-anymore-today-the-final-three-ds-in-our/) [Peter H. Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-diamandis/) > [If I could transform my stage life to the movies, I'd be Jack Nicholson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dennehy/if-i-could-transform-my-stage-life-to-the-movies-i-d-be-jack-nicholson/) [Brian Dennehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dennehy/) > [“Death was a constant fact of life. The reaper struck with fire and drowning; typhus, malaria, yellow fever, and a host of other diseases;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-weisberg/death-was-a-constant-fact-of-life-the-reaper-struck-with-fire-and/) Barbara Weisberg > [“In an average lifetime, a heart pumps about one million barrels of blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-kellett/in-an-average-lifetime-a-heart-pumps-about-one-million-barrels-of/) [Jenny Kellett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-kellett/) > [“By not burning their poppy fields to the ground but instead maintaining a security umbrella that international development agencies could safely work under as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-wood/by-not-burning-their-poppy-fields-to-the-ground-but-instead/) [Jake Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-wood/) > [When you get to my age life seems little more than one long march to and from the lavatory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-benson/when-you-get-to-my-age-life-seems-little-more-than-one-long-march-to/) [A. C. Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-benson/) > [Policy people suffer their own kind of agony, and no wonder. After all, what is the average life of the policy person? You go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/policy-people-suffer-their-own-kind-of-agony-and-no-wonder-after-all/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In 1820, the average lifespan was just 26 years. Twenty-six years!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/in-1820-the-average-lifespan-was-just-26-years-twenty-six-years/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [“In my old age, I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/in-my-old-age-i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and/) [Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/) > [My aunt made stuff; my mom was creative, so I was surrounded by that. When I moved to England, it was '75, and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/my-aunt-made-stuff-my-mom-was-creative-so-i-was-surrounded-by-that/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [Everything you now do is something you have chosen to do. Some people don't want to believe that. But if you're over age twenty-one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/everything-you-now-do-is-something-you-have-chosen-to-do-some-people/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) Browse all 175 Age life quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper. Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they’re 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. 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