Upon being a recent graduate, it's easy to motivate oneself with a plan, be it professional or personal goals. However, when life doesn't go according to plan — as is the case for many 20-somethings, it is important to re-evaluate and learn flexibility along the way. People often make the mistake of thinking that when they're in a position where they're forced to compromise, they're actually in a win-lose situation instead.

According to Forbes Magazine, our generation, millennials, are notorious for this, particularly professionally. "Millennials entered their 20s desperately trying to find the right career path for them. Unwilling to settle in roles that did not make them happy or contribute to broader life goals, they developed a habit of job-hopping earlier and more often than the generations before." What about our generation is unwilling to settle? Not to paint the generation with a broad brush, especially as certain cultures may adopt a "better safe than sorry" mindset, but between integrating personal and professional goals, I think a broad amount of flexibility is vital - especially since our generation is the first to truly value work-life balance, as opposed to older generations.

It also reflects in other parts of our lifestyles, in addition to our careers. In general, I've talked to friends who have asked me if they're being too picky in the dating scene, because they would like the person who they eventually get serious with to fit into a bunch of arbitrary boxes of their choosing, as opposed to taking people for their worth, and evaluating their pros and cons at face value. After all, just because someone doesn't fit every single standard doesn't make them a bad partner. However, people would rather wait it out and find someone (even if they're looking for years) who may fit their expectations closer, instead of finding someone who fits most and accepting their differences.

In all these situations, I think it's important to break down the characteristics of what compels one toward their perfect job, relationship, or lifestyle. Once people are clearer about that, then it makes it easier to face every situation - but even still, use these characteristics as guidelines, not firm cut offs to reject something all together.