I would like to begin this article with a line from the theme song of the beloved American sitcom Friends, not just because the show was one of my favorite pastimes growing up, but because I feel that this specific lyric is so relevant to my life at this current point in time: "So no one told you life was gonna be this way. Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA." Ah, yes. Welcome to your early twenties, a time when guys are still jerks, jobs seem scarce, and "Gas Station Management" may look like your most viable career choice at the moment. As I headed into my twenties - the alleged golden years - I had this idea that everything was finally supposed to fall into place. I would meet the love of my life (someone who wouldn't call me a dumb bitch daily - yes, what a gentleman), find a great part-time job that paid well, and feel confident in the career path I had chosen. Unfortunately, the reality of the year looked more like a messy breakup, loads of pending job applications, and yet another switched major. Yikes.

If you're anything like me (or the majority of most young adults) you probably feel like you should have it all together by now. These are the years where you're supposed to finally know where you're going. You pull yourself up by your bootstraps, execute your finely detailed plan to become CEO of a major company fresh out of college, and start your new life with a six digit salary. Right?

Wrong. While many big businessmen and "Get Rich Quick" books make it seem like you need to take over Apple before you turn twenty-four in order to be successful, the truth is that successful people often don't achieve their end goal until years, even decades, after they grow out of their teens. The great thing about success is that it doesn't have a time stamp. And if you don't believe me, here's a list of people who didn't have it figured out until long past their twentieth birthday:

1. Walt Disney - Today, we know Walt Disney as some kind of magic man, an innovative genius who built an empire upon simple creativity. What no one talks about, however, is the fact that this man struggled throughout his twenties. And by struggle, I don't mean failing a quiz and running out of Starbucks credit, I mean being so poor he resorted to eating dog food to cope with the bankruptcy he was facing. In fact, Disney was over fifty years old before he was finally able to open the famous Disneyland in California. So if you're worried you don't have the time or money to see your dream through, know that people before you have done it with less, which means you can too. Even if it takes a few years.
2. Freddie Mercury - If you watched the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, you know that life wasn't all sunshine and roses for Freddie Mercury. Even after forming the band "Queen" at twenty-four, his music didn't take off until he was twenty-nine, after years of rejected music and long hours spent at the studio sweating, writing, and fighting with bandmates. However, their dedication paid off. Decades later, we still celebrate the music that this group produced during their career. This is a reminder that good things take time, and the making of something great doesn't happen in an instant.
3. Steve Carrell - Yes, yes, our well-known and well-loved Michael Scott. Most of us (unless you're of the opinion that "The Office" is overrated, in which case we can respectfully agree to disagree) have committed quotes and scenes to memory, building Carrell up as one of the great comedy actors of the decade. However, our favorite regional manager didn't land the (in)famous role until he was forty-three years old! If you're waiting to make your big break, you've got time.
4. Alan Rickman - Fun Fact: Rickman worked in graphic design for years before quitting in his twenties to pursue acting. After some time in the theater, he began to be cast in Hollywood productions, such as Die Hard and Harry Potter. Sometimes, like in Rickman's case, it takes a little time to find your true calling. Know that you don't have to stick with the job you start with! Your passions might change, but your job can too.
5. Julia Child - The famous French chef didn't actually try French food until she was thirty-six and didn't begin hosting her television show until she was fifty-one!

The message behind the previous example (and all of them, really) is this: Your life doesn't have to be perfectly mapped out the minute you graduate from college. Part of the purpose of living is allowing yourself to discover more of who you are and what you love with the passing of time. What you do at twenty doesn't have to be what you do at fifty. Success isn't measured by how quickly you achieve a goal, but rather by achieving something you are passionate about. I know a lot of this may seem a bit asinine coming from a twenty year old, but I sincerely believe this to be true. We spend so much of our time worrying and stressing about how to most effectively use our time that we end up wasting our time. So chill out. You'll get to where you're going. And if all else fails, maybe give "Gas Station Management" a shot. You can always try a different job later.