Have you ever realized on your birthday how quickly time has flown by?

When I turned 18, I noticed how people on social media view people once they turn 30. They’re considered old because their physical appearance is no longer “youthful” and they’re expected to have their life already figured out.

Only that last half is true. People in their late 20s face a quarter-life crisis in how they compare their own accomplishments to other people’s. They deal with the pressures of adulthood throughout those years, but it’s not too bad.

A Harvard Business Review study of 88,000 people found that anyone had an increased level of stress in their late 20s and early 30s. However, the emotional response to their stress in their early 30s began to decline, causing an improvement in satisfaction.

This shows that there is an opportunity to live like you’re free after the bumpy road through your 20s. 

Although some people say your 30s is too late to start a new adventure even though the average global life expectancy is 73. That’s at least 40 years to accomplish new goals.

Take David Guetta, for example. It wasn’t until age 34 that he decided to release his first album, “Just A Little More Love,” which debuted at No. 6 in France. At the age of 43, his album “One Love” appeared on the Billboard chart for the first time with his single “Sexy Chick” landing at No. 5. Eventually, he worked with Nicki Minaj, Usher, Sia and Tai Cruz, and this year he won two BRIT Awards.

There are other artists who saw success in their 30s as well. Beyonce, at 32 and 34, had two albums that hit No. 1, and she broke digital sales records at the time they were released. She also became a mother at the age of 30.

George Michael, between the ages of 33-36, had one album hit No. 1 on the charts and another move to No. 2. Now he’s in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

This shows, even with setbacks, it is possible to accomplish your goals. We should not be defined by age. Instead of people focusing on turning 30, they should focus on what accomplishments they can still achieve.