Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Defining Decade

  • Why Your Twenties Matter and How to Make the Most of Them Now
  • By: Meg Jay
  • Narrated by: Meg Jay
  • Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (409 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Defining Decade cover art

The Defining Decade

By: Meg Jay
Narrated by: Meg Jay
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £13.00

Buy Now for £13.00

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Can't Hurt Me cover art
The Mountain Is You cover art
The Psychology of Money cover art
The Ambition Decisions cover art
From Mom to Me Again cover art
Everything Is Negotiable cover art
48 Laws of Power cover art
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck cover art
$100M Leads cover art
The Way of the Superior Man cover art
Ego Is the Enemy cover art
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People cover art
The Magic of Thinking Big cover art
Do Epic Shit cover art
The Big Leap cover art
Life Reimagined cover art

Summary

Contemporary culture tells us the twentysomething years don't matter. Clinical psychologist Dr Meg Jay argues that this could not be further from the truth. In fact, your 20s are the most defining decade of adulthood.

The Defining Decade weaves the latest science of the twentysomething years with real-life stories to show us how work, relationships, personality, social networks, identity and even the brain can change more during this decade than at any other time in adulthood.

Smart, compassionate and constructive, The Defining Decade is a practical guide to making the most of the years we cannot afford to miss.

©2016 Meg Jay (P)2012 Hachette Audio

More from the same

What listeners say about The Defining Decade

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    279
  • 4 Stars
    91
  • 3 Stars
    29
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    208
  • 4 Stars
    78
  • 3 Stars
    30
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    236
  • 4 Stars
    67
  • 3 Stars
    17
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Some good advice within the rubbish

I found most of this book to be pretty useless as a driven 23 year old, and some of the information to be a little over dramatic and not applicable to anyone outside of America or with slightly different life plans than the ‘norm’. Most of this book is spent persuading 20 somethings to intern at large companies and start preparing for marriage and babies, which I found to be hugely outdated advice. Some of the ‘examples’ the author uses are almost caricatures of the typical millennial, and it’s a hard book to take seriously. However, there are a couple of worthwhile tips here, but you’ll have to sift through the boring and at times patronising narration to get to them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Blame and fear aren't that inspiring

All the actually good thoughts there got completely lost for me in the assertive tone of voice. Meg Ray has very strong opinions of what is 'right and wrong', and the entire book felt very black and white to me in its judgements, like there is nothing in between. I believe in good intentions of the author but oh boy, was there any self-help book that made me feel more guilty about my decisions - which aren't even bad at all - than this one? I doubt so.

I am 25 and I was coming for some inspiration but the book left me angry and disappointed. Even more, I can imagine how this book might be harmful for people who are depressed and lost in their life. There are so many amazing sources out there that can help understand yourself, your brain, your emotions. Sources that give you practical advice on how to be a better and happier human instead of making you feel like you're already too late after 30 if you weren't thoughtful and productive enough. If you're anything after 22 and you decide to read this book, use it with some criticism and remember the book is just an opinion, either way. Challenge it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant and eye opening

Fantastic book, was recommend by a friend and and I will be recommending to others!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye-opener

As a twenty-something, this book was a real eye-opener. Thank you Dr. Jay for writing (and narrating) this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Underemployment

Extremely thought provoking book and a real wake up call for a 20 something that your here and now is not wasted time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Clear & succinct

Brilliant story very well written, highly recommend to anyone in their 20s and early thirties potentially.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Direction in a directionless age

Jay, through her unique insight into the 20-somethings show that this perceived ‘free-time’ for hedonistic exploration does have major structural implications for the rest of our lives and very much sets us up for what is to come. Raw, real and reverential is many ways Jay incontrovertibly comples us to take the necessary action we need to in our twenties in regards to our relationships, work and family.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

In my 20s

I love this book ams I definitely keeping it as a reference whenever I feel lost.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A good way to focus your mind

Lots of food for thought for 20-somethings. quite USA-centric in terms if data, buy pretty applicable nevertheless.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • YH
  • 17-06-23

Focus on practicality

I think one of the main problems with Megs clients and I can see this in myself, is being stuck with head in the clouds of things we will believe will fulfill us. It might be true that our dream vocation won’t be what we do right now, but at least building up savings and a good foundation is important. I guess as someone who has put a lot of work into internships, the pressure that we feel to succeed for external motivations sat home with me. However, I do need to accept that at this point in my life I cannot make the easy choice of either dropping my job and changing direction, or continuing doing things I’m not passionate about. It’s all about becoming strategic, setting goals and making plans. I recently saw the appeal again of a visualization board paired with a timeline of some sort. When I was a teenager they seemed like vague dreams packed with some celebrity lifestyle, now I assume these boards might actually be meaningful. (22 y.o/female)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!