27 Club
I never thought I would make it
As the clock ticks, and in an hour I’ll turn 28, it feels like a feat I never thought I’d achieve.
When I was introduced to the concept of the 27 Club, it felt hauntingly beautiful, people dying at the peak of their success, like firecrackers bursting at the top of the sky. At the same time, it felt like a deadline, as if I needed to become everything before I crossed that age or else, nothing would matter.
Young Success
Success in youth has been highly romanticised. Young people achieving remarkable things while their older peers are still struggling to reach that level.
But success shouldn’t have a time bracket, nor is it something you achieve only once. Like all things in life, it is, in the end…subjective.
It took me a long time to make peace with myself and my averageness.
When you’re constantly fed an idea of what “making it” looks like, you tend to become so blindsided that even if an alternative version of success is offered you might not even look at it.
I created a video letter to myself when I had just turned 24.
I was standing at a crossroads in multiple aspects of my life. Every decision felt paralyzing. All I could think about was having an option like the protagonist in The Midnight library. To get a glimpse of what could have been, or in my case, what can still be.
Before 24, I had never travelled alone, never been in love, never had a real job, never taken major decisions, never saved money, never lived on my own. Basically, I hadn’t experienced any of the so-called peak “adult” moments.
I was questioning everything, especially as I stood at a turning point that would entirely reshape the future I had envisioned for years. I just couldn’t wait for life to happen to me anymore, I knew inately no one is coming and going to give me a good life or save me from myself. I have to fight for what I think is and will be good for me even if that fight goes on and on.
But all it took was one courageous decision and a reckless action.
I booked myself a ticket to travel south, with no real agenda and just to get some fresh air.
And that was all it took.
After that, I forced myself to be more open to new experiences, to new people, new moments, and I allowed myself to live a little beyond the script.
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Following years, I had my first love, my first job, first salary, first solo trip, new friends, a fresh heartbreak, more goodbyes than new hellos. Career Successes and farewells.
I had mentors. I became a mentor. I finally moved out of my city.
I became part of a dream company, started doing work I’m actually good at, experienced solitude, travelled alone multiple times, for both personal and professional reasons.
I supported my loved ones emotionally and financially.
I had the freedom to make decisions.
And a thousand other firsts.
But,
I wouldn’t have believed any of this when I was 24.
That in just five years, my life could turn around.
It wasn’t easy…not even close.
There were times I came dangerously close to crashing.
My patience was tested. I was physically and mentally beaten down.
I found myself in situations I was clearly too young for and yet, I handled them with utmost confidence (even though my knees would shake afterwards).
I built and led teams.
I made decisions that flirted with innovation and came dangerously close to ethical ambiguity.
My confidence and self-esteem were broken down more times than I can count.
But one thought kept me going:
You are your own saviour.
When I turned 27, it felt like I hadn’t achieved what I thought I would when I took that first leap five years ago ( a classic case of ungratefulness, perhaps).
I was filled with “what ifs.”
Did I take the right path?
Is this what life is going to be?
What would my present have looked like if I’d just followed the script?
I questioned everything.
And that’s the thing, sometimes life is like that.
It doesn’t always reward you for doing everything “right.”
But you go on hoping that one day, it’ll make sense.
I used to think the 27 Club was elite (and definitely depressing) to be part of.
What I conveniently ignored was that it wasn’t their success that defined them it was their struggles that took over.
The real success lies in surviving those 27 years, despite everything life throws at you.
I’m glad that even with all the self-doubt, the dark thoughts, the looming uncertainty, the pestering loneliness,
I stuck around long enough to see what life beyond 27 looks like.
And I can say:
It’s almost the same.
But with a little more confidence that time takes care of everything.
And all you really need to do
is believe
that everything passes.
and you’ll be alright
An advice 18 year old gave to 24 year old which was passed to 27 year old.
