Feel Like Everyone Else Is “Ahead” of You? This is How You Rebuild Your Life at Any Stage & Start Trusting Your Timeline

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

iHeartPodcasts

Health & Fitness, Business, Mental Health

4.8 • 28.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, Jay explores the pressure of the “social clock,” that unspoken timeline that tells us when we should reach certain life milestones. He unpacks research revealing that we’re never truly “late,” we’re simply measuring our progress against someone else’s schedule. Jay explains that the fear of falling behind is really a fear of losing control, and he shares how reclaiming that sense of control is far more important than hitting every milestone on time.

He also unpacks the career anxiety so many people are experiencing today. With frequent job changes and a longer phase of “emerging adulthood,” he reminds us that feeling lost or stuck isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a sign that you’re still exploring. Jay reflects on what purpose truly means, and why your purpose isn’t a job title or income level but the deeper reason behind everything you do.

Finally, Jay explores age, growth, and possibility, reminding us that the brain can rewire itself at any stage of life and that happiness often follows a U-shaped curve. If you feel like you’re in a low point, you may actually be standing right before the rise.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to Stop Living by the Social Clock

How to Feel In Control of Your Life Again

How to Navigate Career Changes with Confidence

How to Redefine Purpose Beyond Your Job

How to Build Relationships That Truly Support You

How to Grow Even When You Feel “Behind”

You’re not late. You’re not off track. You’re simply arriving on your own timeline and that timeline is right on time.

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What We Discuss:

00:00 Introduction

01:04 The Societal Pressure Of The "Social Clock

02:30 Deviating From "The Social Clock"

06:42 Redefining Success On Your Terms

08:42 You're Not Lost, You're Experimenting!

13:05 Don't Measure By Goals From The Past

15:27 The Illusion Of Late Marriage

19:47 Close Relationships Lead To Better Health

24:26 You're Not Late, Start Now!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:02.3	Guaranteed Human.
0:04.1	Don't judge today's progress by yesterday's definition of success.
0:09.6	What matter then might not matter now.
0:13.7	Don't hold yourself hostage to the dreams of your younger self.
0:19.0	It's okay if you've outgrown them.
0:21.8	Don't compare today's version of you
0:23.7	to an old standard that no longer fits.
0:28.0	Yesterday's goals were right for who you were then.
0:31.7	Today's goals are right for who you are right now.
0:34.8	The number one health and wellness podcast.
0:59.1	Jay Shetty. Jay Shetty. He one, the only. Jay Shetty. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to On Purpose. It's your host, Jay Shetty. And whether you're cooking, whether you're cleaning, whether you're rushing off to work, whether you're at the gym, whether you're walking your dog. I'm so grateful that you're joining me. Thank you for letting me into your life and your ears.
1:04.8	I don't take your time for granted. And I want to make this the best 30 minutes to shift your mindset. Thanks for investing this time and let's go get it. So if you've been feeling stuck, if you're feeling late,
1:13.3	if you're feeling behind, this episode is for you. Maybe you're seeing all your friends get
1:18.6	married right now and you're thinking, I don't even know who I'm going to be with. Maybe all
1:23.0	your friends are getting promoted or moving into a nicer apartment and you're thinking, I'm still living at home.
1:29.2	Maybe some of you are looking around you and just thinking everyone seems to be doing better.
1:33.7	Everyone seems happier. Everyone seems like they have more going on and I'm feeling bored.
1:39.0	If you felt any of those things, I want you to know that what you're thinking and feeling right now
1:46.0	is actually the launch pad to your best self, not a dead end. See, here's the reality. Our targets
1:55.2	haven't changed. They just feel more unattainable than ever. We grew up in a world that was all
2:00.7	about going to college,
	...

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