– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Don't judge today's progress by

yesterday's definition of success.

What mattered then might not matter now.

Don't hold yourself hostage to the

dreams of your younger self.

It's okay if you've outgrown them. Don't

compare today's version of you to an old

standard that no longer fits.

Yesterday's goals were right for who you

were then. Today's goals are right for

who you are right now.

>> The number one health and wellness

podcast,

>> J Shetty.

>> J Shetty,

>> the one, the only J Shetty.

>> Hey everyone, welcome back to OnPurpose.

It's your host J 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.

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, if you're feeling behind,

this episode is for you. Maybe you're

seeing all your friends get married

right now and you're thinking, "I don't

even know who I'm going to be with."

Maybe all your friends are getting

promoted or moving into a nicer

apartment and you're thinking, "I'm

still living at home." Maybe some of you

are looking around you and just

thinking, "Everyone seems to be doing

better. Everyone seems happier. Everyone

seems like they have more going on and

I'm feeling bored." If you felt any of

those things, I want you to know that

what you're thinking and feeling right

now is actually the launch pad to your

best self, not a dead end. See, here's

the reality. Our targets haven't

changed. They just feel more

unattainable than ever. We grew up in a

world that was all about going to

college, getting a good degree, getting

a good job, getting married, and all

these things had to happen by a certain

age, then having kids by a certain age,

promoted by a certain age. And it almost

feels like we're still living by those

metrics, but in a world that is

drastically changed in a world that is

actually processing itself completely

differently. Industries have changed.

Apps have been invented. There is so

much happening with AI and technology,

but we're still living by the same

metrics of success. What I want to

address today is talk about the

emotional response and the thought in

your head and the feelings that you're

having and talk to you about the

research, the data and the reflective

approach to what's really happening in

our lives. So the first thought that a

lot of us are having right now and maybe

you've had this one as well is I am

behind everyone. I'm behind. I've been

left behind. Everyone's ahead of me.

Um, I don't know what to do.

Sociologists call this the idea of a

social clock. Milestones like marriage,

kids, or career by a certain age. But

studies show that people who deviate

from the social clock often report equal

or greater life satisfaction.

So, we think if I stay on track, I'll be

happier. But the truth is, those who

deviate are either equally as happy or

potentially even more happy. There's no

late. There's only your time. The social

clock is the unspoken timeline society

sets for us. Graduate by your early 20s,

marry by your late 20s, kids by 30,

house by 35, career peak by 40, etc.,

etc., etc. But what researchers found is

that they studied adults who were on

time following the clock and those who

were off time later or earlier than

expected milestones. The result, people

who felt comfortable with their own

timing, even if it deviated, reported

equal or greater life satisfaction

compared to those who rigidly followed

the clock. I really want you to digest

this. I really want you to inhale and

breathe this in.

Those who deviate from the social clock

are equally as happy, if not more happy.

If you're not married yet, and you think

you should be, if you haven't got

promoted yet, and you think you should

be, if you haven't had kids yet, and you

think you should have, that doesn't

steal your chance at a happy, joyful,

wonderful life. That's just not how it

works. The key factor wasn't when

milestones happened, but how much

control and meaning people felt over

their lives. What we're struggling with

at the root

is 30 and 35 and 40 gives us a sense of

control. So, when we get to 32 and we

haven't found our person, we think we've

lost control.

We think we've lost agency. We think

we've lost the ability to choose. We're

actually not worried about age. What

we're really worried of is about

control. I want to be able to control my

life. And if everyone's doing something

at 30, that means I'm out of control. So

what do we do with that? You control the

things you can change. You control the

things you can impact. You control the

things you can influence.

It's that which is going to make your

life happy. Why this matters

psychologically is that feeling in

charge of your choices predicts

happiness more than hitting milestones

on a schedule.

Feeling in charge of your choices.

That's what we're looking for as humans.

We want to feel like I know why I'm

doing this, but let's take a look at

this. If you make a decision based on a

milestone and your only reason is, I

think I'm late, you're not going to feel

in charge of your choices. If your only

thought is, I don't want to be left

behind, you're not really in charge of

your choices. If your only thought is,

everyone's doing it. Why am I not?

You're not in charge of your choices,

which leads to bad decisions. I always

say to people, it's better to be single

and deal with the challenges that come

with that in your mind and in your

thoughts than the challenges of being

with someone who's not right for you. It

comes with so much more baggage, so much

more stress.

So, knowing you're in charge of your

choices will change your life. Now,

people who felt pressured by the clock

often reported anxiety, depression, or

dissatisfaction if they felt behind. But

those who read this find success on

their own terms tended to have healthier

mental well-being. And this is how that

plays out today. The social clock has

loosened since the 1960s. People marry

later. They switch careers more often.

They delay kids. And we're going to talk

about all of those things later on in

this video. But the pressure still

exists and it's just amplified by social

media. The research is finding is more

relevant than ever before. If you detach

your self-worth from society's

stopwatch, you actually increase your

odds of life satisfaction.

The research proves what we keep trying

to avoid. You're not late. You're only

late if you're living by someone else's

watch. It's almost like you're living in

New York, but you're looking at someone

who lives in Singapore and thinking

you're behind. Well, of course you're

behind. You live in New York. You

couldn't possibly be on the same time as

Singapore. Does that mean you're behind?

Is it weird that Australia celebrates

New Years before all of us? Does that

mean we're behind? No, we're just

following a different clock. Stop

following everyone else's timeline.

Stop believing everyone else's highlight

reel. Stop chasing everyone else's

definition of success.

Stop trying to reach everyone else's

milestones.

Stop feeling everyone else's pressure to

have it figured out. Stop needing

everyone else's validation.

Stop following everyone else's path when

your soul is pointing another way.

That's how you experience peace. Now,

let's say your thought is, "I haven't

found my career or my purpose yet." The

US Bureau of Labor Statistics found the

average American changes jobs 12 times

in their lifetime. Careers are far less

straight lines than they used to be.

Most of these changes happen before age

35. Meaning your 20s and early 30s are

often about testing, shifting, and

experimenting,

not locking in to one perfect path. See,

that's why you feel behind. You're at an

age that is actually more predisposed to

experimentation and testing, but because

so many people are choosing not to do

that and they might be doubling down,

you feel behind. But you're actually at

a natural pace. You're actually finding

yourself. You're discovering yourself.

You're collecting skills. You're

collecting experiences and stories. If

you're always looking at the timeline

and the track, you'll feel left behind,

even if you're having the best

experience of your life. Support for

this podcast is brought to you by Walden

University. Ever catch yourself

thinking, "What if I could go after what

I actually want and really make a

difference?" You're not alone. And

that's exactly why I want to tell you

about Walden University. For over 50

years, Walden has helped working adults

like you get the W with the knowledge

and skills to build the future you want

and make a difference where it matters

most. If you've been waiting for the

right moment, this is it. Head to

Waldenu.edu

and take that first step. Walden

University, set a course for change.

Certified to operate by Chev. It brings

me so much joy to share this with you

and to give something back in the

process. Juny is now available at Whole

Foods Market nationwide and I'd love for

you to try it for free. Head to

drinkjuny.com/j

and get a complimentary can of Juny on

me at any Whole Foods market. Radi and I

created Juny with a simple intention to

help you feel better from the inside

out. It's a sparkling adaptogenic drink

crafted with ashwagandha, lion's mane,

and green tea to boost your mood,

support your focus, and give you clean,

natural energy that stays with you

throughout the day. So, go to

drinkjuny.com/j

and run to your nearest Whole Foods

Market for your free Juny. I can't wait

for you to try it. Cheers. Now, here's

the truth. The economy has shifted.

Previous generations often stayed in one

company or one role for decades. Today,

industries transform quickly. Tech,

media, healthcare. So, people have to

adapt. Literally, the job I do today

didn't really exist 15 years ago. And I

was just talking about this with my

friend about how even in nine years

since I started creating content,

everything has changed. Tik Tok didn't

exist when I started. YouTube was having

a moment. YouTube's having another

moment today. Podcasting wasn't as big

as it is. When I launched my podcast 6

years ago, there were 700,000 podcasts.

Today, there's like 5 million of them.

Everything is changing rapidly. How

could you possibly know what career path

you have to take? Today, we're looking

at the impact of AI on every industry.

It's exciting. It's not something to get

scared about. There's so much

opportunity, but what we get scared

about is why don't I know what I'm

doing? The reality is what you're meant

to be doing may not even exist yet.

Values have shifted. Millennials and Gen

Z especially prioritize meaning,

flexibility, and growth over stability

alone. It's normal. Psychologists Anna

and Tanner in 2006 describe ages 18 to

29 as emerging adulthood. A stage where

identity exploration is expected, not a

sign of being lost. It's psychologically

not a sign of being lost. It's

exploration. When you think you're lost,

you're actually exploring. When you

think you're stuck, you're actually

discovering. When you think you've hit a

dead end, you're actually at the

beginning. Career zigzags are healthier.

Studies show people who allow themselves

to pivot often report higher job

satisfaction and engagement because they

align better with their strengths.

Linear paths are outdated. Thinking you

need a perfect straight line career is

rooted in the industrial era, not in

today's fluid skill-based economy. Your

purpose is not your job.

Jobs change. Purpose doesn't get fired.

Your purpose is not your skills. Skills

are tools. Purpose is why you pick them

up. Your purpose is not your

achievements. Trophies gather dust.

Purpose keeps shining. Your purpose is

not your title. Titles fade the moment

you walk out of the door. Your purpose

is not your income. Money measures

transactions.

Purpose measures meaning. Your purpose

is not a single moment. It's not the one

big thing. It's the thread running

through all your moments. Your purpose

is not external approval. Likes,

applause, validation. They're unstable.

Purpose is what remains when the

clapping stops. Your purpose is why you

do what you do. It's why you exist. Your

purpose is simply to collect and

connect. Spend your life collecting

skills and experiences and stories and

at one point you'll find how they

connect. Now, maybe your thought is, I

can't afford a home. I took a look at

the statistics. I wanted to share the

research with you. 50 years ago, buying

a house felt like climbing a hill.

Today, it feels like scaling a mountain.

Incomes simply haven't kept up with the

rise of housing prices. In the 1970s to

1990s, a typical home cost about 2.5 to

three times the average household

income. Example, if you earn $30,000,

the average house was around $79,000.

It's hard but doable with savings. Now,

in the 2000s, that ratio crept up closer

to three times income. Houses were

starting to stretch budgets, but still

within reach for many people. In the

2010s, after the financial crisis, home

prices rebounded much faster than

incomes. The ratio jumped to about 4.5

times income. And today, in 2025, the

gap has grown even more. A median home

costs over six times the median

household income in many parts of the

United States. For example, if the

average household income makes $74,000,

the average home costs $430,000.

You're not behind if you can't buy a

home right now. The game itself has

changed. Things haven't stayed the same.

Homes have outpaced incomes by 2x

compared to your parents or

grandparents' time. Don't measure

yourself today by the goals people had

50 years ago. Things are different.

You're different. Don't judge today's

progress by yesterday's definition of

success.

What mattered then might not matter now.

Don't hold yourself hostage to the

dreams of your younger self.

It's okay if you've outgrown them. Don't

compare today's version of you to an old

standard that no longer fits.

Yesterday's goals were right for who you

were then. Today's goals are right for

who you are right now. Now, maybe your

thought is, I'm not married yet, or I'm

not in love yet. I haven't found my

person. The median age for your first

marriage in the United States is now 30

for men and 28 for women. That's up

nearly a decade from the 1970s from Pew

Research in 2021. Now, I know what

you're thinking, Jay. I'm 30. I'm 32.

I'm already behind. I'm four years

behind. You just told me it's 28. Well,

take a second. Do you want to be married

or do you want to have a successful

marriage?

Well, then it's not about age.

Do you want to be in love or do you want

to have a healthy relationship?

Well, then it's not about age. Do you

want to find someone so you're not

alone? Or do you want a life partner?

Because then it's not about age. If you

want a real lasting love, a healthy

relationship, a life partner, it's got

nothing to do with age. It's all about

maturity. It's all about emotional

intelligence.

It's all about selfmastery.

Relationships don't last or fall apart

because of the age you met.

Relationships are not better because you

met before 30 and worse because you met

after. They're better because you got to

know yourself and so did that person.

Marriage success is about maturity, not

timing. It's not about age. I've always

found it fascinating. I love weddings. I

love love. I've had the fortune of

officiating marriages. And when I'm

officiating a wedding, the only thing

I'm saying to myself in my mind is,

"Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry."

Because I love love so much. I love

weddings. I love vows. I love all of it.

But here's the thing. From everyone I've

coached and people I've worked with,

people spend so much more time and money

planning a wedding than they do planning

a marriage. When you're planning a

wedding, you're thinking about the guest

list.

If you planned your marriage, you'd know

whose company you'd want for the rest of

your life. When you're planning a

wedding, you're thinking about the

budget. When you're planning a marriage,

we often avoid conversations about

money. When you're planning a wedding,

you're excited. You're looking forward

to it. When you're living in a marriage,

you may lose that spark. We spend more

time planning a wedding than we do a

marriage, even though the marriage is

what we're going to have for the rest of

our life. and the wedding is going to be

over in a night. And I'm not saying

weddings are not important. I had a

wedding that I loved. It was a

beautiful, beautiful day. Trying to help

us shift our focus onto building a

marriage, not just a wedding. On

building love, not just not being

lonely. If you're someone who's 32, 30,

34, 35, 40, 50, whatever it is, here's I

want you to remind yourself, and I want

you to say this to yourself. Marrying

later doesn't mean my life will be

harder.

It means I have more clarity about what

I want. The time I've taken to grow, to

work, to know myself is actually giving

me a better chance for a good, healthy

relationship.

Happiness in marriage doesn't come from

marrying young or old. It comes from

communication, shared values, and

emotional readiness.

We've got to reprogram our mind. Got to

shift the way we're thinking. You're not

late if you get married at 35.

You're not late if you find your person

at 40. You're not late if you're still

single while everyone else posts wedding

photos.

You're not late if your love story

starts later than your friends.

You're not late if you choose yourself

before choosing someone else. You're not

late if you waited for a healthy love

instead of rushing into a toxic one.

You're not late if you're still figuring

out who you are while others settle

down. You're not late if you build your

life first. and let love join it later.

You're not late. Now, maybe the next

thought is the one you're having. I

haven't achieved anything yet. So, maybe

you found a job that you like. Maybe

you're doing all right in your

relationship, but you're thinking, I

haven't achieved anything right now.

There's billionaires that are 21 years

old, 30 years old. What am I doing now?

There's influencers that are

millionaires at 16. What am I doing with

my life? I haven't achieved anything

yet. I haven't won any award. I haven't

been noticed. haven't been recognized.

I'm sure it's very natural to feel that

way. By the way, there's more awards

than ever existed before. Before we had

the Emmys, the Oscars, the Grammys, and

the Tony's, right? Today, there's like a

million different awards for a million

different things. Feels like we're just

making up awards to give them out. But

think about this for a second. Take a

look at this research. Early bloomers

don't guarantee lasting success.

Research from Harvard's Grant Study, the

longestr running study of adult

development, found that life

satisfaction at age 70 correlated more

with relationship quality than with

early career success. What predicts

happiness at age 70 and age 80? It

wasn't their fame. It wasn't their

income. It wasn't their early career

achievements that best predicted who was

happier later on. It was the warmth of

their relationships with family and

friends. It was the closeness of their

community. People who had close,

satisfying relationships at age 50 were

healthier, happier, more resilient into

old age. We all want to feel better, to

have more energy and more focus

throughout the day. That's why I

co-founded Juni, a sparkling adaptogenic

drink made with powerful ingredients

like ashwagandha and lion's mane. It's

designed to boost your mood, support

your focus, and give you natural energy,

all without the crash. A new classic,

re-imagined. We're so excited to

officially launch our new lemonade iced

tea flavor. When we created Juni, my

goal was simple. I wanted to make drinks

that help you feel balanced and

energized without compromise. Our

upgraded take on the classic Arnold

Palmer is crisp, refreshing, and crafted

with adaptogens to support energy,

focus, and mood, all with zero sugar. Be

among the first to try it. Available

exclusively at drinkingjuny.com, where

you can use the code onpurpose 20 for

20% off your first order. Cheers to your

daily mood boost. Those who reported

being very satisfied in their

relationships at middle age tended to

have better physical health by their

80s, slower cognitive decline, less

chronic illness, mental and emotional

well-being. Even when life was painful,

whether you had loss, illness, or

setbacks, people in warm relationships

weathered it better emotionally and

physically.

Big wins in your 20s or 30s, big titles,

money recognition didn't consistently

lead to better health or deeper joy

later in life, if the relationships

weren't strong. Some people who seemed

on top early floundered later if their

social bonds were weak. At the same

time, some with modest achievements but

strong connections reported greater life

satisfaction.

Don't measure your life by your wins.

Measure it by the people who cheer when

you win. Don't measure your life by what

you've achieved. Don't measure your life

by your wins.

Measure your life by the people who

stand with you when you lose.

Don't measure your life by what you've

achieved. Measure it by who's there to

truly celebrate you.

Don't measure your life by the size of

your following.

Measure it by the depth of your

friendships. Don't measure your life by

the validation of strangers.

Measure it by the love of the ones who

truly know you. So many of us are

getting this wrong. I recently was at

two people's 70th birthdays. Two

friends, family friends, one of them and

another is a personal friend. and I got

to go to their 70th birthday parties

which was truly one of the most special

experiences of my life. both of them. At

one of them, we sat one night, probably

about a hundred people there that this

person had known for decades. Their

children, their children's friends, they

had their friends from all over the

years, whether it was school, business,

life, work. And what was really

interesting is when their friends spoke

about them, even though these people had

achieved something pretty phenomenal in

their life from a material perspective,

no one mentioned it.

People didn't talk about how much money

they made as one of their success

points. People didn't talk about how

much fame they had. People didn't talk

about what their career acumen was and

what their business strategy was.

People talked about how they were as

people. They were loyal friends who

always showed up. They were caring and

compassionate when they were needed

and they were always there.

That's what our legacy is.

That's what will be remembered.

Focus on that. Maybe the thought in your

head is it's too late to start anything

new. Well, studies on neuroplasticity

show the brain can grow, rewire, and

adapt well into your 60s and 70s. The

brain is built for reinvention at any

age. For decades, scientists believe the

brain was fixed after childhood. But

modern neuroscience flipped that belief.

The brain remains plastic, changeable

throughout life. Neuroplasticity means

you can form new neural connections,

learn new skills, and adapt to new

environments even in your 60s and 70s

and beyond. People in their 70s who took

up a new language showed measurable

changes in brain activity and improved

cognitive health. Even older adults who

learned an instrument showed new neural

growth and better memory. The principle

for life is this. Your brain is not a

hard drive that fills up and locks up.

It's more like a muscle. Use it in new

ways and it reshapes and continues to

grow. Which means this, you're never too

late to start a career, build a skill,

or create a new path. Your biology is

actually on your side. If you want to

learn a skill at 40, your brain will

literally rewire. If you want to switch

careers at 50, your brain can form fresh

pathways. You want to start over at 60,

your brain is still capable of growth,

just a little bit slower, but still

possible. It's never too late to start

again. It's never too late to find love.

It's never too late to start a career

you actually enjoy.

It's never too late to go back to school

or learn a skill you always wanted. It's

never too late to take control of your

health, no matter your past habits. It's

never too late to repair a relationship

that matters to you. It's never too late

to start saving, investing, or getting

smarter with money. It's never too late

to change directions when the life you

built doesn't fit anymore. And maybe

your thought is, I'm getting too old to

be happy. Happiness actually peaks later

than you think. A lot of people say, "I

miss the good old days." And what they

mean is, "I miss being at college." Now,

here's the truth. If you just graduated

college, I promise you that does not

have to be your best years. If you

graduated college 10 years ago, I

promise you those do not have to be your

best years. Imagine living the rest of

your life and thinking college were my

best years. I promise you every decade

can get better than the last if you want

it to. Every decade can be more

fulfilling if you want it to. College

should never be your best years. They

should be great years, fun years, but

never your best years. Large-scale

studies found that happiness follows a

Ushaped curve. Life satisfaction dips in

the 40s, then rises again, peaking in

the 50s and beyond. Here's the

principle. You may not even have hit

your happiest years yet. How can you be

late to your own peak? Based on

large-scale surveys of more than 340,000

Americans, participants rated daily

emotions and overall life evaluation.

What they found was this. Early

adulthood 20 to30s, higher optimism,

excitement, but also higher stress,

anxiety, and comparison pressure.

Midlife 40s, life satisfaction hits a

low point. often called the midlife

crisis or slump. This is linked to

juggling work, kids, money, pressures,

aging parents, and unfulfilled

expectations.

Later life, 50s plus, life satisfaction

begins to climb again, often higher than

in early adulthood. People report more

gratitude, contentment, and emotional

stability. Happiness tends to rise

through the 50s, 60s, and 70s depending

on health and social support. And here's

why. By midlife, people recalibrate

expectations and stop measuring against

unrealistic goals. Older adults score

higher on emotional stability because

they have fewer mood swings, less anger,

less envy, and comparison.

Studies show how older adults value

time, relationships, meaning more than

status or comparison. They focus on

fewer but deeper relationships.

So, if you're 40 and feeling behind,

science suggests you're in the natural

dip of the curve. Not broken, not late.

Statistically, things get better. The

happiness rebound means your 50s and 60s

may bring more contentment than your 20s

ever did. Happiness isn't front-loaded.

It's U-shaped. If you're in the valley,

the data says you're climbing toward a

peak. I hope that that answers helps you

think about some of the thoughts that

are going on your mind. I hope you use

this episode as a way to interrupt that

pattern. These thoughts are just

patterns. I'm not good enough. I'm

behind. I'm late. I'm not married yet. I

haven't found my person. They're just

patterns. Patterns that you've repeated.

This episode is about breaking that

pattern. Listen to it again and again

and again until you realize that your

timeline is fine. Your watch is working.

Your clock is accurate. And when you're

present with the time you have, you'll

create an amazing future. Thanks for

listening. Make sure you subscribe.

Share this with a friend. And remember,

I'm forever in your corner and I'm

always rooting for you. Thank you so

much for listening to this conversation.

If you enjoyed it, you'll love my chat

with Adam Grant on why discomfort is the

key to growth and the strategies for

unlocking your hidden potential. If you

know you want to be more and achieve

more this year, go check it out right

now. You set a goal today, you achieve

it in 6 months, and then by the time it

happens, it's almost a relief. There's

no sense of meaning and purpose.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
progress ˈprəʊ.ɡres A2	noun - forward or onward movement toward a destination or goal
success səkˈsɛs A1	noun - the accomplishment of an aim or purpose
matter ˈmæt.ər A1	noun - a subject or situation under consideration verb - to be of importance
hostage ˈhɒs.tɪdʒ B1	noun - a person who is held by a captor as security
outgrown ˌaʊtˈɡroʊn B1	verb - to grow too large for
compare kəmˈpɛər A2	verb - to estimate, measure, or note the similarity or difference between
version ˈvɜːr.ʒən A2	noun - a particular form of something
standard ˈstæn.dərd A2	noun - a level of quality or attainment
goals ɡoʊlz A1	noun - an aim or desired result
podcast ˈpɒd.kæst B1	noun - a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading
grateful ˈɡreɪt.fəl A2	adjective - feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness
rushing ˈrʌʃ.ɪŋ A2	verb - to move or act with great speed
shift ʃɪft A2	verb - to move or change position noun - a change or alteration
mindset ˈmaɪn.set B1	noun - a person's way of thinking and their opinions
stuck stʌk A2	adjective - unable to move or get free
late leɪt A1	adjective - after the expected or usual time
behind bɪˈhaɪnd A1	preposition - at or to the back of adverb - in a position that is not seen or noticed
married ˈmæɹ.i.d A1	adjective - having a husband or wife
promoted prəˈmoʊtɪd A2	verb - to raise to a higher rank or position
apartment əˈpɑːrt.mənt A1	noun - a set of rooms for living in
bored bɔːrd A1	adjective - feeling tired and impatient because one is unoccupied

Key Grammar Structures

• Don't judge today's progress by yesterday's definition of success.

  ➔ Present simple with 'don't' for advice

  ➔ The use of "don't" with the present simple verb "judge" emphasizes a general piece of advice.

• It's okay if you've outgrown them.

  ➔ Present perfect with 'have'

  ➔ The present perfect "have outgrown" indicates an action that happened in the past with results relevant to the present.

• Yesterday's goals were right for who you were then.

  ➔ Past simple with 'were'

  ➔ The past simple "were" is used to describe a completed action in the past.

• If you're not married yet, and you think you should be...

  ➔ Present simple with 'be' in conditional clause

  ➔ The present simple "are" in "If you're not married" is used in a conditional clause to express a hypothetical situation.

• Studies show that people who deviate from the social clock often report equal or greater life satisfaction.

  ➔ Present simple with 'show' and 'report'

  ➔ The present simple "show" and "report" are used to describe general truths or findings from studies.

• The key factor wasn't when milestones happened, but how much control and meaning people felt over their lives.

  ➔ Past simple with 'wasn't' and past tense of 'feel'

  ➔ The past simple "wasn't" and "felt" are used to describe a completed action or state in the past.

• You control the things you can change.

  ➔ Present simple with modal verb 'can'

  ➔ The modal verb "can" in the present simple is used to express ability or possibility.

• It's never too late to start again.

  ➔ Present simple with 'be' and adverb 'never'

  ➔ The present simple with "is" and the adverb "never" emphasizes a general truth or timeless advice.