Time is a resource we all have, but how we choose to spend it differs drastically. In our youth, particularly in our 20s, we are often comforted by the idea that we have “our whole lives ahead of us.”

It’s a statement that, while well-intended, can often lead to complacency. The truth is, time is not an infinite resource.

It is, in fact, our greatest privilege, and as we age, its value becomes increasingly apparent. As I’ve entered my 30s, I’ve come to understand a hard truth: many of the world’s greatest opportunities scholarships, fellowships, grants, and even certain jobs come with an expiry date. Age limits are often imposed in ways we may not even realize until we start reaching those limits.

Once you hit 30, doors begin to close that were once wide open. By the time you approach 40, the number of opportunities you once had starts to dwindle significantly. Scholarships, for example, are often restricted to those under 30. Fellowships and grants, particularly those aimed at fostering young leaders and innovators, follow similar patterns. The closer you get to 40, the slimmer your chances become, and by the time you hit that milestone, nearly 90% of these opportunities will have aged you out. It’s a reality many of us are not prepared for.

This isn’t just about missing out on professional development opportunities, it’s about how society measures potential. In your 20s, you’re seen as full of promise, a young person with untapped potential. By the time you reach your early 30s, however, the expectation shifts. The world begins to ask: What have you achieved? Where are the results of all that potential? Suddenly, the window to explore, experiment, and fail without consequence starts to close. Even when you’re still relatively young by life’s standards, the professional world starts to see you as “older.” You have to be exceptional just to compete for opportunities that were once easily within your grasp. The system, unspoken though it may be, requires brilliance but it’s brilliance on a timer.

This is something I’ve seen time and time again in my work advising people for scholarships and fellowships. One of the hardest conversations I have is with someone who is otherwise qualified for an opportunity, only to be told they are ineligible due to their age. These are smart, driven, and capable individuals who have all the right credentials, but they’re deemed “too old” to qualify. It’s heartbreaking. Telling someone that they’ve simply missed their chance because of the year they were born is a task I never get used to. And the tragedy is that, often, the realization comes too late. The individual had no idea that the opportunities they were pursuing would no longer be available to them once they passed a certain age.

Even if you’re still in your early 30s, the uphill battle has already begun. Opportunities that were once abundant are now fewer, and those that remain often come with much higher expectations. You must now prove not just your competence but your worthiness to even be considered, as though you’re already at a disadvantage simply because of your age. The idea of “potential” has a shelf life, and once you cross that invisible line into your 30s, you are expected to have more than just potential you must have tangible results to show for it.

This age-based restriction isn’t just a problem for women, although women certainly face additional societal pressures when it comes to age. We’re all familiar with the narratives that surround women and aging the ticking biological clock, the pressure to marry and have children before a certain age. But what we don’t talk about enough is the professional ticking clock that applies to both men and women. Ageism in professional development is a very real thing, and it affects everyone. We are constantly told that time is on our side, but the reality is that the professional world measures time differently. The opportunities that once seemed abundant start to disappear, and the pressure to “make it” becomes relentless.

This is why we need to shift the conversation around age. It’s not just about women being told they should marry by 30 or start a family by 35. The real age pressure lies in professional development, where age limits are quietly imposed, and the expectations for what you should have achieved by a certain age are nearly impossible to meet. It’s not just about the social expectations tied to marriage or family; it’s about the very real professional consequences of aging.

So, if you have a friend, sibling, or relative in their 20s, tell them this: their greatest advantage right now is time, and it’s a privilege they should not take for granted. Encourage them to seize every opportunity, to say yes to every challenge, and to pursue their goals relentlessly. Tell them to make the most of their 20s because while success is possible at any age, the path becomes more difficult with each passing year. The opportunities that exist in your 20s will not always be there, and the climb to success gets steeper as time goes on.

To those in your 20s, understand that your time starts now. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that you have all the time in the world. The reality is, you don’t. The opportunities that seem endless today will start to close off sooner than you think. The scholarships you’re eligible for today will disappear by the time you’re 30. The fellowships designed for “young leaders” will no longer apply to you in just a few years. And the jobs that once valued your potential will start to demand your experience.

I wish I had understood this when I was younger. I wish I had known how quickly time slips away and how drastically the landscape of opportunity changes with age. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would have pushed harder in my 20s. I would have said yes to more opportunities, taken more risks, and done more with those precious years.

But time, once lost, cannot be regained. This is why I tell anyone who will listen.Don’t take your time for granted. Don’t wait until you’re 30 to realize that the window of opportunity has already begun to close. Don’t wait until you’re told that you no longer qualify for something simply because of your age. Time is your greatest privilege, but it’s also your greatest responsibility. Use it wisely.

While it’s true that success can come at any age, certain doors will close before you even realize it. The world is fast-moving, and it waits for no one. So if you’re in your 20s, seize this moment. Push yourself, challenge yourself, and don’t take for granted the privilege of youth. Time may be on your side now, but it won’t always be.

The greatest mistake you can make is thinking you have time. Don’t let the opportunities of today become the regrets of tomorrow. Use your time wisely, because once it’s gone, you’ll never get it back.

•Stephanie Shaakaa, University of Agriculture, Makurdi,  Benue state