25 changes to make in your 20s to set yourself up for lifelong success

Flickr/Mike Tungate

How you spend your 20s is hugely important for determining who you'll become — personally and professionally — in the future.

In fact, one psychologist calls this time period the "defining decade," since it sets the stage for the rest of your life.

We understand that might sound intimidating. To reduce some of the pressure, we put together a road map of sorts based on several Quora threads on how to make the most of your 20s.

Find out what you should start (and stop) doing in your 20s to lay the foundation for lifelong success.

1. Start writing down your goals

Toward the end of his 20s, Quora user Dirk Hooper started envisioning his ideal lifestyle five, 10, and 20 years down the road.

To ensure that he wasn't just fantasizing, he wrote down what he hoped to achieve and how he might get there.

"The act of writing your goals and dreams do[es] a couple of things for you," Hooper writes. "It forces you to nail down what's really in your mind, and it gives you a tangible record that you can refer to over time."

There's research to back up Hooper's theory. In one study, college students were instructed to write down a path toward achieving their future goals. Unsurprisingly, many of those goals involved finishing their education. Results showed that students who completed the writing exercise were more likely to stay in school than those who didn't do the exercise.

2. Start letting go of your ego

A number of Quora users mentioned some variation on the idea that you shouldn't let pride or vanity get in your way, and you should stay open to alternate viewpoints.

Michael Elijah writes: "Learn how to kill your ego. It blinds and fetters us from possibility and progress. Learn how to burst your bubble with simple questions [such] as, 'What if things aren't what they seem to be?' and vitally, 'What if I am wrong?'"

3. Start reading a lot

After college, Hooper realized there was still a lot he didn’t know.

"So, I became a voracious reader," he said. "I engaged in a campaign to educate myself on any subject that inspired me. One book led to another. Over the years I've learned 10 times more than I ever learned in high school or college."

We're not advocating autodidactism over formal education, but reading is a great way to learn more about topics that aren't necessarily covered in class. Get started with this list of 30 books to read before turning 30.