Ah, the elusive 30 Under 30 list – a trap set for us mere mortals who couldn’t quite make the cut. But is this celebration of youthful achievement actually a breeding ground for unethical behaviour?

It’s no secret that the pressure to succeed early in life is at an all-time high. With social media constantly bombarding us with stories of 20-something CEOs and self-made millionaires, it’s no wonder that young entrepreneurs feel the need to accomplish the impossible at breakneck speed. But at what cost?

Recent scandals involving Forbes’ 30 Under 30 alumni paint a disturbing picture of what can happen when we prioritize early success over ethics. A quick glance at the news reveals a growing trend of these so-called “heroes” facing criminal charges and even jail time. In fact, according to a study by the nonprofit organisation Prison Policy Initiative, the incarceration rate for people in their 20s is at its highest level in decades.

You would have heard about Charlie Javice, the founder of the college financial aid platform Frank. Javice was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Education list in 2017, but in 2021, her company was sued by the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly deceiving customers about its fees. The lawsuit alleges that Frank charged hidden fees to its customers, who believed they were using a free service. Javice and Frank have denied the allegations, but the case is ongoing.

Sam Bankman-Fried, who was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Finance list in 2020. As CEO of FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange, becoming one of the wealthiest people in the cryptocurrency industry. However, in 2021, FTX was sued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for allegedly violating anti-money laundering laws. FTX agreed to pay a $150 million settlement to resolve the case.

While it’s important to remember that not all young entrepreneurs will find themselves in such positions, these cases do raise questions about the pressure to achieve success early in life and the potential consequences of prioritising success over ethics.

So, what does this mean for the rest of us? Are we sacrificing ethical innovation for the sake of celebrating young success? Should we reconsider our obsession with age-based achievements like Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list?

The answer is a resounding yes. It’s time for us to rethink our definition of success and the pressure we place on young people to achieve it. We need to stop glorifying the concept of ‘success / wealth by any means necessary’ and start valuing experience and wisdom.

I’m not calling out Forbes specifically on this problem, and there is a parallel positive in inspiring young people to dream. But, it’s also the messenger of a toxic message. The message being that if you haven’t made it by the time you’re 30, you might as well pack it in and accept a life of prune-dom. It’s the pressure to achieve youthful greatness that’s driving some people to take shortcuts, and those shortcuts are encouraged by a culture that tells us to “fake it till you make it”.

But how do we do move the needle? Well, for starters, we need to stop treating success as a destination and start seeing it as a journey (boring I know).

It’s about time, we start celebrating failure. It’s through our failures that we learn the most valuable lessons and grow the most as individuals. We need to stop stigmatising failure and start seeing it as an essential part of the success journey.

Ps. Anyone know who selects the Forbes 50 under 50 shortlist? Asking for a friend.

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