life milestones. or not.

The article taunts you, boasting a scary sense of authority and at least one reference to skydiving.

It is, of course, the "30 things every woman should do before turning 30" list.

It's a feature you'll see at least once a year in your favorite women's magazine or Web site, a mere space-filler that's destined to make you feel more inadequate than the aftermath of your grandma's annual "why aren't you married?" lecture.

In this article -- optimistically titled "Why do women feel useless?" -- one writer tackles the female tendency to attach age deadlines to life milestones.

I've written before about how much I hate it when girls say they must be married by 25. Or must have a kid by 30. More often than not, that approach makes women lower their standards and abandon their other interests simply to meet an arbitrary age deadline that might not even make them any happier.

That said, I think it's important to have goals and if nothing else, the "30 before 30" lists can be a good vehicle for taking a step back prioritizing different elements of your future.

Age-based deadlines: Call to action or setup for failure?

(via Jezebel)