A common mistake I sometimes make is assuming that everybody else has sorted out their lives and are more effective and clear about what they want from their existence than I and are actively pursuing it. I have since realised this is not really true - a lot of people are disarmed by internia, frustration or laziness. However, I have also realised (and this, perhaps most importantly of all) that just because it's normal (and implicitly 'OK') to become victim to these traits, it doesn't mean you should.