2 Billion Under 20 by Stacey Ferreira and Jared Kleinert

2 Billion Under 20 is sub-titled “how Millennials are breaking down age barriers and changing the world” and shares the story of 75 young entrepreneurs and innovators in a variety of fields like business, medicine, athletics and the arts.  The authors themselves certainly have an impressive set of credentials: Stacey Ferreira is CEO of AdMoar and was a cofounder of MySocialCloud (receiving over $1 million in funding from sources including Richard Branson) while Jared Kleinert is a teenage international public speaker who has been featured in  numerous business publications. A couple of other examples of people who are profiled in this book include Sam Mikulak, who's represented Team USA in the Olympics and is a seven-time NCAA champion in Men's Gymnastics, and Jack Andraka, who developed an early detection test for pancreatic cancer at fifteen. In sections labeled “Start,” “Risk,” “Journey,” “Learn,” and “Succeed,” the contributors each offer reflections and valuable suggestions for their peers. To learn more about 2 Billion Under 20, visit the website or take part in the book tour which will be virtual in part.

It is great to see the impact that the profiled young people are having, but I am not sure if I can call this work truly inspirational. With almost 30% of the world’s population under 20, these 75 individuals are by any definition beyond exceptional, as the above examples show. And while I do not mean to detract from their many accomplishments, my first impression in reading 2 Billion Under 20 was that it would, in some ways, just add unrealistic pressure for young people to excel. This feeling was reinforced by this article, “Campus Suicide and the Pressure of Perfection,” in yesterday’s New York Times (and another, “Schools Face the Teen Cutting Problem,” in today’s Wall Street Journal). All this while professors and employers say high school grads are not adequately prepared.  2 Billion Under 20 does take a global approach and so, too, must we encourage a holistic, supportive attitude if we are to buoy all of our kids in an increasingly complex world.