My life is divided into two distinct time periods – during and after I got things because I was cute. The line between the two periods fluctuates based on category. For example, I distinctly remember no longer getting free candy bars or sprinkles on my ice cream after the age of 12 because my younger sister loved to remind me that while I was in the process of developing frown lines, she was still adorable. I was, however, able to pander my cuteness to the masses for an additional 6 years in the world of business – using my not-yet-ringed-by-circles eyes to bat my way into events I wasn’t invited to and onto stages I wasn’t qualified to be on.

Now, at 22, I’m not cute anymore. If I want to get something I either need to slip on a tight dress or work for it, and I hate tight dresses.

Since I am no longer cute, and I want to create something great, the way in which I perceive accomplishment has had to shift drastically. My measuring stick for success is no longer “the youngest kid to…” or “and she did it before her 20^th birthday” because those add-ons only gild what is, in the vast majority of cases (mine included), mediocre work.

As I watch my peers, many of whom also joined the business and non-profit worlds before graduating from high school, I have come to realize how saturated the idea of the wonderkid is in the insular communities we create for ourselves. There are dozens of Facebook groups, online communities, and meet-ups that claim to bring together the best young people from around the world. These groups give out awards, hold fancy parties, and celebrate their members for their perceived accomplishments. I am in many of these groups, and I’ve benefited from them.

However, I believe that creating insular and age-focused communities that revel in self-flattery and braggadocios behavior is actually hurting entrepreneurial and high-achieving young people. Rather than promoting critical thought and against-the-grain ideas, these groups create a new normal that is just as pernicious as the by-the-book lifestyle that they claim to be pushing against. Every member’s idea is lauded as genius, every person is a visionary or a futurist, and every kid is completely right about every ‘bold’ business or life decision they make.

I am sorry, but not every idea is genius and not every 18-year-old founder is going to be successful.

This doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t try. Those who are inspired to build should keep doing so, but after a few minutes in a Facebook group with self-proclaimed wonderkids, gurus, and savants you’ll think that every member is the next Elon Musk or Bill Gates, and that’s just not the case. Encouraging every child with a half-interesting idea to drop out of school, start a business, and raise a round might seem thrilling, but is definitely not best for them.

Life is about creating meaningful things that leave a positive impact on our world. It is astounding to see how many entrepreneurs are creating meaningful things, be they 18 or 80, but being a child founder isn’t a prerequisite.

Kids are awesome and when I was cute I was amazed by what I could get. My spoils ranged from candy bars to speaking engagements in places like Abu Dhabi, and I learned a lot from both experiences. I set the groundwork for what I hope will be a long and successful career, but I also became emboldened by the idea that because 400 people clapped for me, and kids only a few years younger than me asked for my autograph, I deserved something that I hadn’t even begun to earn.

After four years of watching myself, and those around me, succeed and fail I have a better grasp on what was going on back then on those stages. I understand that my speech wasn’t great because of it’s content, but because the girl giving it had just graduated from high school.

Now, when I write a book I want it to be successful because it’s a damn good book. I don’t want to be on a talk show because I magically created something that wasn’t complete crap at X years old. I want to be respected for the greatness of my work, not the age at which I did it.

Great work is, I believe, possible at any age – but we’ve built a cult around those who appear to approach it at a young age. We funnel them into groups that cut them off from conflicting opinions, we funnel one-time “mentors” down their throats but don’t promote real multi-generational friendships, and we tell them they’re going to make it big if they only keep pushing. It’s easy to fall into this trap. Kids are adorable, cute, and oh-so-inspiring. I know because I was one.

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If You Are Googling Whether You Should Drop Out Of College, Please Stop.