Work or travel in your 20s?

I am 21M starting a career in finance soon, I’m just doing my exams at the moment but within the next 18 months or so I will be qualified and begin climbing the corporate ladder. I am really looking forward to building a solid career and having a fat ISA to support my future family.

But my big dilema… am I missing out on life if I don’t use my 20s for at least a bit of travel? So many of my friends are going to Thailand and Australia and all these amazing places for months at a time, and I do get FOMO.

I do city breaks in Europe for no longer than a week at a time around work, but something tells me I should go out into the world, but this feeling is hard to balance with the want to have a successful career and build a good base for my future family.

Would love if people could share their fire stories that included travel or if they believe it’s a waste of time if you want to be financially independent.