What would you tell your 16 year old self?

[AgainstAllOdds]

Only take advice from people you want to become. Apply that rule to this thread as well as life.

 

[Envision]

Workout
Read alot
Eat healthy
Play sports
Talk to alot of girls
Be as social and confident as possible
Start a business
Dont get fat
Dont get into hard drugs
Dont smoke cigarettes.

I was honestly reading threads like when I was 16 so I didnt make really any mistakes I'd say. my biggest advantage was working out in high school... I went from 120 pounds to 210 pounds and I was strong and lean as hell. Not going to lie it made me popular, I had awesome friends and had amazing girlfriends just because of the confidence from working out and it's only getting better..

I'd tell any young guy to get into working out as soon as they can. I started when i was 14.

Edit: and go listen to elliot hulse and fightmediocrity on youtube and read boldanddetermined.com

 

[Ubermensch]

"Drop out of college. It'll be the best career move you ever make."

 

[Verge]

Hello fellow Fastlaners!
16 year old here, who is trying his absolute best to work out with all of MJ's suggestions in TMF . But if you guys could give any suggestions, book recommendations, wise words, etc etc, what would you tell your former 16 year old self?
Thanks guys!

 

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[Aaron W]

To my 16 year old self and what ever alter universe he is currently in:

• Don't waste time playing MMO's
  
• Start a business and don't worry about loosing money
• Just do things, experience is so so important
• Girls are great but don't let them control your life and make you feel negative emotions
• Have fun you're young, life gets more serious and worrying as you grow up
  
• Good job on never doing drugs/smoking
• Don't worry about what others think of you
  
• Avoid mainstream beliefs with every intent
• Get rid of shitty friends, you know who they are
• Nice one on avoiding peer pressure, don't fall in to it
• Don't judge people, bitch about them or anything. It's a waste of time and ultimately doesn't change their being or yours
• Don't let a problem become a problem. It's the ego identifying the problem with 'you'
• Read more books, learn. But one at a time.
  
• Don't overwhelm yourself
  
• Don't worry about what your 'passion is'. Most people don't ever find out.
• School sucks, but its fun as well. Turn lesson time into business time some how.
  
• Use protection, it saves your life
  
• Go out side, even though it may be scary
• Appreciate your parents. Respect them
• Be open with your emotions, if your in a bad mood say 'hey... I'm in a bad mood, but I'm working on feeling good and should be fine in 10 minutes'. People appreciate this and it will make you feel peaceful
  
• Never throw a snowball at a 7ft Swiss black mans car, shit hurts when he slaps you.
• Use what you know as an advantage, you can't be good at everything (don't try and draw if you really do just suck at it...it's ok)
• Build trust with others, don't expect it
• Don't argue with people, let them be right. Argument's are a waste of time and resolve nothing
• Don't correct people, all your doing is destroying their self confidence / hurting their ego and they will unconsciously dislike you.
• Be social, talk to girls...it gets harder as you get older if you have no experience whilst young.
• Don't ever follow RSD or any pick up community. Everyone in it is F*cking weird and it throws off your natural being. There businesses making money - remember that.
• Don't watch too much porn or believe that's what girls like (I think the younger generation has bad expectations...I read that somewhere)
  
• Invest in Quality and not Quantity. Keep minimalistic.
• Remember to relax, don't be a work aholic. You will burn out.
• Don't get hyped up about people telling you how awesome it is to work their 9-5 job at their awesome company that gives out cookies and shit every day and has a slide
  
• Read the hell out of successful peoples threads here on FastLaneForum and understand their process/ask questions.
  
• Abuse your age: what do people like at your current age and what will they need when they're older and have credit cards/money?

Could go on for ever, but this is a good start for young Aaron.

 

[brewster]

Chill out and stop caring what people think.

I let social anxiety dominate me all throughout my teens and always thought people were judging me.

In reality? No one gave a damn about me!

So, in one word? Relax.

 

[Filipe]

I'd say to my former self (i'm only 19 here) to get in experiences and "just do things". You know, those things people don't do because others would think they're crazy. I'm not talking "jump off a bridge", rather "build a bridge".

quick episode:
A couple years ago I was still in high school. Because I had good grades, the director invited me to be a candidate to represent the students in the school's board. I did, I was elected and I attended every meeting. Even though I was pretty talkative and generally confident in everyday life, I can tell you this:
During that year and half where I took part in those meetings, i LITERALLY said ZERO words. A year and a half and I didn't open my mouth ONE single time. My confidence was below null in that environment of bureocracy and policy, i just couldn't gather the nerve to speak my thoughts and be judged by those in a "superior" position.
Fast forward to a while afterwards, and here I am in university. At the end of the first semester, everybody in my class had to do a presentation. Well... The days before then weren't pleasant in the least bit. I got really really nervous when I was called up to face the 100 or so people and 2 cathedratic university professors. I just had to man the f**k up and do it, I thought to myself... and I did it, and people loved it. The professor thought it was pretty good and my classmates said i was really good. Maybe it was just the common "loser feel good talk" , but the truth is I absolutely completely lost my fear of public speaking ever since. I get nervous, sure, but I do it anyway, and it usually comes out nice because of the preparation I always put in before a presentation/lecture/whatever.

Lesson to my 16 year old self: man the f**k up and do it

 

[Buickestate]

Don't be Normal and follow your intuition

 

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[CMA]

Wow. 16 and already into this forum and the book. Good stuff.

So here what I would tell my 16 year old self.

1. You are in control of everything that happens in your life: Good, bad, everything.
2. What you do today affects your tomorrow: Think in the long term. You want to be fit at 25, work out consistently today
3. Don't set self limiting beliefs: If you want be something, do something, make 100 million go out and do it. The only person that can stop you is you.
4. Always invest money (Most people would say save, but don't save to just spend it, save to make that money work for you.) - This is a habit that when ingrained early is easy to keep, but when never learned hard to do.
5. You can't get time back.- 20, 25, 30 will be here in no time. Take time to enjoy your teenage years.

Have fun and remember that everybody dies, but not everybody lives. (Silly Drake line, but I find truth to it.)

Caonex

 

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[marklov]

I would tell my 16 year old self.

Do more 16 year old stuff party and enjoy yourself.

Growing up too fast is boring.

Many of the stuff I would tell my 16 year old self now....
he wouldn't have the maturity to internalize half of it.

 

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[TTG SS]

Get yourself into the weight room and don't be a sissy who only hits arms everyday, as if that is some kind of workout. Work on your major compound lifts.

Don't make the mistake I did and wait till I was 20, I missed out on 4 years of prime lifting.

Enjoy yourself, once you graduate high school its time to get to work.

 

[TonyStark]

To my former self: Read TMF lol.

 

[Ross Morgan]

SET GOALS! Make your goal this year to be able to spot Fastlane opportunities every single day. Do this by training your problem solving muscle. Train your problem solving muscle by observing, listening for, and writing down problems, solutions, and ideas. Do this EVERY day!
Never be lazy, do anything and everything you can to help around the house and beyond. Learn to be happy to help and always request the opportunity to help more. When others around you are lazy and not helping, do not resent, set the example and help them too. Never think you are saving time by not helping others to focus on what you want to do. The most important part of helping is to learn to be happy to do it, especially with favors and chores.
Check out Fastlane bookstore and other threads here for good books. All the finance/wealth books recommended by MJ are great reads.
Figure out your interests, (if possible) try to determine an industry you're interested in ASAP.
Focus, read, learn, think, focus, read, think, learn.
Figure out what kind of lifestyle you need to solidify in order for you to achieve progress toward success whether its waking up on time, fitness, eating right, studying, etc.
Speed up, count every second because every second counts.
Never slow down.

 

[Chitown]

During that year and half where I took part in those meetings, i LITERALLY said ZERO words. A year and a half and I didn't open my mouth ONE single time.

@Filipe

I did something different but in the same vein.

My freshman year in high school...I did not audition for either of the 2 school plays that were being put on - and I wanted to be an actor! I knew for a fact I was one of the more talented guys in school but my confidence was in the toilet. The other dudes had more balls than I did.

If I were to impart any advice to my 16 year old self? Trust your intuition. There is something about being keyed into your "sixth sense". When you listen to it, you'll avoid most of the bad crap that life throws at you.

And I'm 45 years old, folks!

 

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[Zl1996]

You can graduate from school early.

 

[WaqarM93]

1) READ. Anything and everything (well, not everything)!
2) Experience life in all it's glory. Pick up an extra-curricular activity or two (sports was my choice).
3) Don't give a shit about what others think of you. A wise fellow once said: "Do what you want to do, say what you want to say, because those who matter don’t mind, and those who do mind don’t matter."
4) Go out there and make life-long friends and memories!

 

[Kreedos Phoenix]

More of a mindset thing, but I would deliver this message to my 16 year old self with pure conviction:

There are 16 year olds in this world doing incredible, amazing things. There is absolutely NO reason you cant be one of them. You are unique...play to your differences.

 

[sWALK90]

Don't follow the masses...do what you want...

Instead of trying to do what everyone else is doing ,figure out how you can make money from it.

Produce more and consume less...

 

[IGP]

Buy Apple Stock!

 

[Ubermensch]

You were in college at 16? lol

Yup.

Dropped out junior year.

Never went back.

And I've had multiple paydays much larger than any of my professor's salaries.

College is great... if you want to learn how to be a Robot Matrix Agent. HAHA

I think that officially makes me "too cool for school," as the kids these days say.

 

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[Kung Fu Steve]

The next couple of years are going to be incredibly painful. No one will believe you can be a success. Many will downright hope that you fail. The people you think are your friends today won't be your friends in the future so stop worrying about what they think.

You will shed a lot of blood, a lot of sweat, and a lot of tears.

But listen to me now:

It's worth it.

 

[SWB]

16 was along time ago for me and I would love the opportunity to have a chat to the 16 yr old Steve. If I did i would say this,

• Do not stop learning and asking questions, knowledge is king
• Never ever give up
• Watch what everyone else is going and go the other way
• There are is no benefit nor answers in that bottle.

 

[Bouncing Soul]

Could you explain this?

Sure, I went from hustling- raking leaves, working in dad's janitorial biz which led to a couple of my own small accounts, working on cars, stuff like that, to a job working in a kitchen for a steady paycheck. Per hour worked I made a lot more money hustling.

For my kids, I will be very focused on what I'll call 21st century hustling...using technology to do the same kind of things. Whether online stores, product development/marketing, something their old dad has no idea about or doesn't now exist or just as a way to better reach local customers raking leaves.

 

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[Gustavs]

Interesting thread. I'm 15 and these posts will definitely help out!

 

[Charnell]

When you break up the first time, stay broken up.
Continue doing poorly in school, you'll end up in the military no matter what.
While in the military, start creating. Websites, eBooks, videos, music. Those checks are guaranteed on the first and fifteenth, might as well use them.

 

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[The-J]

Probably "don't date that girl, date this girl instead". Or maybe "stop playing video games and go exercise". Or maybe "use Every Day Direct Mail to advertise your computer fixing service outside of the neighborhood, because you're not making shit despite offering a better service than anyone else in a 30 mile radius".

My life has turned out pretty well, all things considered, and I have no big regrets. I'm still young though.

 

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[NonMagicalGenie]

Step outside your comfort zone and really put yourself out there. Because you never know what lies ahead after you make that first initial step.

Having memories full of taking risks and failing is much better then, not being adventurous and having a life full of "what ifs" and "could've beens".

 

[Dwight Schrute]

"Hey Dwight!

You're spending too much time inside your head. Leave the inner world more often and put your stamp onto the outer world.

Read more! Less internet, more books.

Don't try to fit in.

Don't try to be one of the cool guys, and whatever they say to you, make sure you give them a polite response.
Some of them will wash your car and deliver your newspaper in the future.

All the best,

Future Dwight"

 

[benhebert]

I'm writing a blog post about this now, but the key to this game is longevity.

Simply outlasting everyone else and persevering through upswings, downswings, trends and whatever else.

 

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[Liana]

I would tell myself to start looking into business ideas instead of just focusing on college. I wasted a lot of time in my teens and early twenties that could have been better spent coming up with ideas.