What would you tell your 18 or 25 year old self?

[WJK]

At 18: Skip university and start a simple service business. Window cleaning, something construction, solar etc. You will learn a lot. You will learn how to handle customers, employees, finances, leadership. Essentially this will make you ready for the big work.

At 25: Only start a business that you can scale not grow. If you are putting in 80hr weeks anyway, then make sure that you can scale the business assymetrically.

I guess i’m a little behind on following my own advice. I’ll turn 27 next month and currently running a service business… trial and error my friends.

When I was young, going to college was the only way for a woman to get ahead. Now I would sure look a lot harder at other choices.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[master-do]

in addiction to previously very good tips written, increase your hard(like sales, marketing, development) and soft skills(time e stress managment and much other) and read great books so much. And for italian people like me, LEARNING ENGLISH all time

 

[WJK]

I am surrounded by people harboring deep regrets. I should of... I could of... I wanted to... I wish I had... I wished I hadn't... This happened... That happened... The list is endless.

Part of it is my age. I'm a senior citizen. Part of it is because I did do the hard stuff when I was younger. I would tell my younger self to be kind to myself -- give myself some grace.

My husband and I took a small trip yesterday for a few hours to do an errand. We talked about the subject of regrets versus our long list of failed adventures and business attempts. (We passed through a town where we bought an oil/gas lease that cost us big bucks and was a total bust. That triggered the conversation.) But we both agree. Neither of us feels bad about any of our attempts or our failures. They should have worked. The odds were in our favor and the potential upsides were worth the risks. Also, the losses were manageable and didn't really hurt us too badly. We had planned for either way.

We also found that some of those missteps became necessary elements in later successes. They were really a win in ragged clothing.

When I was young, I was very hard on myself. I suffered terribly when I failed or made what turned out to be a bad decision. Now I just have one thing to say, "Next." Overall success has allowed me the freedom to fail and go on without making it a big deal. I know that I have made the best decision with the information I had available, and I intelligently used the resources I had in my hand. I did my best. What more can a person ask of themselves?

 

[Caminsky]

Take risks.

Don't live based on what's expected of you.

Do your own research.

Failure isn't the end.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Isaac Odongo]

. They were really a win in ragged clothing.

Thanks for this @WJK.

You're one of the people who make a paradise of this forum.

 

[Chrisrod2597]

For you 25 yr old+ guys out there, if you could go back in time, and tell your 25 year old self something, what would you say?

Currently I'm 25 so I would tell me 18 year old self to stop drinking, smoking weed and partying so much and focus on building a business that can give you freedom and money for a lifetime.

 

[LilliPilli]

This thread is GOLD for advice.

Here's the line that made me decide to drop out of college:


(mine as well throw in the full speech)

Yes this thread is GOLD, and you added more gold!
The line really captured the concept concisely, new angle applicable for me

Here's another GOLD nugget, stop action-faking. Don't become, be.
“Ambition in any form — by group, individual salvation or spiritual achievement — is a deferred action. Desire is always of the future; the desire to become something is the inaction of the present. Now is more important than tomorrow. All time is the now, and to understand the now is to be free of time. Becoming is the continuation of time, of pain. Becoming contains no being. Being is always in the present and being is the highest form of transformation. Becoming is only modified continuity and there is only radical transformation in the present, in being.“ — Jiddu Krishnamurti.

And
' "Do or do not, there is no 'how.'" You are already choosing, in every moment of every day, what to give a F*ck about, so change is as simple as choosing to give a fck about something else.' pg 114, subtle art of not giving a fck, Mark Manson.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[LilliPilli]

1. Read more.
2. Ignore "stuff". Perfection is when there is nothing more to take away, NOT when there is no more to add.
3. Do not engage in consumer debt. At All. Ever.
4. Take action NOW. Life is going to get in the way very soon.

Wow. I was grasping at this for ages, you put it into words perfectly (no.2)
Thanks!

 

[LilliPilli]

I'm a little younger than 25 but here goes anyways.

1. Making money has absolutely nothing to do with money. Solve problems and create value. Be ambitious in terms of value creation and knowledge.

2. Don't be limited by your past. Your vision of the future is the best indicator for success contrary to popular belief that the past is the best indicator of future success.

3. Live according to my own expectations. Never let others be the voice in your head that tells you what is possible for you.

4. Fear is sign that you need to wake up and open your eyes, not cower in the corner and hide.

5. It's okay to fail. Sometimes failure is more powerful than success.

6. Think. Be a critical thinker. Be independent. When you turn up internal noise, external noise goes down.

7. Sometimes that voice in our head that is running 24/7 that is constantly telling us what we are and what we can do is NOT OURS. Sometimes it was passively adopted by other people and the environment. Remove it and be your own voice and you will find that it is never negative. Negative thoughts and feelings can only come from external sources.

"Sometimes it was passively adopted by other people and the environment. Remove it and be your own voice and you will find that it is never negative. Negative thoughts and feelings can only come from external sources."
brilliant, thank you!

 

[Kevin88660]

Find some old mentors in business and life could help you grow faster. That’s what “rich dad vs poor dad” is about.

In general you cannot outgrow from the prejudice of your own social class upbringings and conditioning.

The children of the elites (in business and politics) always got a head start early education on leadership and risk-taking which is not taught in schools.

The children of the professionals are not taught that, this leaves a big gap to be learnt painfully in adult life much later.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[WJK]

Find some old mentors in business and life could help you grow faster. That’s what “rich dad vs poor dad” is about.

In general you cannot outgrow from the prejudice of your own social class upbringings and conditioning.

The children of the elites (in business and politics) always got a head start early education on leadership and risk-taking which is not taught in schools.

The children of the professionals are not taught that, this leaves a big gap to be learnt painfully in adult life much later.

I don't believe that. I grew up poor. My Dad had a talent. He bought houses with no heat or indoor bathrooms. Yes, he eventually built the indoor bathroom. But, they didn't have heat in the last house until I was grown and gone. I decided when I was a kid, and could see my breath in the morning when I got up to go to school, that I was never, never, never going to live that way again. I learned to be an entrepreneur when I was a kid. I've worked every day since I was 11 years old. I started cleaning houses, babysitting, mucking horse stalls, watering the neighbors' plants, and mowing their lawns -- and that was more than 60 years ago. I was the kid in the neighborhood that everyone called on. I made 50 cents per hour. The minute I could get a work permit at 16, I started my first real job. I made $1.35 per hour -- student wages. At 18 they had to bump me to $1.85 per hour. I didn't learn how to do it as an adult. I learned one day and one job at a time as a kid after my grandmother died.

I have run rings around the spoiled rich kids around me. I can do more in less time with fewer resources. I have gotten my education -- 4 college degrees including a J.D.. And that doesn't count the endless list of professional classes.

I went to law school at night and on the weekends in my early 40s after my boys grew up and left home. I carried 9 grad units, a full load, while I worked 60 and 70-hour weeks. Yes, it was tough. I developed a practice while I was in law school being an expert witness and litigation support specialist in real estate matters. And I was working full-time as a commercial real estate appraiser -- before they licensed us. I'm still a Certified General RE appraiser, although I'm retired.

I've been officially retired for 21 years. I'm in my office this morning working like usual. I still hold 3 State licenses and and Federal license for different practices and business endeavors. I'm not very good at this retirement thing. This is my 48th year in the RE business. And we set up a huge commercial machine in the spare room of my office last night to start a new business. Oh, and there are 2 smaller machines to support the new business. And it has nothing to do with real estate.

No, I don't wanna out-grow my prejudices. I want to use my begins to my advantage. Counting yourself out because you started at the back of the pack is just an excuse. It can be, and should be, an incentive to leapfrog over those trust fund babies. They lack motivation and courage -- they are way too comfortable and stuck in place. They don't know how to claw their way out and find the sweet smell of victory at the top of the leap.

 

[ChasingDream97]

I don't believe that. I grew up poor. My Dad had a talent. He bought houses with no heat or indoor bathrooms. Yes, he eventually built the indoor bathroom. But, they didn't have heat in the last house until I was grown and gone. I decided when I was a kid, and could see my breath in the morning when I got up to go to school, that I was never, never, never going to live that way again. I learned to be an entrepreneur when I was a kid. I've worked every day since I was 11 years old. I started cleaning houses, babysitting, mucking horse stalls, watering the neighbors' plants, and mowing their lawns -- and that was more than 60 years ago. I was the kid in the neighborhood that everyone called on. I made 50 cents per hour. The minute I could get a work permit at 16, I started my first real job. I made $1.35 per hour -- student wages. At 18 they had to bump me to $1.85 per hour. I didn't learn how to do it as an adult. I learned one day and one job at a time as a kid after my grandmother died.

I have run rings around the spoiled rich kids around me. I can do more in less time with fewer resources. I have gotten my education -- 4 college degrees including a J.D.. And that doesn't count the endless list of professional classes.

I went to law school at night and on the weekends in my early 40s after my boys grew up and left home. I carried 9 grad units, a full load, while I worked 60 and 70-hour weeks. Yes, it was tough. I developed a practice while I was in law school being an expert witness and litigation support specialist in real estate matters. And I was working full-time as a commercial real estate appraiser -- before they licensed us. I'm still a Certified General RE appraiser, although I'm retired.

I've been officially retired for 21 years. I'm in my office this morning working like usual. I still hold 3 State licenses and and Federal license for different practices and business endeavors. I'm not very good at this retirement thing. This is my 48th year in the RE business. And we set up a huge commercial machine in the spare room of my office last night to start a new business. Oh, and there are 2 smaller machines to support the new business. And it has nothing to do with real estate.

No, I don't wanna out-grow my prejudices. I want to use my begins to my advantage. Counting yourself out because you started at the back of the pack is just an excuse. It can be, and should be, an incentive to leapfrog over those trust fund babies. They lack motivation and courage -- they are way too comfortable and stuck in place. They don't know how to claw their way out and find the sweet smell of victory at the top of the leap.

This is impressive

 

[WJK]

This is impressive

Thx. I've had a life of work and service to the people around me. Yes, it has been worth the effort.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[REV5028]

I honestly don't think there's much I'd tell my 18 yo self. I really enjoyed my undergraduate career. I loved learning physics even though it was hard and it kicked my butt. I met a lot of cool people and I absolutely loved my university. I learned some hard lessons and had some rough times, but I don't think I would have changed much of anything. Looking back, I'm actually really proud of my younger self. As for my 25 yo self, again, can't really say I regret much. There's at least one thing I wish I had handled differently, but I made my apologies and amends as best I could. I would probably tell my 25 yo self that it's time to stop being a leaf in the wind and spend some time really figuring out what I care about and what I really want to do. Because a PhD in geophysics definitely wasn't it, I just didn't have anything better on my radar. Thinking about what I'd tell my younger self, I actually wish I had advice from my younger self for my current self. Lately I've been feeling more negative and trapped than I have in a very very long time and for the first time in a very very long time I'm having a hard time getting myself through it. I feel as though I've lost a strong and important part of myself and I'm really struggling to find it again. But anyway, one day at a time.

 

[Kak]

Hmm… Teens and early 20s Kak was a mess. It took my 30s to know it.

“Start running NOW instead of when you’re 33.”

“Politics is a total life suck. You can be right without being iNfOrmeD. Voting harder doesn’t matter. Focus on things you can control.”

“You don’t have the world by the balls. Stop thinking you do. Humble yourself and things might take off sooner. It’s not about you.”

“Your girlfriend is a retard, a great wife is coming.”

“Don’t give up, it takes a lot of failure.”

“God is better than you can imagine. You have no idea.”

 

[Kevin88660]

I don't believe that. I grew up poor. My Dad had a talent. He bought houses with no heat or indoor bathrooms. Yes, he eventually built the indoor bathroom. But, they didn't have heat in the last house until I was grown and gone. I decided when I was a kid, and could see my breath in the morning when I got up to go to school, that I was never, never, never going to live that way again. I learned to be an entrepreneur when I was a kid. I've worked every day since I was 11 years old. I started cleaning houses, babysitting, mucking horse stalls, watering the neighbors' plants, and mowing their lawns -- and that was more than 60 years ago. I was the kid in the neighborhood that everyone called on. I made 50 cents per hour. The minute I could get a work permit at 16, I started my first real job. I made $1.35 per hour -- student wages. At 18 they had to bump me to $1.85 per hour. I didn't learn how to do it as an adult. I learned one day and one job at a time as a kid after my grandmother died.

I have run rings around the spoiled rich kids around me. I can do more in less time with fewer resources. I have gotten my education -- 4 college degrees including a J.D.. And that doesn't count the endless list of professional classes.

I went to law school at night and on the weekends in my early 40s after my boys grew up and left home. I carried 9 grad units, a full load, while I worked 60 and 70-hour weeks. Yes, it was tough. I developed a practice while I was in law school being an expert witness and litigation support specialist in real estate matters. And I was working full-time as a commercial real estate appraiser -- before they licensed us. I'm still a Certified General RE appraiser, although I'm retired.

I've been officially retired for 21 years. I'm in my office this morning working like usual. I still hold 3 State licenses and and Federal license for different practices and business endeavors. I'm not very good at this retirement thing. This is my 48th year in the RE business. And we set up a huge commercial machine in the spare room of my office last night to start a new business. Oh, and there are 2 smaller machines to support the new business. And it has nothing to do with real estate.

No, I don't wanna out-grow my prejudices. I want to use my begins to my advantage. Counting yourself out because you started at the back of the pack is just an excuse. It can be, and should be, an incentive to leapfrog over those trust fund babies. They lack motivation and courage -- they are way too comfortable and stuck in place. They don't know how to claw their way out and find the sweet smell of victory at the top of the leap.

It’s not explicitly spelled out but professionals tend to misguide their children into unconscious bias that leadership and risk taking are a waste of time.

Because if you are busy optimizing what’s ahead of you based on self-interest, leadership which requires necessary self-sacrifice to attract others into you, becomes something that doesn’t make sense.

As a result, professionals produce children who work for children of the others who taught their children a different set of values.

It could be something very small as organizing an event such as a meal or sports outing. Among an event that has 20-30 participants it’s always the 1/2 people who are willing to host. Because hosting requires extra effort in getting everything ready, communicating with everyone on their attendance and put up the deposit in advance for booking.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[DonyaSze]

Stop getting angry at people on the internet.

Forgive and say you're sorry even if you're right. Its better to be rich than right.

 

[ALL$NTMC]

Be patient and build a lifestyle that you want to live forever!

 

[AceVentures]

"Don't be so narrow-minded - set your sight decades into the future"

"Embrace difficulty instead of escaping it - treat it as a skill and become really good at eating shit"

"Getting rich quickly is parasitic to mature development - don't let it be your goal"

"Your difficulty is one and the same with your inability - it's all a skill issue"

"You don't have imposter syndrome, you're just not good enough yet. So keep your head down and work your a$$ off"

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[WJK]

Be patient and build a lifestyle that you want to live forever!

Your "it" will change over time. Allow your plan to morph and change as you do.

 

[WJK]

Stop getting angry at people on the internet.

Forgive and say you're sorry even if you're right. Its better to be rich than right.

I think of it a little bit differently. I haven't found money (being rich) to be the answer. You can be totally right and still flatly fail. `I have found that it is better to be in rhythm with the Universe than to be right. I listen for its heartbeat and march to that cadence. I rarely say I'm sorry unless I truly am regretful for a known mistake or situation. Usually, time and space save the day during conflicts. By the time the other person gets to the point where they can listen, I am way down the road and it no longer matters. That distance makes it easy for me to be brief and nice.

 

[Eduard Schaffert]

Hi, MJ DeMarco's newsletter got me thinking. The last mail was about regret and what you might tell your 18 years old self to do differently in life.

As an 18 year old it would very much interest me what people a little older would say.

So just pretend I am your 18 years old self, what would you tell me to do different?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[MJ DeMarco]

Hi, MJ DeMarco's newsletter got me thinking. The last mail was about regret and what you might tell your 18 years old self to do differently in life.

As an 18 year old it would very much interest me what people a little older would say.

So just pretend I am your 18 years old self, what would you tell me to do different?

Your post has been moved.

We don't need a new thread on this, there are literally HUNDREDS of answers here you can review. Good luck!

 

[Jermaine99]

It’s ok if you don’t know what to do but don’t let that stop you from exploring.