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

Phenom

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- Spend more time with your parents. Make their life better.
- Learn selling skills (sales job, pitch, etc.) and keep learning...
- Get a mentor and start creating or start a business.
- Work hard and then harder. There's no shortcut or magic pill.
- Take care of your health.
- Less consuming.
- Always be humble.
 
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Esquire

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What would I tell my 25-year-old self ...?

Hard to say ... I'd be too busy bitch slapping the shit out him.

The things I know now ... that I wish I knew then ... would fill a book.

Not even going to attempt it.

The real question -- in my mind -- is what will I want to bitch slap myself over 20 years from today?

The biggest difference between me at 20 ... and me at 40 ... is that me at 40 ... knows another round of bitch slaps are coming.

Guaranteed.

When I figure out why ... I'll let ya know. ;)
 
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Jill

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I would tell my 25-yr-old self (25 years ago...):

  • Value time.
  • Live meagerly. You can “live large” later.
  • If you can’t pay them off every month, don’t use credit cards.
  • Stay in shape. The world is not kind to fat people. (Besides, nothing else matters without your health.)
  • If he's is not good enough for you the way he is right now, today, move on. (E.g. don’t marry someone’s potential best self.)
  • Expand your horizons! Travel NOW & never stop learning new things (sports, languages, skills, etc.)
  • Make an effort to have more quality conversations with your parents. Ask every question and say everything you want say to them while you still can.
  • It’s okay to respectfully take a different path than the one to which your parents have led you.
 
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IceCreamKid

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Stop waiting...
Stop waiting to ask the girl out.
Stop waiting for the employer to call you back with a job offer.
Stop waiting to be happy.
Stop waiting for your ship to come.
Stop waiting for somebody to save you.
Stop waiting for a mentor and go get them yourself.
Stop waiting for better friends to come into your life. Get them yourself.
Stop waiting to live the life you've always wanted. Get it yourself.

Stop chasing after girls whose looks promise heaven and deliver hell. Admit it, you're just horny and your balls are controlling your actions. Take control of your ridiculous urges bro.
That really hot girl you're with...she will steal your money and get a boob job with it. You'll have thoughts racing through your mind for weeks about how you want to sue her and make her life hell, but you won't end up doing it in the end because you're a nice guy at heart. You will be left bitter and confused for a while, but realize one day that all the bad stuff you went through was only meant to make you stronger....karma will actually get her back a few months later when her mom kicks her out of the house for being such a ridiculously selfish human being towards everyone.

When you approach a mentor, don't wait to take action on what they tell you to do. If you do that, you are an a**hole and are wasting his time.

Do not move to the dark side. They say nice guys finish last, but they usually finish with a sizable savings account and a good ladybird.

YOU CANNOT CHEAT THE GRIND SO STOP LOOKING FOR SHORTCUTS. Take action. Get the ice cream.
 
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Esquire

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HANDS DOWN ... the WORST decision I ever made in my 20s -- was getting married.

F*ck me. I'm still writing the checks. Nothing ... and I mean NOTHING ... has wracked more financial havoc in my life than family court.

And I don't even have kids. Ain't THAT a bitch ...?

Do NOT let the government into your bedroom. Do NOT put yourself into a position where a family judge can strip you of damn near everything you own (property assignments) ... and strip you of everything you don't even own yet -- but will someday (alimony).

You don't "marry" your spouse. You "marry" the government.

Because the moment you say "I do" ... the government has you -- and everything you own -- by the nut sack.

Refuse to pay? Go to jail (civil contempt).

Judge violates your rights and ignores the law ...? Sit your a$$ in a jail cell while you wait for your appeal and a formal apology.

F*ck THAT. Never again.

All it takes is one bonehead judge ... who thinks your BUSINESS GROSS ... is your PERSONAL NET ... to F*ck you good and hard.

Six figures hard.

Ask me how I know ...

Worst decision of my life.
 
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royemunson

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I've thought about this many times over the years as I'm 10 years out of 25. I would tell myself many of the little tidbits I've learned over the years but let's face it I would not have listened to some "old guy" who thinks they know everything.

But if I saw myself 10 years ago...

Your decisions will shape where you go
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there
Nothing is certain
You will be a father and promise that kid that you will give him all you got no matter what happens
Your roughest waters are ahead of you so be prepared
With that said, you will go through one of the biggest challenges of your life - and if done right you'll become a better man
Focus on finding fulfillment in all areas of life - and stop chasing shit that doesn't matter
Figure out ways to add value to this world
Cherish your health and your loved ones - choose wisely who you let into your heart
Raise your standards - even when you think you can't and expect more of yourself - and push others around you to be more
Don't ever give up
Live with values, do the right thing, trust in God and the path you're on, and don't ever compromise what you believe in
Become mentally strong and work on improving yourself daily
Time is your most valuable asset - something you'll quickly learn as you get older

Good luck my young 25 year old friend - you will need it as you move forward!

Joe
 

oldscool

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Sir stay cool, but, relax on the arrogance.
Sir you still that dude, but, relax on the superiority complex.
Sir save save save
Sir the good times wont last forever.
Sir be thankful for the grind.
Sir you have to learn how to adapt to change.
Sir you wont lose your cool if you ask for help to learn new things.
Sir years from now you'll laugh at the things you failed at so go out there and make a fool of yourself.
Sir dont take no for an answer. I challenge you to be grrreaaat!
Sir, this thing of ours is a learning process.
Sir you're filled with testosterone, if you can control yourself with self discipline the world is yours.

Funny in my early 20's I was already reading self help books, but, I wasn't intensely focused on the words. Kinda like when we went to school and we say we didnt learn anything after graduating. Some of the stuff was over my head at the time. The words in the material were words I didnt even know what it fully meant. I am the sum total of my experiences and I dont think anything would've changed had I been able to go back. Unless, fate intervened of course. Long story.
 
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aardvarky

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Degrees mean very little if you're looking for a life of freedom.
People who don't believe in you or don't think "it's possible" will only drag you down - ditch them, gently but firmly.
Get focused on what makes you damn happy - not content - but figure out the big picture of the kind of life that makes you want to dance...and then ONLY focus on doing things that will get you to that life.
Jewelry, shoes, clothes, and purses can be lost or stolen but knowledge gained from internalized understanding and experiences are forever.
Nobody owes you anything at all. Search and destroy any trace of entitlement you feel.
Lifestyle is the most important thing. Not the corner office, not your yearly paycheck, not your credentials. Those are mere distractions.
Listen more to yourself than anyone else.
Be BRAVE.
Seek out good, positive, motivated, freedom-loving people.

All those things and more, but to be honest...I doubt 25-year-old would've listened. It's hard to hear with your head lodged so far up your a** :)
 
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smarty

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- don't let anything/anyone make your self image a negative one. you are the enthusiast kid who used to run and fill the house with joy.
- you do everything perfect if you just push yourself a little bit more than you used to. don't let fear or bad expectations get in your way.
- presuppose the best out of every situation and act accordingly.
- be more kind and social, talk to everyone, don't let ego take you over.
- you are welcome always and everywhere.
- you give value to every conversation and person but you value your time.
- have a hell of a lot more fun, enjoy yourself, do whatever the F*ck you wanna do and stop caring what anyone will think of you. their opinion on you is totally irrelevant and they will forget you within the next 60 seconds anyway.
 
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Tommy92l

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This thread is pure gold for everybody under 25! :)
Yeah, absolutely agreed.

I'm only 21, but what I've learned is - Stop finding the easier way. Sometimes the longer, harder, and more pain staking route is the most worthwhile one.... and entertaining as well.

Oh and. Don't just look for a friend with personality, but with character.
 

JasonR

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stop being afraid.

So much, this.

When you can live a life, without fear, you can truly live.

I'm 29. If could have told my 25 year old self this, I would not have understood it. When you understand it, you know.

Me and @TheTruth went out the other night. Some random girls said they liked us. You know why? They literally said, "You guys do whatever the F*ck you want, without giving a F*ck what other people think."

I just thought, yup, that's us. That's living a life without fear. :)
 

HappyFighter

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You bet on the lottery on this date with these numbers...

No seriously.

When you lock eyes with a pretty girl who looks like a princess, smile at her, approach her, talk to her, and get her number. Don't care about what other people think, it's between you and her. Don't be shy even for once in your life, that moment is important because you might not see her again in this lifetime.
 

Enki

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Quit being an a**hole! You have some excellent mentors with real world experience. Quit saying "I know, I know..." When you have no F*cking clue! Just shut the F*ck up and listen! When you crash and burn in a few months, Get your a$$ back up and stop your bitching and whining.
 

Jazzcat

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Be RUTHLESS!

...about protecting your time.
...about protecting those closest to you.
...about protecting your values and goals.

Wasting time is the most foolish thing I did at 25 and at...well at my current age.
Also, sometimes you have to slice out and replace the GOOD to protect what is BEST.
 
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fastattack03

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- Get out of your F*cking comfort zone!
- Make things happen
- Take SMART risks, not all risks are created equal
- Sharpen your saw but don't try too hard to be perfect

Still 25 but I want to contribute here. :)

Tons of golden nuggets. bookmarking this thread!
 

Pete799p

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1. Stop being afraid. Every time you find yourself scared you need to reflect on the real reason, whether or not it is actually warranted, and figure out how to conqueror it. In fact you should write down right now what your biggest fear is and get started changing that. Mine was heights, which I have struggled with since I was a small child. Consequently I decided one day I was going to start rock climbing and I can say that it is now one of my favorite activities, I go almost every week. Do I still get freaked every once in a while, yes, but I have become much better at controlling it, and pushing through it. This has had a profound impact on my life overall.

2. Do not move somewhere you hate for any reason. There is no amount of money that can give me back the last 3 years of my life.

3. Anytime somebody who is not living the life you want gives you advice you should probably do the opposite, especially if they are in the 99%.

4. Believe in yourself. There is nothing that you cannot do if you believe. The worst thing is you get a great education upon failure. I had a mentor who lost it all in the real estate meltdown and had to declare bankruptcy. He dusted himself off and started a new rebuilding the empire piece by piece. Last I saw him he pulled up in a new Maserati. You can take away the money but never the knowledge.

5. If you are not in shape you need to start now, it's only going to get harder.
 
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