Should 22 year olds take advice from hedge fund millionaires?
Proceed with Caution or Emulate What Worked?
Note: This first appeared as a post-script to the RadReads e-mail newsletter (Subscribe)
I wanted to explore a question that gets asked frequently, particularly from our younger readers. It goes: I’m [22] years old early and early in my career. Once I achieve the career recognition and success that you (i.e. Khe, Sam and our other featured guests/writers) THEN I’ll pursue passion, self-care, and saving the world. But for now, I’m all about that hustle. (Listen @ minute 48:27)
I used to get very defensive about that question, because it cuts to the heart of privilege and discomfort we have in talking about money. I’m often tempted to evangelize my decision to leave a status-y/high income job, which is not my “message,” but comes from the deeper need to feel validated.
I never look back on my decisions with any regret, nor do I find it useful to speculate on What Ifs. But there are a few learnings that have shifted the way I see the world. They are not truisms, just one indvidual’s humble observations.
First, I think that had spent 10% of my gym time on emotional well-being (coaching, sleeping, meditation, and reflection) I would have been way less anxious. This probably would have enabled my second point, honoring my fears and insecurities earlier in my life. Instead of over-compensating for them, I think that the clarity and calmness that arise from knowing when your “fight or flight reflex” gets triggered would’ve percolated into my work, relationships, and creativity. Third, abandoning a “zero-sum nature” worldview has resulted in an abundance of opportunities and more ease in navigating where my personal values intersect with my business ambition. And finally, learning that happiness is an “inside game:” the ability to love and be loved; meaningful relationships; and tending to your craft are much more sustainable than the quick fixes that come from external validation.
But these are deeply personal and I’m certain I couldn’t have discovered these learnings, without taking my own very specific path. So please continue to challenge, explore, and question — after all, one of my favorite sayings is “The quality of your life, is measured by the quality of your questions.”
