A Note to My 21-Year-Old Self

There are times in your life where you’ll undoubtedly stop and ask yourself, “How did I get here?”. When we’re young, we think we have everything figured out. We know our decisions impact outcomes, but we never consider just how much. When we’re young, we think anything is possible. That if we conjure it up in our minds, we can achieve it. And this is not wrong, but we often forget to blueprint how we’ll get there. This is what I would tell my 21-year-old-self.

Don’t be in a rush. Success takes time

Embrace “failure”. Learn from it. Analyze what you did and why it didn’t work. Modify your approach. Try again.

In your 20’s, it’s important to hustle. Don’t forget that. You need to work hard. But you also need to enjoy them. Your 20’s will suck. But they’ll also be some of the best times of your life. Embrace the suck. It really is not as bad as you think.

Don’t take the first job offer extended to you. Think about it. Consider if it really makes sense in the short and long-term.

Working 15 hour days and 100 hour weeks does not guarantee success or rapid advancement up the ladder. Especially if it is doing something that you don’t even enjoy and are not committed to over the long term.

Don’t think you have it all figured out. Say “Yes” often, but learn to say “No” when it makes sense.

Forget “day trading” and focus on long-term investments. Hold on to your Apple stock. Get into Tesla earlier.

Stop thinking that “in a couple of years” is a lifetime away. It’s not. Start acting. Stop thinking.

Stop overanalyzing everything. Just do it if you want to do it.

Your health is important. Forget the never-ending supply energy drinks, coffee saturated with sugar and cream, and fast food.

Wake up earlier. Regularly. You’ll learn that you actually enjoy being awake early. Even if you don’t enjoy the actual act of waking up early.

That blog that you started in grad school as part of a class assignment? Keep it going after the class ends. And while we’re on the topic of grad school, make sure the program makes strategic sense for where you want your career to go. (See the point above about not being in a rush).

Don’t be afraid to admit when a “career” has turned in to a “job” and it is time to cut loose. It will be better in the end.

Your quarter-life crisis? Yeah, it’s bullshit. Things are never as bad as you make them seem.

Set aside time each week to focus on yourself. Start a hobby. Think about the long-term. Read philosophy and history. Don’t watch as much TV. Get outside. Do the things you say you are going to do and experience the things you say you will.

You’re creative. You’re smart. Capitalize on it.

Nothing will ever be perfect. Just go with it and see what happens. You don’t need to spend hours figuring out what you’ll write about. Just start writing. You’re good at that. The words will come. But only if you start.

Stop looking at other people and thinking that you need to model your life the same way as them. You don’t. You know what you want in life and what you want to accomplish. Do it. Do You. Focus only on You.