What should you not waste time on in your sixteenth?
1.Trying to Become a ‘Success’
Your 20’s are about laying the groundwork.
They’re about figuring out who you want to be and how you fit into the world.
They are not for becoming a ‘success’.
Sure, there are plenty of millionaire 20-something success stories but you don’t need to feel the pressure to become one of them. And feel like you are worthless if you are not.
There will be plenty of time in your life to become successful.
Now, you should focus on learning, growing, networking, and building yourself into the person you want to be.
The money and fame will come later.
2. Impressing Other People
Who cares what other people think.
They’re just as clueless and confused as you are (I’m including myself in this).
Other people’s opinions don’t matter.
So stop letting them rule your life.
Do what you want and live life your way.
Be ethical, of course, but don’t let other people’s opinions sway you into a life that you don’t love.
My rule of thumb is: If you wouldn’t trade lives with someone else, don’t take advice from them and don’t care what they think.
Period.
3. Working a J.O.B.
Sure, you should work hard in your 20’s.
But don’t waste your time at a JOB if that’s not what you want to do.
Unless you have your heart set on a career path that you already love and find wildly fulfilling, don’t waste your time in the corporate world.
Get a bar tending job to pay the bills and work in your side hustle or freelancing gigs in your free time.
Volunteer your way across the world or apprentice under someone you respect.
You can always go back and get a job but you can’t get wasted time back.
4. Getting ANOTHER Advanced Degree
You don’t need another degree to be successful.
I get it if you want to be a doctor or lawyer, but so many 20-somethings are using college as an escape from the real world.
When they can’t find a job with their bachelor’s degree, they get a masters.
When they can’t find employment with that, they go and get ANOTHER degree.
5.Buying CRAP to Make You Happy
Material posessions rarely make you happy.
Spend your money on experiences NOT things and you’ll look back on your 20’s with a smile.
Chase the next car, big house, or other expensive toy and you’ll look back on your 20’s begging the universe for a redo.
Stop buying crap you don’t need to impress people you don’t even know.
6. Getting into Debt
It’s not worth it and it’s just plain dumb.
You don’t need to go into debt unless you are starting a business and using credit cards to pay for your living expenses.
DON’T go into debt for a car, house, or fancy toy.
It’s not worth it and it will cause huge problems later down the road.
7. Adhering to Strong Political/Religious/Philosophical Beliefs
Now before you get too angry… Hear me out.
I’m not against strong beliefs, I have plenty of them myself. And I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have a religion, political party, or philisophical train of thought that you follow.
But at this time in your life, you likely aren’t experienced enough to make informed decisions about these topics.
You need to meet more people, see the world, experience new cultures and understand opposing sides to an argument.
I know you think otherwise, but trust me on this.
Instead of protesting campus events and marching around with signs about your beliefs, use this time in your life to EDUCATE yourself about the world and how it really works.
Study the world’s religions. Study atheists, christians, muslims, hindus, and buddhists.
Learn about socialism, capitalism, libertarianism, marxism, and other economic and political beliefs.
Take the time to learn about topics before blindly associating yourself with them.
You’ll save yourself a lot of fruitless arguments and unnecessary anger.
Your 20’s are about laying the groundwork.
They’re about figuring out who you want to be and how you fit into the world.
They are not for becoming a ‘success’.
Sure, there are plenty of millionaire 20-something success stories but you don’t need to feel the pressure to become one of them. And feel like you are worthless if you are not.
There will be plenty of time in your life to become successful.
Now, you should focus on learning, growing, networking, and building yourself into the person you want to be.
The money and fame will come later.
2. Impressing Other People
Who cares what other people think.
They’re just as clueless and confused as you are (I’m including myself in this).
Other people’s opinions don’t matter.
So stop letting them rule your life.
Do what you want and live life your way.
Be ethical, of course, but don’t let other people’s opinions sway you into a life that you don’t love.
My rule of thumb is: If you wouldn’t trade lives with someone else, don’t take advice from them and don’t care what they think.
Period.
3. Working a J.O.B.
Sure, you should work hard in your 20’s.
But don’t waste your time at a JOB if that’s not what you want to do.
Unless you have your heart set on a career path that you already love and find wildly fulfilling, don’t waste your time in the corporate world.
Get a bar tending job to pay the bills and work in your side hustle or freelancing gigs in your free time.
Volunteer your way across the world or apprentice under someone you respect.
You can always go back and get a job but you can’t get wasted time back.
4. Getting ANOTHER Advanced Degree
You don’t need another degree to be successful.
I get it if you want to be a doctor or lawyer, but so many 20-somethings are using college as an escape from the real world.
When they can’t find a job with their bachelor’s degree, they get a masters.
When they can’t find employment with that, they go and get ANOTHER degree.
5.Buying CRAP to Make You Happy
Material posessions rarely make you happy.
Spend your money on experiences NOT things and you’ll look back on your 20’s with a smile.
Chase the next car, big house, or other expensive toy and you’ll look back on your 20’s begging the universe for a redo.
Stop buying crap you don’t need to impress people you don’t even know.
6. Getting into Debt
It’s not worth it and it’s just plain dumb.
You don’t need to go into debt unless you are starting a business and using credit cards to pay for your living expenses.
DON’T go into debt for a car, house, or fancy toy.
It’s not worth it and it will cause huge problems later down the road.
7. Adhering to Strong Political/Religious/Philosophical Beliefs
Now before you get too angry… Hear me out.
I’m not against strong beliefs, I have plenty of them myself. And I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have a religion, political party, or philisophical train of thought that you follow.
But at this time in your life, you likely aren’t experienced enough to make informed decisions about these topics.
You need to meet more people, see the world, experience new cultures and understand opposing sides to an argument.
I know you think otherwise, but trust me on this.
Instead of protesting campus events and marching around with signs about your beliefs, use this time in your life to EDUCATE yourself about the world and how it really works.
Study the world’s religions. Study atheists, christians, muslims, hindus, and buddhists.
Learn about socialism, capitalism, libertarianism, marxism, and other economic and political beliefs.
Take the time to learn about topics before blindly associating yourself with them.
You’ll save yourself a lot of fruitless arguments and unnecessary anger.
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