I’m often asked by my viewers of the One Minute Show on Instagram, “What should they be focusing on to be successful in life?”
I thought it might be a nice idea if I put this question across to a bunch of my friends in their late 20s and early 30s, who are succeeding in various fields – from being top performers at their companies to running successful ventures and brands.
I asked them,
“What Advice Would You Give To Your 20-Year-Old Self?”
Here are their responses, sorted into 5 categories:
1) Choose Experiences Over Structured Learning
“Not to worry too much about the grades and strengthening my resume by doing stupid and structured internship programs, which I now look back were a waste of time. Instead, work for someone or even do my own projects that would help me build skills, rather than resume.”
“During holidays, go work in a resort or a non-English speaking country. The best way to learn is by working in a completely unfamiliar environment.”
2) Discover Your Passions & Believe In Yourself
“Work your butt off, even fail but try everything. So you can discover your passions sooner and live the life you want sooner. Otherwise, you will inevitably experience mid-life crises, and then it becomes incredibly hard to focus on things that matter.”
“Have guts to invest in things really important to you. Have faith in youself, boundaries only exist in your mind.”
3) Invest In Coaches / Mentors, and Build Your Network
“Get coaches / mentors. I could have done much better at the things I wanted to – grades, career, startup, fitness – if I knew this in my 20s.”
“Go for networking events, from year 1 of university. Start connecting with people. Start connecting with professors.”
Here’s my blog post on how I build my network even today: How To Build A Network of Influential People In 30 Days
4) Hard Work Is Not Optional. Stress Is Regretful.
“Don’t run away from hard work. You either do it now or you’ll have to do it later. If you do it now, it makes your life later much easier.”
“Don’t take stress. Things work out for the best. If anything, you look back and regret having taken so much stress. You could have used that time to have fun and party.”
5) Become Fit
“Invest in personal fitness as soon as possible. Results are off-the-charts. Your stamina, productivity, and attractiveness to the opposite sex increase exponentially.”
I wish even I had told my 20-year-old self to become fit, and not waited for another 5 years before taking personal fitness seriously.
If you are looking to build muscles or lose fat, here are my Uncommon Guides for both:
I found these bite-sized pieces of advice fascinating.
If you are between 18-25, I hope these help you to set the sail and position your ship in the right direction.
And I hope that you don’t stress, discover passion, be fit, work hard, and choose experiences, so that we are not giving our 30-year-old selves the same advices in a few years from now 😉
