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

[JordanK]

As a 25 year old. Here’s what I would tell my 18 year old self.

You can't rush the process: I started in Real Estate at 20... I'm now scaling the business faster due to being in the game for 5 years. Experience, trust and numerous connections built all begin snowballing with time. Only if you deliver a top class service/product consistently and if you work hard/are true to your word.

Soft skills are better than hard skills but you need to be competent: Networking, deal making and delegation will take you further than doing all the work yourself and trying to become the best at everything. Focus on an area where you can develop a competitive advantage and hit home runs. Do you want to squeeze every penny out of 5 properties and spend all your time on them or do you want to have 1000 properties managed but you have to pay out a little bit more on each one for specialists to upkeep them.

I have a bunch of other advice too but I don't want to take away from how powerful those two pieces are by themselves.

Andy Frisella once said something along the lines of "people don't stay in the game long enough to reap the real rewards".
It's only as the years go by that I see a lot of my friends jumping around from idea to idea, industry to industry. Never quite giving it enough time to reap the rewards of the snowball effect. I understand that at my age we can't criticize others for exploring different areas to see where they are best in as your 20's are a decade of discovery but it feels powerful being all in on Real Estate.

 

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[WJK]

As a 25 year old. He's what I would tell my 18 year old self.

You can't rush the process: I started in Real Estate at 20... I'm now scaling the business faster due to being in the game for 5 years. Experience, trust and numerous connections built all begin snowballing with time. Only if you deliver a top class service/product consistently and if you work hard/are true to your word.

Soft skills are better than hard skills but you need to be competent: Networking, deal making and delegation will take you further than doing all the work yourself and trying to become the best at everything. Focus on an area where you can develop a competitive advantage and hit home runs. Do you want to squeeze every penny out of 5 properties and spend all your time on them or do you want to have 1000 properties managed but you have to pay out a little bit more on each one for specialists to upkeep them.

I have a bunch of other advice too but I don't want to take away from how powerful those two pieces are by themselves.

Andy Frisella once said something along the lines of "people don't stay in the game long enough to reap the real rewards".
It's only as the years go by that I see a lot of my friends jumping around from idea to idea, industry to industry. Never quite giving it enough time to reap the rewards of the snowball effect. I understand that at my age we can't criticize others for exploring different areas to see where they are best in as your 20's are a decade of discovery but it feels powerful being all in on Real Estate.

I started my RE career in 1976 after I finished college. That was only 47 years ago. Everyone in the business was middle-aged or older. There was no training, computers, calculators, and barely black-and-white copy machines. It was a different world then. We had 3 kinds of loans -- FHA 203b, VA, and 80 -10 & 10s.

RE is a long-haul business. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme. I have made fortunes and lost fortunes. Over time I've done just fine.

If I was young and just starting out, I wouldn't want a thousand properties with small equities and an army of management/maintenance people. I'd take the 5 IF I can get them paid for and things under control. There's less of a chance of catastrophic failure. Then move up to larger properties when I have the experience and the cash in my bank to make it all work.

By the way. Even 47 years later, I'm not too good to do anything or any job. If a toilet needs to be cleaned, hand me the brush. I'll clean it. I carry little trash bags in my jacket pocket. When I see trash on my property, I pick it up and throw it away. If someone calls me, I talk to them about their issue. I drive my properties and I go look for myself. Yes, I have a crew. I don't have to do any of this anymore. BUT I still do my own bookkeeping. It's hard to rip me off when I'm the only one with my fingers in the cash box. I have friends who have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars through their CFO or bookkeeper.

 

[JordanK]

You are completely right. I have been working my way up and expanding. Keeping the business at the same level during the two years of covid lockdowns here was a mighty challenge.

In the first few years I was living in properties that I was helping renovate for other owners. I still do a lot of the high priced maintenance work that I'm good at but property cleanings, general maintenance and other stuff I pay people to do now.

In 2019, I was doing Airbnb out of 8 properties doing all the cleaning, maintenance, linen washing and meeting guests all by myself. Just grinded myself into the ground for months on end to squeeze out every penny lol. Learned so much but I wouldn't run my business like that ever again.

- Cleaning company
- Lockbox check ins
- Laundry on site
- Electricians/Plumbers on call

 

[WJK]

You are completely right. I have been working my way up and expanding. Keeping the business at the same level during the two years of covid lockdowns here was a mighty challenge.

In the first few years I was living in properties that I was helping renovate for other owners. I still do a lot of the high priced maintenance work that I'm good at but property cleanings, general maintenance and other stuff I pay people to do now.

In 2019, I was doing Airbnb out of 8 properties doing all the cleaning, maintenance, linen washing and meeting guests all by myself. Just grinded myself into the ground for months on end to squeeze out every penny lol. Learned so much but I wouldn't run my business like that ever again.

- Cleaning company
- Lockbox check ins
- Laundry on site
- Electricians/Plumbers on call

The only thing that counts is how much you have left over on Friday night after you pay ALL of your bills! It's not how much you earn. It is the ratio between those earnings and how much you spend. I'm a totally frugal person. Property and education are my passions -- not things. Things can break, get lost, or be stolen. I don't try to keep with the Jones. I prefer to fly under the radar and blend in. Also, I don't want to spend money foolishly -- like the Jones.

I'm a senior citizen woman. My guys are amazed at my construction knowledge. And I'm a really good finish carpenter. I don't have to do physical work often, but everyone knows that I know how. I am loved and respected by most of the people around me.

Now, here's the real lesson in RE that I can tell you. I have lost big time based upon the economic cycles and things way beyond my control -- riots, recessions, and economic shake-ups. I just keep my ear to the ground and I don't follow the crowd. I follow my heart. This last bubble was really interesting. I was doing debt reduction while the other investors around me were buying, buying, buying. Some actually set me down to explain leverage to me. I countered by trying to explain 1980 and 1990. They told me that I don't understand RE and that I was stupid. I shrugged and told them that they might be right. I just knew it was time for something to happen. I had no clue it would Covid.

I watch the different types of cycles. I don't try to hit the peaks and valleys of those cycles. Close is fine. They turn on a dime so it's more important to be close rather than trying to be exactly on point. Once the cycle makes that U-turn, you're dead. And I'm always counter to the trends. When everyone is buying, I'm selling. And the opposite.

 

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[MrE]

You are not what you say, you are what you do.

 

[DW85014]

I'd tell my 18-year-old self:

1) Stop blaming Dad for all your problems - he's done a lot more for you than others in similar situations
2) Check out the IT /Computer Science major it might be worthwhile
3) Stop Drinking
4) Start Saving
5) Start seeking rejection more often to toughen you up

 

[HoneyBadger302]

First thing I'd tell my 18 year old self - "everything you think you know about money, earning money, enjoying life, and living the life you want is WRONG and your parents are going to purposefully hold you back to their standards - DO NOT LISTEN TO THEIR LIFE, CAREER, OR MONEY ADVICE."

After that, try to point young me to some better resources and hope she figures it out with the above in mind.
Might not have worked, but I spent way too many years of my life and way too much money and debt only to find out that the "path" I was sold simply does not apply anymore.

Not that any of that matters - who I am now is nothing like the person I was then, and other than that tidbit, I think a lot of my current knowledge would be lost on 18 year old me, as that person, while a part of who I am, did not see the world the way I do now...

 

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[WJK]

First thing I'd tell my 18 year old self - "everything you think you know about money, earning money, enjoying life, and living the life you want is WRONG and your parents are going to purposefully hold you back to their standards - DO NOT LISTEN TO THEIR LIFE, CAREER, OR MONEY ADVICE."

After that, try to point young me to some better resources and hope she figures it out with the above in mind.
Might not have worked, but I spent way too many years of my life and way too much money and debt only to find out that the "path" I was sold simply does not apply anymore.

Not that any of that matters - who I am now is nothing like the person I was then, and other than that tidbit, I think a lot of my current knowledge would be lost on 18 year old me, as that person, while a part of who I am, did not see the world the way I do now...

Is there ANYTHING you can learn from your parents or older people around you? How old are you now? Are you successful now? Doing what?
Your post made me sad. Wonderful people helped me when I was young. I was one of those kids who couldn't ever go home, so I had to make it out there in that big bad world. My mentor got me into RE and that was 47 years ago. I'm so thankful that she took me under her wing and helped me when I was so young, lost, and alone.

 

[HoneyBadger302]

Is there ANYTHING you can learn from your parents or older people around you? How old are you now? Are you successful now? Doing what?
Your post made me sad. Wonderful people helped me when I was young. I was one of those kids who couldn't ever go home, so I had to make it out there in that big bad world. My mentor got me into RE and that was 47 years ago. I'm so thankful that she took me under her wing and helped me when I was so young, lost, and alone.

Of course there are things I did learn and can learn - I'm in my mid 40's, and more successful than my mother by a fair bit, will be more successful than my father even if I just keep on my current line and don't keep on improving (which isn't an option for me). When it comes to money, making it, how to make it, how to manage it, how to manage your financial life, how to think about money - anything financially related, other than how to balance a checkbook, my parents had it all wrong, and while their ideas maybe applied for their parents, it has left our mother in poverty and our father working into his mid-70's to pay for (he and his current wife's) expenses. Unfortunately, with no other influences in our life (homeschooled in a rural area only exposed to like-minded families) I swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

One of my goals is to be able to fully support my mother in nice place when she can no longer live on her own - that clock is, unfortunately, ticking quickly, but that's all the more motivation for me to get it right and make it happen in time to be able to do so.

Didn't say I didn't love my parents - love didn't make their advice remotely correct though, and I wasted a good 20ish working years mostly headed in the wrong direction and no idea that was the case until a layoff during the pandemic opened my eyes to reality - reality of the world, my own choices, how I put myself in that position to begin with, and how I had believed all the wrong things when it came to working towards what success meant for me.

 

[Kevin88660]

Calculation> Perspiration> Inspiration

 

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[WJK]

Of course there are things I did learn and can learn - I'm in my mid 40's, and more successful than my mother by a fair bit, will be more successful than my father even if I just keep on my current line and don't keep on improving (which isn't an option for me). When it comes to money, making it, how to make it, how to manage it, how to manage your financial life, how to think about money - anything financially related, other than how to balance a checkbook, my parents had it all wrong, and while their ideas maybe applied for their parents, it has left our mother in poverty and our father working into his mid-70's to pay for (he and his current wife's) expenses. Unfortunately, with no other influences in our life (homeschooled in a rural area only exposed to like-minded families) I swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

One of my goals is to be able to fully support my mother in nice place when she can no longer live on her own - that clock is, unfortunately, ticking quickly, but that's all the more motivation for me to get it right and make it happen in time to be able to do so.

Didn't say I didn't love my parents - love didn't make their advice remotely correct though, and I wasted a good 20ish working years mostly headed in the wrong direction and no idea that was the case until a layoff during the pandemic opened my eyes to reality - reality of the world, my own choices, how I put myself in that position to begin with, and how I had believed all the wrong things when it came to working towards what success meant for me.

My parents showed me the wrong way to do a lot of things. Yes, I have done better with my life. They were terrible with money. I'm good at making and managing money.

But, I did go back and get Mom out of their abusive marriage and I took care of her for the last 10 years of her life. I was about your age. I'm proud of my college degrees and doctorate. I'm proud of my success. I worked very hard for all of it. What I am most proud of is taking care of Mom for those years. She was a happy woman when she died. And I had the resources from my successful business life to do all of that for her. It was an amazing experience.

 

[Awakened2022]

My parents showed me the wrong way to do a lot of things. Yes, I have done better with my life. They were terrible with money. I'm good at making and managing money.

But, I did go back and get Mom out of their abusive marriage and I took care of her for the last 10 years of her life. I was about your age. I'm proud of my college degrees and doctorate. I'm proud of my success. I worked very hard for all of it. What I am most proud of is taking care of Mom for those years. She was a happy woman when she died. And I had the resources from my successful business life to do all of that for her. It was an amazing experience.

I came across your posts today and was amazed at the clarity of your thoughts.I didn't know we had senior members who were female here.Today has been my lucky day!

My mother is 64 and is an amazing woman. My mother in law is 80 and is the most forgiving woman I know. I am going to add you to the list of the women that I keep learning from.

Bravo for looking after your mum. May God grant you similar help when your evening comes.

I am pursuing entrepreneurship so that I can have the freedom to care for these angels when they most need me.

Once again, I will be following you.

 

[WJK]

I came across your posts today and was amazed at the clarity of your thoughts.I didn't know we had senior members who were female here.Today has been my lucky day!

My mother is 64 and is an amazing woman. My mother in law is 80 and is the most forgiving woman I know. I am going to add you to the list of the women that I keep learning from.

Bravo for looking after your mum. May God grant you similar help when your evening comes.

I am pursuing entrepreneurship so that I can have the freedom to care for these angels when they most need me.

Once again, I will be following you.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm a senior and a grandma. I still work every day.

The other day I found a writing contest that has the same theme as this thread. I had to choose a point and time to give myself advice coming from my senior perspective. So I wrote my younger self a love letter. I really struggled when I was younger and life was very hard. I have quoted that love letter here for you.

I hope you share my success in time.

A Love Letter to My Younger Self,

I want to tell you that you are making good life-supporting decisions. You have already acted with more courage, audacity, and diligence than many people will ever display. Everything feels bleak right now. The divorce will be final soon. 1978 is awkward for a twenty-four-year-old woman who wants more from her life. The expected path is certain and well-worn by the women who came before you. Breaking that mold is a daunting task.

You moved from a rural community to attend a college in Downtown Los Angeles. In those days, women married straight out of high school and immediately started a family. Even though you married on schedule, you waited to have babies. Instead, you moved to the big city to attend college and graduate. You then followed up with a series of non-traditional career moves rather than taking an expected pink-collar job. Your husband’s relatives hated you and those decisions. The parade of “firsts” landed you outside your traditional role of a woman and wife. And now you’re facing the big D (divorce).

I can assure you. This is the beginning rather than the end of the world. You are off to a great start on a long and productive life.

Right now, you are your worst critic. Simple decisions morph into a painful dissection exercise performed on the table of possibilities. I can tell you one of the truths I have learned in my sixty-nine years. It is okay to make a one-time honest mistake or fail completely… provided you understand the intrinsic lessons. The first trick is to analyze the event or decision. You must verify that it is a stand-alone issue rather than part of a flawed thinking pattern. Then take a deep breath and calm yourself. Very few mistakes are fatal. Most are a binary choice -- simply a fork in the road leading to different results. At times there are no correct answers. There are just other possibilities and outcomes.

You are firmly rooted in the commonsense reality of cause and effect. Conversely, you display a carefully crafted public illusion of one who is bold and carefree. No one needs to know how thoughtfully you considered your options. Keep it your secret.

Failure is an opportunity as well as a danger. They can be a necessary step to a new beginning. Some say if you never fail, you’re not trying enough. You’re leaving good stuff on the table. Accepting that truism takes the sting out of failing. It’s an everyday reality rather than an earthshaking anomaly. Frequent and small failures are less disruptive to the whole. I have learned that you must accept the worst-case result. Minimalize most risks with an “if-then” plan. ( If X happens, then I will do Y.) This prevents a disastrous knee-jerk reaction concocted in the middle of a crisis. Planning can tamp down the danger, so it never rises to a crisis level. You will have the option to pivot.

I assure you that you are among the luckiest people on earth. Your rough childhood gave you courage and grit, which is rare and precious. I know that you are often afraid. True courage is not being foolish nor fearless. Courage is being able to forge ahead while quaking with fear.

It takes a hot fire to forge iron into steel. Similarly, your childhood has infused your character with extraordinary resolve and strength. It gives you the relentless grit to achieve, regardless of adversities. Lady Luck loves those qualities. They are magnetic to her, and they release her gifts.

I know you don’t trust that life will protect you and hold you up when your world falls apart. So, trust yourself. Listen to your gut and heart. You hear life’s subtle heartbeat differently from the people around you. And others can’t walk your carefully crafted path. Don’t expect to drag them along. The people around you see your results but don’t necessarily understand your process. The operative word in that thought is that this is YOUR process. Your life belongs to you to craft as you see fit. I could tell you about all the huge successes and dismal failures in your future. At this point, you can’t even see your potential. You will do things and go places not even in your dreams. With the right mindset, the future is yours to create.

 

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[Awakened2022]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm a senior and a grandma. I still work every day.

The other day I found a writing contest that has the same theme as this thread. I had to choose a point and time to give myself advice coming from my senior perspective. So I wrote my younger self a love letter. I really struggled when I was younger and life was very hard. I have quoted that love letter here for you.

I hope you share my success in time.

A Love Letter to My Younger Self,

I want to tell you that you are making good life-supporting decisions. You have already acted with more courage, audacity, and diligence than many people will ever display. Everything feels bleak right now. The divorce will be final soon. 1978 is awkward for a twenty-four-year-old woman who wants more from her life. The expected path is certain and well-worn by the women who came before you. Breaking that mold is a daunting task.

You moved from a rural community to attend a college in Downtown Los Angeles. In those days, women married straight out of high school and immediately started a family. Even though you married on schedule, you waited to have babies. Instead, you moved to the big city to attend college and graduate. You then followed up with a series of non-traditional career moves rather than taking an expected pink-collar job. Your husband’s relatives hated you and those decisions. The parade of “firsts” landed you outside your traditional role of a woman and wife. And now you’re facing the big D (divorce).

I can assure you. This is the beginning rather than the end of the world. You are off to a great start on a long and productive life.

Right now, you are your worst critic. Simple decisions morph into a painful dissection exercise performed on the table of possibilities. I can tell you one of the truths I have learned in my sixty-nine years. It is okay to make a one-time honest mistake or fail completely… provided you understand the intrinsic lessons. The first trick is to analyze the event or decision. You must verify that it is a stand-alone issue rather than part of a flawed thinking pattern. Then take a deep breath and calm yourself. Very few mistakes are fatal. Most are a binary choice -- simply a fork in the road leading to different results. At times there are no correct answers. There are just other possibilities and outcomes.

You are firmly rooted in the commonsense reality of cause and effect. Conversely, you display a carefully crafted public illusion of one who is bold and carefree. No one needs to know how thoughtfully you considered your options. Keep it your secret.

Failure is an opportunity as well as a danger. They can be a necessary step to a new beginning. Some say if you never fail, you’re not trying enough. You’re leaving good stuff on the table. Accepting that truism takes the sting out of failing. It’s an everyday reality rather than an earthshaking anomaly. Frequent and small failures are less disruptive to the whole. I have learned that you must accept the worst-case result. Minimalize most risks with an “if-then” plan. ( If X happens, then I will do Y.) This prevents a disastrous knee-jerk reaction concocted in the middle of a crisis. Planning can tamp down the danger, so it never rises to a crisis level. You will have the option to pivot.

I assure you that you are among the luckiest people on earth. Your rough childhood gave you courage and grit, which is rare and precious. I know that you are often afraid. True courage is not being foolish nor fearless. Courage is being able to forge ahead while quaking with fear.

It takes a hot fire to forge iron into steel. Similarly, your childhood has infused your character with extraordinary resolve and strength. It gives you the relentless grit to achieve, regardless of adversities. Lady Luck loves those qualities. They are magnetic to her, and they release her gifts.

I know you don’t trust that life will protect you and hold you up when your world falls apart. So, trust yourself. Listen to your gut and heart. You hear life’s subtle heartbeat differently from the people around you. And others can’t walk your carefully crafted path. Don’t expect to drag them along. The people around you see your results but don’t necessarily understand your process. The operative word in that thought is that this is YOUR process. Your life belongs to you to craft as you see fit. I could tell you about all the huge successes and dismal failures in your future. At this point, you can’t even see your potential. You will do things and go places not even in your dreams. With the right mindset, the future is yours to create.

A thousand thanks for this letter. I will have to read it three times to truly internalize the message there in. I will copy it down and save it for myself and my five daughters.

Once again, you truly are a gem. Your flawless writing puts me to shame.( I am a teacher of English and can't write this thoughtfully).

 

[Imnottellingyoun]

hey guys, young 22 year old here. I get that I'm in some entrepreneur website .There seems to be a lot of opinions on starting a business as early as possible. And while I get it, I just don't see how it's particularly feasible. Particularly in the UK with house prices as bonkers as they are, the first thing I'd want to work towards is my house. The housing costs are insane here... Now unluckily, my parents have past away so now I have quite the inheritance. I'm focused on paying down the house before I start any type of business venture via a Ltd company structure.

I almost in a sense cringe when I see young people focused on revenues. While I respect the drive, there's a reason why the average entrepreneur is not a 20 year old... but a 40+ year old. It takes time to develop the skills and attitudes and ideas. Now I already have some ideas, and sure I could start. But I'm risk adverse in the sense if I can secure an asset over a few years, then I'd rather do that. Then I can go as wild as I can get, and still not feel bad about it. You wouldn't tell someone, go walk on that cable wire between the 9/11 towers and believe in himself because all that matters is mindset... (bad taste considering US forums lol), e.g

Philippe Petit​

Anyways, I do feel like I'm almost in the position to propell myself to the highest limits possible, it'll still take a few years before we get to this point.

Are people just taking unsecured loans and literally just taking the riskiest venture possible or what? I'm pretty sure the culture here in the UK disinentivises that, as in it's harder to get funding for risky projects. US is all about money and that's it lol. It sounds like people working in real estate are working as sales agents? Or is it because the property is so cheap they're doing something with flipping.

 

[Imnottellingyoun]

I remember noticing when such a "thing" occured. And its deceptively simple.. its just 72/%=X2(stated as numbers of years)

I can only imagine what my past me would have done, with such powerful knowledge. - so what does this thing do? Just in case your none the wiser - I will explain. Devide the number 72 with whatever you get in return on your investments - and you will get the number of years it will take you to double your money.

eks. 10% would output 7.2 years until doubling.

My problem with the stock market is how it's all funded by lots of millenials and young gen z thinking they will make it in the big leagues by investing in the top 100 or 500 us companies. if everyone's doing it, then its going to become overvalued very easily and once that crash happens, you're wiped out. The stock market is not as easy as, just whip your cash in and forget about it. Maybe it would be if it was 100 years ago, then yeah. whip it in the top 100 companies, or just leave it in the bank since it paid something like 10% return back then, now it was something like 0.001% lol!

 

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[Imnottellingyoun]

Im 24, about to be 25 in a couple weeks, But lately I've been thinking about what i've learned over the first half of my 20's. Some of my lessons:


Don’t take yourself too seriously. I was solely chasing financial success when I was in my early 20’s, and around the beginning of the pandemic I had an honest conversation with myself, and came to terms that I wasn’t happy only chasing money. I was really caught up in self help and hustle culture, and thought I was so much smarter than all the people who were out with their friends on the weekends. Looking back, I should have spent more time with my friends and taken more social opportunities the past 3-4 years. Will you be the next billionaire if you decide to have a social life and pursue entrepreneurship? Probably not, but that doesn’t matter to me.


Stay out of consumer debt as much as humanly possible, Student loans, car loans, credit cards.The only exception I would personally make is a reasonable mortgage, but even then there would have to be certain circumstances. Don’t confuse this with business debt, such as a loan on a multi unit property. If you read MJ’s books, you should understand that consumer debt is a ball and shackle around your ankle. The more debt you have, the less freedom you have. Drive the old Toyota, live in an affordable apartment/get roommates. It's not sexy, but its a lot better than being a total slave.


Care about your appearance. I used to not care about how I looked, I had a bad haircut, no sense of style, and low self confidence. But something amazing happened when I started hitting the gym, wearing stylish clothes, and getting a better haircut; I had way more self confidence. All of the sudden I was talking to strangers, girls I found attractive, got invited out more, and became an overall social person. People say looks don’t matter, BS. We’re visual creatures, and looking the part is the secret handshake in a lot of social interactions.


Also, be more social. The worst thing that can happen is you get in a momentary awkward situation followed by a “well it was nice to meet you”. Other people have everything we could ever want, and it’s good to have a lot of connections and acquaintances.


Finally, Play to win. You may have heard this phrase before, but what does it mean? To understand it better, look at the opposite side of the coin, playing to not lose.


Playing to not lose: Getting the secure job and the comfy lifestyle, marrying the first girl that you have any sort of connection with, and play it safe. Don’t take any big risks, cause if you fail it’s assumed you’ll never make it back from that failure.


Playing to win: It’s doing the RIGHT thing, not necessarily the comfy thing. It’s making the phone call to the potential customer, facing rejection, investing money into your business instead of a new car or house. It's talking to the girl even if the timing isn’t perfect, or she's with her friends. It’s pushing yourself in the gym. It’s doing what you know is right, not necessarily what’s comfy or convenient.


If you play to win, You will come out ahead of most of the human race. Most of the human race is playing to not lose. That won’t change any time soon either, because playing to win is the exact opposite of what us humans have evolved to do. Now that we live in a relatively safe world, where there is almost 0 risk of starvation, or being exiled from a tribe to fend for ourselves, the play it safe mentality doesn’t really serve us.

I agree with all of this. Though being social as a very reserved person is difficult. In certain contexts, I can be very good at it. Like the nightclub, or in a office setting. Other than that, if there's no desire to talk, I won't talk. Can't force me to make friends if I don't want to with that person! Dressing well is extremely important, cannot emphasize it enough. Take it seriously, as like you're in the army. There's nothing more intimidating then someone in a tie, dress shoes/boots, with a mirror shine and with a strong demeanor. And don't buy crap clothes too. Crap clothes are not worth its weight. Think of why women spend lots of money into clothes and makeup, because they get confidence from it, that's what people should be doing, not just women.

Another take on this is this too... Money honestly doesn't bloody matter. There's a reason why people don't feel any happier once they hit certain levels of income. From studies I think it was 100K USD+? Depends on location, can't live on that income to a luxury standard in london. Need more then that... Should always be goal orientated and settle on something you genuienly want and leave it at that, and if you have a thirst for something else, work towards it! But don't work, for the sake of it when you're already a millionaire, take the bloody time off. you never know if you're going to get killed the next day... What's the point of money that you don't spend or have no intention of doing anything with.

 

[Imnottellingyoun]

DO NOT get married until you are at LEAST 30! You really have no clue and probably don't have a clue at 30 either but at least you should be able to afford it. LOL All the best

Not sure about marriage... Certainly having kids around 35 to 45'ish. Preferably later.

 

[Imnottellingyoun]

Don't waste so much time on vieogames. Read about useful topics and start your own online platform ASAP
Don't break the law

- Double down on what works
- Don't wait for your friends or peers to catch up to you. Sprint ahead in your pursuit of success. Let them be inspired. Wait for no one.
- Look at life through your own eyes. Question authority and create your own "style" in how you do things
- Choose peers and friends who have their own style and are not sheep who parrot what they heard from other people
- Life is a mountain, the moment you stop climbing, you start slipping down (this is the reason why there are so many uncool 40 year olds. To maintain your "coolness" you NEED to keep innovating your life. It is a must. Failure to do so and you will be like that 60 year old in the gym saying back in my daY i used to bench this amount. No one cares. You look like shit now. The same applies in all area of life. This is true happiness. Being engaged in what you are doing. When you dont give a F*ck what anyone else is doing but you are just focused on your own life. You become the life of the party. You become the source of positive energy. Failure to do so will result in a life of consumerism, insecurity, rationalizing, mediocrity, and wondering "is this all there is" and "what if"

Funny to see two of these posts side by side. "Don't break the law", "Don't give a F*ck". Lol! So which is which... doing what you ethically think is right? or be a pansy? There's many situations you can apply both of these views. Here in the UK someone got 6 years in jail, because a 14 year old killed a burglar, invading this kids and his elderly mother. Would you say, "Don't break the law then"? You have to have a strong moral compass and principles is all I'll say, and for the sake of the internet, Don't break the law... Lol.

Focus on being likeable but stick to your views. Oh wait, now I'm reading the traits of physcopath... It's funny how things can overlap in a funny coincidence, or is it? Honestly. no clue here. Instinct is everything though as someone said earlier on.

 

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[Imnottellingyoun]

This is what I would say:

Hey Andrew, you're turning 26 a month and a week from now. You've done a great lot of nothing your first year, and now you're doing a ton this year. But now you have to keep up with the work. You have a serious girlfriend that might be your wife in the near future, and you can't keep making money like you're a college bachelor anymore. The work is tiring, but if you keep going at it you will be able to outsource it completely. But, you have to do the work first.

Spend as much time with your grandparents as you can, for they're most likely going to pass within the next few years due to age and Parkinson's. There's no going back to grandpa for business advice, and you've already missed your chance to play tennis with grandma now that she's wheelchair-bound and depressed. Visit them at least once a month, if not every other month.

You're at an all-time low with your bank account, all because it's tied up in inventory you need to prep and ship out soon. Don't worry about sourcing for the time being, get your a$$ in the garage and start prepping and shipping out the goods today.

You got this. I believe in you. Do it for family, do it for your girlfriend, do it for yourself. You're still young so you can afford to make mistakes, but don't make them purposefully anymore.

R.I.P, what I would have loved if my parents were still around was be less serious with myself. I was so focused on goals that I neglected my parents and have a very cold personality at times...

 

[WJK]

My problem with the stock market is how it's all funded by lots of millenials and young gen z thinking they will make it in the big leagues by investing in the top 100 or 500 us companies. if everyone's doing it, then its going to become overvalued very easily and once that crash happens, you're wiped out. The stock market is not as easy as, just whip your cash in and forget about it. Maybe it would be if it was 100 years ago, then yeah. whip it in the top 100 companies, or just leave it in the bank since it paid something like 10% return back then, now it was something like 0.001% lol!

My problem with the stock market is that profits are gone before the common little guy, like me, even knows anything is happening. I don't feel in control of things. It's all so emotional. Then to add to the discomfort, there's that money manager with his hand out for 1% per year. And that's after he churns your account and racks up some taxes due for money that is only seen on paper. I'll stick with my real estate.

 

[James Klymus]

I agree with all of this. Though being social as a very reserved person is difficult. In certain contexts, I can be very good at it. Like the nightclub, or in a office setting. Other than that, if there's no desire to talk, I won't talk. Can't force me to make friends if I don't want to with that person! Dressing well is extremely important, cannot emphasize it enough. Take it seriously, as like you're in the army. There's nothing more intimidating then someone in a tie, dress shoes/boots, with a mirror shine and with a strong demeanor. And don't buy crap clothes too. Crap clothes are not worth its weight. Think of why women spend lots of money into clothes and makeup, because they get confidence from it, that's what people should be doing, not just women.

Another take on this is this too... Money honestly doesn't bloody matter. There's a reason why people don't feel any happier once they hit certain levels of income. From studies I think it was 100K USD+? Depends on location, can't live on that income to a luxury standard in london. Need more then that... Should always be goal orientated and settle on something you genuienly want and leave it at that, and if you have a thirst for something else, work towards it! But don't work, for the sake of it when you're already a millionaire, take the bloody time off. you never know if you're going to get killed the next day... What's the point of money that you don't spend or have no intention of doing anything with.

I’m 27 now, reading though some of what I wrote and I have definitely changed some of my opinions in the past two years

 

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[WJK]

I’m 27 now, reading though some of what I wrote and I have definitely changed some of my opinions in the past two years

Think of how much you will change over your lifetime. The journey will make you into a different person. You won't really feel the difference on a day-to-day basis. You will see the differences when you hit the benchmarks of your life.

 

[Roli]

Not sure about marriage... Certainly having kids around 35 to 45'ish. Preferably later.

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.

 

[Dontgiveup]

Sleep better.
Screw so called friends.
Don´t overrate academic knowledge.
Get a mentor.
Believe in yourself.
Loosen up, go on vacation and get laid more often.

Whats the best way to find a mentor?

 

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[ChasingDream97]

Refuse to judge yourself for the time already wasted, that was in ignorance, now you know, no excuses from now on.

This is such a valuable quote I want to engrave it into my mind

 

[ChasingDream97]

1. Don't take yourself so seriously.
2. "Failure is the sweat of success." Oh man. I wish I had that golden nugget back then. So afraid to make even the smallest mistake I talked myself out of doing anything for years.
3. Don't bother with law school. Forget about being a lawyer who works 20 hours a day for $160k a year. Instead, create a business and HIRE lawyers that work 20 hours a day for $160k a year...

Failure is the sweat of success
Oh this changed my mind.
I was pleased with myself today because I had not failed at anything in 5 years(because I've taken zero action)
But that also means I have not succeeded in a long while

 

[WJK]

1. Don't take yourself so seriously.
2. "Failure is the sweat of success." Oh man. I wish I had that golden nugget back then. So afraid to make even the smallest mistake I talked myself out of doing anything for years.
3. Don't bother with law school. Forget about being a lawyer who works 20 hours a day for $160k a year. Instead, create a business and HIRE lawyers that work 20 hours a day for $160k a year...

I bothered with law school and used that knowledge for my businesses. And do hire legal help when I need it.

 

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[Sirrom]

At 18: Skip university and start a simple service business. Window cleaning, something construction, solar etc. You will learn a lot. You will learn how to handle customers, employees, finances, leadership. Essentially this will make you ready for the big work.

At 25: Only start a business that you can scale not grow. If you are putting in 80hr weeks anyway, then make sure that you can scale the business assymetrically.

I guess i’m a little behind on following my own advice. I’ll turn 27 next month and currently running a service business… trial and error my friends.

 

[AnNvr]

Emigrate. Relocate.

Engage the environment where things happen.

You might be as hungry and foolish as you want, but if you're born in the wrong place you'll stay with hunger and madness, nothing more.