20 Life Lessons I Wish I Knew At 20 Years Old
How to make the most out of your defining decade
Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash
Your 20s go by in a flash.
I’ve just entered my late 20s and I am struggling to understand where the time went. People in their 30s and 40s tell me time only speeds up. Yikes.
Throughout my 20s, I’ve made loads of mistakes and learned valuable lessons the hard way. But you don’t have to.
If you can implement even a few of these lessons, you can make your 20s better and set a solid foundation for your 30s.
Heartbreak is the most painful emotion you will ever experience.
You can let it define you, break you or grow you. You can’t avoid heartbreak in life but you can decide how it impacts you. Choose wisely.
You don’t need permission.
Asking for permission is an expectation in disguise. Stop asking for people’s permission. Start that podcast, blog, or YouTube channel. Let go of other people’s expectations and set yourself free. People will judge you either way so you might as well be judged doing something you love.
There will never be a feeling of ‘arriving’.
At 20, I thought I would have all my shit figured out by 27. I am now 27 and I feel even more lost than I did at 20. You’ll never feel like you’ve arrived. Life is an iterated game. The challenges you face only increase as you prove yourself.
Most things in life are figureoutable.
If you’ve got access to the internet, you’ve got the world’s knowledge at your fingertips. There aren’t many problems that can’t be solved with an hour of Googling. The means of learning are abundant, it is the desire to learn that is scarce.
After high school, your friendships will change.
Some people will be in your life for a reason or a season. Others will be there forever. Don’t try to hold onto friendships that don’t serve you anymore. Let go or be dragged.
Don’t work a job for more than 2–3 years.
This is enough time to learn the skills, gain experience and make networks. Anything longer and you’re repeating yourself. Your 20s are a time for moving and experimenting. Exposure yourself to new industries and sectors.
Travel to a foreign country alone.
When you don’t know the culture and you have to rely on yourself, you learn a lot about yourself. Traveling gives you a perspective that you can’t get from books or the internet.
Take high-leverage risks.
Not all risks are created equally. Take risks with limited downside and unbounded upside. Some examples include creating an online business and content creation. These a low-cost, low-inventory side hustles. If you fail, you fail small. But if you win, you win big. Not taking risks in your 20s is the biggest risk you can take.
Learn about personal finance.
If you sort out your personal finances in your 20s, you’ll never have to worry about it again. A little bit of financial discipline now creates a lot of financial freedom later. I am fortunate to have had parents who drilled the importance of financial discipline. I never have to worry about my retirement. I am on track to be a multimillionaire by 46 without lifting a finger.
See a therapist.
By your 20s, you are responsible for your mental health. Work through your emotional baggage. We’ve all got some. The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your mind. The most secure prisons are the ones we create for ourselves.
Read a book a week.
Hands down one of the most transformative habits I developed in my 20s. Books are the cheat codes to living a successful life. And cheat codes work best when they are accessed early. Learn from the best minds in the world through books.
Find a tribe of mentors.
Mentors shortcut your learning. Mentors can pull you out of a bad situation. Mentors provide a better perspective of your experience. Find mentors for each domain of your life you want to improve. I am currently looking for a business and health mentor.
Explore your curiosity, not your passion.
Investigate everything that piques your interest. No matter how random it is. Painting, writing, whatever. Passions are developed, not found.
Get comfortable being alone.
Loneliness is a superpower. Go to the movies by yourself. Take yourself out to dinner. Spend the entire day with no one but yourself. You get to learn a lot about yourself and also makes you more grateful for the people in your life.
Rethink higher education.
I’ve got friends who have Master's Degree and even Ph.D. degrees but struggle to achieve anything in the real world. Remember that the best jobs in the world are neither decreed nor degreed. A portfolio of real-world experience counts for more.
Invest in your personal development.
Personal development gets a bad rap nowadays. But I am a firm believer that the level of someone’s success will never exceed their level of personal development. Every time I’ve invested in my own personal development, I find I attract success like a magnet. Invest and reap the dividends.
Find a hobby that nourishes you.
One hobby that makes you money. One hobby that makes you fit. One hobby that fuels your creativity. One hobby that connects you with nature and people.
Stay single for a period of time.
I am not against relationships but I think too many people are in relationships because of fear. Fear of their insecurities. Fear of being alone. Fear of not being loved. Being single gives you time to work through your own internal challenges. All your future relationships will be better because of it.
Food impacts mood.
You are what you eat. People in their 20s treat their cars better than their bodies. You would never put cheap oil in your car, so why would you put crap fuel in your body?
Sleep is important.
In my late 20s, I prize a good night of sleep. The thought of staying up all night and feeling like sh*t the next day does not appeal to me. My quality of life is determined by the quality of sleep I get.
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