OT: What would you tell "you" 20 years ago

[firerescuefin]

I was having a conversation about being "present in your present" yesterday with someone older and wiser than I. The conversation is one I will certainly take with me as I get older.

Pretty self explanatory. Might be a little harder for our 20 year old members, but if you could meet "you" 20 years ago, what would you tell him or her.....and yes if your 80, what would you tell your 60 year old self?

[Tony T]

"Get back on the bike now, don't wait another 10 years!"

[MattTuck]

I'd be talking to my 16 year old self.

On the physical side:

1. Get a road bike NOW, start racing and ride during college. (didn't start riding on the road until after college and missed what could have been a fun four years riding and getting an intro to racing in an organized way when bones healed faster. As it is, never got into racing.)

2. Don't get fat. Ever. It sucks.

3. Stretch every day - you're inflexible.


On the career side:

1. Take more risk in your career. Don't play it so safe.


On the relationship side:

1. Remember that a relationship is an interaction of two individuals -- neither of you can be 100% what the other wants, and people's wants change over time. Don't make permanent decisions based on temporary conditions. You are responsible for your own happiness. Don't waste another 2 years with your current girlfriend.

On the personal enrichment side:
1. Learn to play an instrument.
2. Learn another language (preferably 2)

Left some others out, but that is a pretty good list for public consumption.

[4Rings6Stars]

(talking to my 6 year old self) Convince your mom to stop smoking and get regular screenings...

[makoti]

I don't care if you hate Apple. Buy it.
And more seriously... tell her.

[oldpotatoe]

Stay in the USN for another 6 years, retire as an O-6 at 26 rather than O-5 at 20 years.

[saab2000]

Start maxing my retirement savings yesterday, not tomorrow.

Seniority is EVERYTHING in my business. And apparently, if you're not cheating/lying, you're not trying hard enough. I would have been more aggressive with some career choices.

Can't think of much else. Money doesn't buy happiness. But it does buy freedom of choices. So I'd save earlier and oftener if I could go back 20 years.

[54ny77]

Ain't that the truth.

Had a relative who I steered into it around that time. Later found out a scumbag broker who had some influence/discretion on allocation liquidated it for some in-house managed, fee-laden mutual funds that went nowhere over ensuing years. Hey Smith Barney broker, FU and hope you rot in hell.


I don't care if you hate Apple. Buy it.

[MattTuck]

One other that I think would have been useful.

Lance is doping. So is everyone else.

[Ray]

By 20 years ago I'd already made and recovered from most of the BIG mistakes I was gonna make. If this was 30 years ago I'd have told myself NOT to sell Microsoft because it had only broken even after a year because it WILL make you damn near wealthy if you hold it.

But 20 years ago I'd probably remind myself yet again not to sweat the small stuff - it'll work out. I'd tell myself that it would be stupid to switch jobs to something more interesting but working for a guy NOBODY else has ever been able to get along with just because you get along with everyone - NOBODY can get along with him as a boss and you WON'T be the exception! I'd tell myself to only agree to get that cute little dog for your kids if you're up for 15-18 years of being it's primary care-giver and you're gonna greatly limit your freedom of movement if you agree to it - and then I'd have agreed anyway, but I wouldn't be so surprised at the level of commitment I'm 15 years into now! Oh, and I've have insisted that we put the house up for sale and downsize in 2006 rather than 2007 because the housing market WAS going to come crashing down around us in the middle of the process - but with this much retrospect, that was part of the small stuff not to sweat about...

Other than that, I wouldn't do anything differently and I'd take the same attitude through it all. As Joe Walsh said, life's been good to me somehow...

-Ray

[eddief]

Love my job doing career counseling. But there are a zillion kinds of work to do. Sometimes wish I fell in love with something more lucrative.

[Saint Vitus]

I wouldn't be that young, but 20 is 20. I would have told myself to stay in So GA and forget moving back to So Cal. Buy some land fool and make it with what you got, quit trying to start over, you have it good where you are.

[fuzzalow]

Other than the hindsight of knowing how investments might have turned out, I would not do very much different as far as life choices or career choices. Although if only going back 20 years by then my choice in career and spouse had already been decided and done.

So yeah, it would have been nice to liquidate dot-com stocks before the bubble burst. But ultimately that was only money and there's no use crying over spilled milk.

I agree wholeheartedly in what Warren Buffet has said that you don't need to do a lotta things right in life but it is very important to avoid making big mistakes. PGA golf pros coin a term for it also as avoiding the "big miss". It boils down for me as being wise and fortunate enough to choose the right spouse to build a life with. Get that choice right and the odds get better for everything else.

Re: Apple stock

Had a relative who I steered into it around that time.

As long as you took your own advice and steered yourself into AAPL too, you'll be sitting pretty. A company almost on its deathbed comes back to be what it is today, what a story. What a return!!

[phcollard]

Buy a stash of high end Campy parts and keep them NOS in a closet, you'll thank me in 20 years (http://www.richardsachs.com/site/2013/06/07/for-sale-campagnolo-derailleur-collection/).

Seriously...
- Stick with that German girlfriend
- Keep on building guitars
- Don't sell that steel road bike your parents gave you when you were 14
- Stay in Belgium

[velomateo]

Enjoy that hair...

[texbike]

-Stop wasting so much time and mental energy on your car/bike/motorcycle hobbies/obsessions and focus on building a couple of those businesses that you've been talking about.

-Start writing those books and screenplay ideas!

-Take more career risks. Don't follow the beaten path!

-Be kind but be willing to say FU when it's called for.

-Pedal harder and stay on Kip's wheel for 10 more feet. He's about to blow up!!!

Texbike

[pinkshogun]

get married later in life. i've always been single but all my 20 something friends who got married early are now divorced.

[OtayBW]

Start maxing my retirement savings yesterday, not tomorrow.
This.

[thwart]

Worry about the big things. Remind yourself daily that there are actually very few big things.

Spend more time with your kids... they'll be grown and gone in what seems like the blink of an eye.

Stretch more. Start doing yoga.

Give up that nasty running thing right now. Cycling is much more fun.

[bcroslin]

stop drinking now. and lay off the caffeine as well.

[awdwon]

I had always been fairly active with the exception of the ages of 17-25. I've caught up for the most part physically (15-20 or so years later) but it was a tough ride to get here. I'd also tell my old self to stop smoking so much weed, that ····'ll kill your memory in later life.

[velotel]

Nothing, absolutely nothing is going to be the way you think it's going to be. So don't worry about it.

[victoryfactory]

a few winning lottery numbers

[gomango]

I'm 57.

When I was 34 several of my friends pooled a fair amount of money and purchased a section of land near the BWCA in northern Minnesota.

Everyone had an option to buy additional land parcels totaling an additional 100 acres per person.

Guess who didn't exercise that option.

On the happy side of this, we still ended up with this for our family.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3893/14382829020_db32803791_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nUXKYG)Family cabin on the edge of the BWCA (https://flic.kr/p/nUXKYG) by gomango1849 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/36270004@N06/), on Flickr

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3919/14569522655_330f9abe49_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ocsBut)IMG_2029 (https://flic.kr/p/ocsBut) by gomango1849 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/36270004@N06/), on Flickr

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3900/14566138231_3bb70c3ee4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ocagqk)IMG_2031 (https://flic.kr/p/ocagqk) by gomango1849 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/36270004@N06/), on Flickr

[Wesley37]

1. Get a road bike NOW, start racing and ride during college. (didn't start riding on the road until after college and missed what could have been a fun four years riding and getting an intro to racing in an organized way when bones healed faster. As it is, never got into racing.)


Besides this, I have two words for young me: trade school.
Still do Uni, but do trade school first. Work fewer hours, earn more money, have a bit more maturity.

[Bob Ross]

Start maxing my retirement savings yesterday, not tomorrow.

Yeah, the biggest regret (?) I have about my youth was that I didn't get into the savings game as early as I could have. (And, arguably, should have.) If I could go back in time 20 years and tell my younger self about the value of compound interest in a way that A) didn't make it sound like math, and B) didn't make it just sound like something Dad thought was a good idea, there's a really good chance I'd be retired now instead of (hopefully) ten years from now.


[Edit: Oh, yeah, and buy that condo in Somerville! Two bedroom apartment -- half a freestanding duplex -- half a mile from Davis Square. $75,000 in 1994. Geez, the missus & I still kick ourselves over that one, 20 years later. ]

[carpediemracing]

20 years ago was 1995. I'd just bought the bike shop that I'd managed for 6 years.

The biggest thing? Don't spend all your money, leverage what you can. After paying virtually everything I had for the downpayment/etc for the shop I had $500 to my name. Not a great way to start in the bike biz. I should have hung onto a lot more cash and I'd have had a better shot at it. Lots of other basic errors that I'd want to be able to correct. Overall though I wouldn't have traded the experience.

Other random things:
- Patience on the womenfolk.
- Don't arbitrarily sit up at 6 (km/laps) to go when you have 20 seconds solo while the field is chasing. Give it a shot. I still think about it now.
- Keep believing you'll be the bachelor uncle to all your future nieces and nephews, it's okay.
- You have at least two full time career lives ahead of you, you can do whatever you want. Now, 20 years later, I used up one of those two lives. Finished the bike thing and did IT and then retail again. I'm starting on my second 20-year career life.

[bikingshearer]

Start maxing my retirement savings yesterday, not tomorrow.

+1,000. Although there are some things I might have, and perhaps should have, done differently, I'm not sure I would tell my 20 year younger self anything else. There was some sh*t coming down the pike that was unavoidable, and knowing that in advance would have made things worse, not better.

[Dead Man]

-Don't knock up your 19 year old girlfriend.

[sandyrs]

I was four years old twenty years ago. I'm not sure what sort of advice one can give a four year old, but I would try to make four-year-old me take more of an interest in aerobically intensive sports and less of an interest in being well liked by everyone I met.

[christian]

I was four years old twenty years ago. I'm not sure what sort of advice one can give a four year old, but I would try to make four-year-old me take more of an interest in aerobically intensive sports and less of an interest in being well liked by everyone I met.

Best answer yet.

[thwart]

... but I would try to make four-year-old me take more of an interest in aerobically intensive sports and less of an interest in being well liked by everyone I met.

That's funny.

I think in 20 yrs you'll recognize the wisdom you had at age 4.

[joosttx]

don't listen to anyone 20 years your senior.

[Dead Man]

That's funny.

I think in 20 yrs you'll recognize the wisdom you had at age 4.

Indeed.. I was sort of a sadistic lad, and an A-type to boot. Now that I'm well beyond any point where that could be of benefit to me, I really wish I had "friendly" and "likeable" as skillsets. Most people think I'm a prick.

Balance. Everything is balance.

[rugbysecondrow]

Not much I would say, that bastard needs to figure it out on his own.

I benefited from growing up pre-cell phone, digital camera, digital information, and it was wonderful. I would council 20 years younger me, in today's day, to manage your digital reputation and value personal interaction more than virtual.

Yes, I do know I just wrote this on a message forum...hence the advice. :)

[sandyrs]

That's funny.

I think in 20 yrs you'll recognize the wisdom you had at age 4.

To clarify:

I don't mean don't try to be nice to people or do well by others. I certainly don't mean that I wish I had been or currently were mean by default. I just look back on life between the ages of about 8 and 18 and see an immense amount of energy poured into concerns with an ultimately meaningless notion of "popularity" that held me back from pursuing the things I should have taken more of an interest in.

[Seramount]

I'd guess I'd tell my 43-yr old self:

don't run more than 15 miles a week.

don't play more than 5 hours of basketball a week.

avoid tech stocks.

don't dump the brunette for the blonde. the brunette will inherit a crapload of money...

[moose8]

Start that brewery now, not later. But I should probably tell my 40 year old self that as well.

[maxdog]

I'll bite. Firstly I'm going to connotate or more appropriately construe, Geoff's question to be about the elder passing wisdom to the younger. For this reason the fact that 20 years would be better substituted with 35 or 40 in my case and ask a genie for 3 wishes answers will not be considered.
I would tell myself not to be quite so sure, less of a hard ass, more considerate of others and their views.
... much greater wisdom will come with age, but the things you want to do and enjoy, that require strength and endurance should be pursued as soon and as intensely as you can.
... don't touch that dial, or stick with the things that will enrich your life and hopefully those around you such as musical accomplishment, Language accomplishment (both native and foreign), General Knowledge and understanding and other scholarly endeavors and travel, travel, travel with as much of it on a bike as possible.
... appreciate, learn and spend time with those you love and enjoy, they won't be around forever.
... "such a long long time to be gone, but a short time to be there". Don't waste to much time, it's your most precious commodity.
... integrity is your real cache.
Lastly and possibly most importantly, I would tell myself not to take myself too seriously, after all you are only a silly little human.

[Ray]

To clarify:

I don't mean don't try to be nice to people or do well by others. I certainly don't mean that I wish I had been or currently were mean by default. I just look back on life between the ages of about 8 and 18 and see an immense amount of energy poured into concerns with an ultimately meaningless notion of "popularity" that held me back from pursuing the things I should have taken more of an interest in.

Yeah, but if you hadn't tried it that way and learned that, you wouldn't know it now and how messed up would THAT be? I'm 56 and I wouldn't change anything but a few minor details and maybe not even those. Even the stuff that didn't feel great at the time ended up being important and useful. Growing up is ALL about learning lessons and gaining perspective that help you for the rest of your life. Can't short-circuit that... You're not SUPPOSED to have any wisdom or perspective when you're a kid - that's when you're doing the stuff that you get them from...

-Ray

[malcolm]

start your retirement investing the day you start working

once you make enough money to comfortably pay the bills and do the above focus on anything other than work. do what you need to do to maintain your career and be successful, but have time for other things. age gets you faster than you think.

be nice, actively work on it, life is way too short to be angry. sounds corny but it's true most of this crap is meaningless in the end. do your best at everything you do, but temper expectations of others.

[Mikej]

Nothing- live. And learn. You are talking about life "doping"

[Dead Man]

You are talking about life "doping"

Touche.

However, I don't think anyone is talking about ACTUALLY doing it... especially since it's, you know, impossible, with our current level of human technology and evolution.

I think we're just musing on those things we wished we'd figured out without learning the hard way. I suspect everyone in here realizes they are the men they are and where they are due entirely to their experiences - mistake and successes alike.

Mine - "Don't knock up your 19 year old girlfriend" is a life lesson I will convey to my sons (I have 5, so far)... but it's actually NOT a "regret" of mine. Who knows how my life would have gone if I hadn't...? I absolutely LOVE my wife, and we've had a statistically unlikely successful marriage and relationship. We got lucky, and it's been absolutely wonderful, ups AND downs. So if you did have a time machine and I COULD actually change my past..... would I? Sure - I'd go back to last Wednesday with 6 numbers written on my palm. But that's about it.

[ceolwulf]

Yes, it is possible to make a living in classical music.

No, engineering is not a ticket to success.

[firerescuefin]

Bingo...I could have clarified it a little bit better. Very good response btw...exactly the stuff I was talking about.

I'll bite. Firstly I'm going to connotate or more appropriately construe, Geoff's question to be about the elder passing wisdom to the younger. For this reason the fact that 20 years would be better substituted with 35 or 40 in my case and ask a genie for 3 wishes answers will not be considered.
I would tell myself not to be quite so sure, less of a hard ass, more considerate of others and their views.
... much greater wisdom will come with age, but the things you want to do and enjoy, that require strength and endurance should be pursued as soon and as intensely as you can.
... don't touch that dial, or stick with the things that will enrich your life and hopefully those around you such as musical accomplishment, Language accomplishment (both native and foreign), General Knowledge and understanding and other scholarly endeavors and travel, travel, travel with as much of it on a bike as possible.
... appreciate, learn and spend time with those you love and enjoy, they won't be around forever.
... "such a long long time to be gone, but a short time to be there". Don't waste to much time, it's your most precious commodity.
... integrity is your real cache.
Lastly and possibly most importantly, I would tell myself not to take myself too seriously, after all you are only a silly little human.

[Bradford]

Spend more time with your dad and less time at work because work will always be there.

[CheshireCat]

"you're not alone. It gets better."

also
"you should leave your home state of Texas as soon as you can."

[tiretrax]

I was four years old twenty years ago. I'm not sure what sort of advice one can give a four year old, but I would try to make four-year-old me take more of an interest in aerobically intensive sports and less of an interest in being well liked by everyone I met.

You are the target audience for this. Go back to Page 1 and take it to heart. If your father is giving you advice, it might be correct.

My oldest daughter recently told me she wished she knew what she needed to do in high school to get into the college to which she aspired (and she had great options). I asked her why she ignored my advice [continue on the tennis team, join the crew team, get on the yearbook committee, participate in clubs and become an officer, volunteer more hours, start a business (or her own philanthropy), etc.], and she said because it was coming from her dad.

One more thing that may not have been said - always treat others the way you want to be treated - which should be with respect and manners. There's no need to be an jerk, even when others are.

[PaMtbRider]

Buy the Serotta Atlanta, not the Trek 5200.

[1centaur]

Nothing lasts, neither good nor bad. Live accordingly.

But now that you know time travel is possible, never mind.

[Llewellyn]

I'd have told me to start writing a daily journal right away, rather than wait another 20 years before doing it. Apart from that everything else has turned out absolutely fine.

Great idea for a thread BTW :banana:

[Hindmost]

I am about to tell you some really important stuff; you should probably write it down. Oh, and try to be polite and humor me.

[paredown]

I'd try to convince my 20-year-ago self to stop trying for perfection and FINISH THE DAMN DISSERTATION!

Oh, and once finished, get out there and apply for teaching positions. Don't self disqualify--wait till they say NO to your face.

[Dead Man]

wait till they say NO to your face.

That's a good one in general - Fear of rejection is a major hurdle for probably most people. If we could see rejection for what it is - a moment in time that ends quickly and is forgotten about quickly - we'd apply for better jobs, ask for more money, be more ambitious in general.

Not to mention you'd get laid, like, all the time.

[Bob Ross]

My oldest daughter recently told me she wished she knew what she needed to do in high school to get into the college to which she aspired (and she had great options). I asked her why she ignored my advice [continue on the tennis team, join the crew team, get on the yearbook committee, participate in clubs and become an officer, volunteer more hours, start a business (or her own philanthropy), etc.], and she said because it was coming from her dad.

We have a running joke in my family: My Dad actively kept track of all the times in my life while growing up that I said "You're right."

To date he believes he can still count them on one hand. :)

But man, they were doozies! (My personal favorite: When I was 14 or 15 years old, Dad said "You should get involved in musical theater; it's a great way to meet chicks." Well, yeah, he was right...it was also a great way to establish a career. And ironically, how I met my wife.)

And holy crap was I resistant to even the obvious advice!

[velomonkey]

20 years ago I was 24 and not yet out of grad school. So what would I have said to myself

"Self, check out that song by Pulp "Common People" - jam to it, go east young man, find a lady just like the one in the song and live it up."

I had a landshark in 95, I was racing, I didn't go with the grain - I just wish sometimes I could get back to 20 years ago. Now it's way too much "F you, pay me."

Oh, go listen to the song "Common People" if you don't already know it!!!

[numbskull]

3 lessons learned between 40 and 60?

Our world views have little to do with reality.

Our value is determined by how we value others.

When in doubt, show love.

[malbecman]

Along the lines of some of these posts and some more populist ideas:

Really, don't sweat the small stuff (and so much of it really is small stuff once you get some time/distance/perspective).

Try to live in the moment as much as possible because right now, whats right in front of you, (esp. people and your relationship with them) is really all you have. It's too easy to get swept away in either worries about the future or thoughts/regrets about the past. I personally used to (and still do) think too much about the future and possible outcomes in an attempt to control life, rather than just living and enjoying it sometimes.

Thats one main reason I enjoy bike riding, it makes me live and enjoy the present moment. :)

[mg2ride]

What would you tell "you" 20 years ago


Outside of real work or business, stay the F away from the internet!

[BobbyJones]

but if you could meet "you" 20 years ago, what would you tell him or her.....and yes if your 80, what would you tell your 60 year old self?

Two simple words: Let Go

[denapista]

Pay your taxes and stay away from multiple credit cards. The hole I dug myself is beyond too deep. Luckily I have a dad who's going to help me right the ship and get a second chance at this financial thing. Raced DH a season and went straight to the bike shop and plunked down $5k for a Schwinn Straight 6, with XTR and Boxxer DH fork. This was late 90's I'm talking about. It all started with that MTB and my first of many cars... M3, etc..

[ofcounsel]

I'm thankful my mid-20's self I didn't listen to any of my college advisors and others who were concerned I might be over-reaching when applying to the law schools I aimed for. I ended up attending a good law school, and that forever changed the course of my life.

[JAllen]

I'd tell my 7 year old self several things...

1. Forget what the bullies say to you. You'll get out of that s**thole town.
2. Focus on school. Even the BS, just do what they want.
3. You'll come around to bicycles eventually...then become obsessed.
4. When you start playing music, never stop.
5. Drugs and drinking won't heal the pain.
6. Don't be such a homebody.

I could go on, but I think y'all get the picture.

[oldpotatoe]

-Don't knock up your 19 year old girlfriend.

Ouch!!

[sandyrs]

You are the target audience for this. Go back to Page 1 and take it to heart. If your father is giving you advice, it might be correct.

My oldest daughter recently told me she wished she knew what she needed to do in high school to get into the college to which she aspired (and she had great options). I asked her why she ignored my advice [continue on the tennis team, join the crew team, get on the yearbook committee, participate in clubs and become an officer, volunteer more hours, start a business (or her own philanthropy), etc.], and she said because it was coming from her dad.

One more thing that may not have been said - always treat others the way you want to be treated - which should be with respect and manners. There's no need to be an jerk, even when others are.

It seems like (from the replies at least) some forumites are taking my advice to my four year old self to be "screw everyone else and do what you want." That's not at all what I meant. I meant try not to let bullies, etc. get to your head and don't let the "cool kids" dictate your tastes to the extent they did. What I have in mind is the difference between being nice to others then letting it glance off you when they don't reciprocate, and continuing to try to earn their favor when that energy could be better spent elsewhere. Obviously, I wouldn't be the person I am without that experience, but the same can be said of all the advice on this thread.

Per your advice about listening to dad: in my case, this is spot on, and I'm glad to be able to say I did listen. I am fortunate enough to have a great relationship with my parents and to have grown up in the same household as two models for success. If I could end up at my dad's age where he is now, I would consider myself very lucky, and it's largely thanks to his and my mom's advice that I did manage to do in high school what I needed to do to get into a great college. I also had their help (as well as friends') in deciding to double major to balance my philosophy degree with something more practical (computer science) for when I inevitably decided not to pursue a PhD. That decision set me up for what is now a very happy life. Finally, it's not lost on me that without their financial support, I would be nowhere.

There has been a lot of mention of balance in this thread, and in my relatively few years so far, I've found that to be the most important thing, be it balance between being kind and being a glutton for punishment or balance between making your own decisions and listening to the advice of people who clearly got it mostly right when they were your age and want nothing but the best for you. This thread makes me feel like I'm on approximately the right track, so thank you guys!

[rugbysecondrow]

I thought of one!

Floss

[Gummee]

Funny enough, here I am at darn near 50 in the same spot I was in my mid-20s: working in a bike shop. I'm between careers again.

On one hand, working in shop is way less stressful than a career, but on the other, it limits you to what you can do $$-wise 'cause shops don't pay squat.

But to answer the OP:

Take pride in your work no matter how menial you may think it is
Be a man of your word. If you say you're going to do something, do it.
Stay out of debt
Don't buy new/newer cars (see above)

M

[false_Aest]

0. Your father might be an idiot but he's not a bad man and he DOES love you. He'll figure things out in 10 years. It'll be too late for him to be a dad but you'll gain an amazing friend. Until then, for the love of Christ, cut your mom some slack and stop being so goddamn sardonic.

1. You don't suck at math, your math teacher sucks at teaching. Don't be discouraged and don't get 2 degrees in art...because what you really want to do is engineering.

2. Brah, Henry Rollins and Glen Danzig work out. Go to the gym and don't worry about losing your punk rawk cred.

3. YOU AREN'T PUNK AND THAT'S OK!

4. Even punks need to hear. WEAR YOUR GODDAMN EAR PLUGS WHILE GOING TO/PLAYING SHOWS!

5. You think that all your friends have lost their virginity... they haven't, they're just assholes. Stop trying to peg Megan and get back to your math homework or practice your guitar more.

6. Smoking + drugs brah: Wanna be punk rawk? Do the exact opposite of what your friends are doing . . . you look like a 14 year old idiot when you ask for filterless, Mickey's is ····ty beer, and you don't even like feeling high.

7. It's way tougher to say "I Love You" than it is to just walk away. Prove how tough you are.

[JAllen]

I thought of one!

Floss

No kidding!

[Hindmost]

Ok, here is a list of the next 20 Superbowl and World Series winners. And Pharell finally wins the triple crown.

Well, I googled it. What's google? Nevermind, that's not important...

[Bob Ross]

You don't suck at math, your math teacher sucks at teaching.

I am so using that excuse from now on!

[tiretrax]

It seems like (from the replies at least) some forumites are taking my advice to my four year old self to be "screw everyone else and do what you want." That's not at all what I meant. I meant try not to let bullies, etc. get to your head and don't let the "cool kids" dictate your tastes to the extent they did. What I have in mind is the difference between being nice to others then letting it glance off you when they don't reciprocate, and continuing to try to earn their favor when that energy could be better spent elsewhere. Obviously, I wouldn't be the person I am without that experience, but the same can be said of all the advice on this thread.

Per your advice about listening to dad: in my case, this is spot on, and I'm glad to be able to say I did listen. I am fortunate enough to have a great relationship with my parents and to have grown up in the same household as two models for success. If I could end up at my dad's age where he is now, I would consider myself very lucky, and it's largely thanks to his and my mom's advice that I did manage to do in high school what I needed to do to get into a great college. I also had their help (as well as friends') in deciding to double major to balance my philosophy degree with something more practical (computer science) for when I inevitably decided not to pursue a PhD. That decision set me up for what is now a very happy life. Finally, it's not lost on me that without their financial support, I would be nowhere.

There has been a lot of mention of balance in this thread, and in my relatively few years so far, I've found that to be the most important thing, be it balance between being kind and being a glutton for punishment or balance between making your own decisions and listening to the advice of people who clearly got it mostly right when they were your age and want nothing but the best for you. This thread makes me feel like I'm on approximately the right track, so thank you guys!

Sounds like you're on the right track!

Floss - yes. Even now, I need to be consistent about that!

Lots of great advice here. I'm thinking about asking my children to read it.

[Hawker]

"Sure you look good at 128lbs, but you have GOT to get serious and lower your cholesterol!"

Alas I did not. Twenty years later (2013) I had to have a quintuple bypass. It did not work and now my cycling is a shadow of what it used to be.

[Rueda Tropical]

Buy apple

[Dead Man]

Buy apple

If we're going there....

Buy Google at IPO and sell in October 2013.

[buddybikes]

Stretch, stretch, stretch keep limber - eat well - laugh - enjoy your parents they won't be around long time probably - learn about your history from aunts, uncles, grand parents etc - this will be lost someday. Address smaller anoying physical problems so they won't manafest later - find a good mate and love him/her with all your soul, do same with your kids, don't overstretch budget with too much house or whatever, don't think think your kids "need" to get into IVY league school, be proud of your country but don't be nieve, enjoy life - learning to do so now will make you happier and deal with challenges down the road

[Rpoole8537]

#1. Don't marry that hot chick who has a terrible relationship with her parents. It might be a bad sign.
#2. You did good by purchasing the Waterford 1200 instead of the Trek 5200, recommended by the salesman.
#3. Read books on mindfulness and meditation and establish a good practice, you're going to need it to get through life.

[shinomaster]

I wish I got that Masters in Education.. my dad was right..:confused:

[giverdada]

20 years ago i was 14. i had just inherited my dad's original SPD system with shoes a size too big and pedals heavier than my frame, the original 737s. i wanted so badly to be a mountain biker. i had no idea what real physical pain was. i had no idea how to inflict it upon myself and pass the threshold into the place where it becomes good and enjoyable and makes everything right. i would tell myself to go find that place. the interesting thing is that this notion (and i love this thread, op!) can go with general advice about concrete stuff, or concrete stuff with general effect. i worry that if i altered anything about my past, i wouldn't have the best part of my life right now: my two little girls. if i said yes to that date with that other girl, if i said no to working at camp where i met my lady, if i traveled, if i lived like a real artist… and i could not risk not having my girls in my life. so i'd have to go with the other stuff that may have just stood me in better stead throughout the journey that would get me here.

run more. lots more. you like the pain and you need it so you should do it. and hey: you're not a sprinter. middle distance or longer. and stretch more.

you have a huge capacity for love. love better. be genuine. you're not as tortured or artistic as you think you are. learn to process your own film and paint better before the night before.

you are what you eat. visually. aurally. physically.

the only thing we can't get back is time.

and like someone said earlier: enjoy your hair; it'll be gone before you're 30.

[jlwdm]

...

"you should leave your home state of Texas as soon as you can."

I have enjoyed my last six years in Texas. It is nice to be part of a strong, diverse economy and to be surrounded by such friendly people.

Others:

Don't pull out your retirement when you leave a job. $25,000+ a year retirement did not seem like much when I changed careers, but I would not mind having the money now. Ties into start saving when you are young.

Do a great job at work - you will be rewarded. The last job I applied for was 40 years ago. Jobs will be created for you.

Go into business for yourself. It is lots of work but very rewarding.

Do things you love to do. And travel extensively. Enjoy experiences over things.

Always be honest.

Take risks in all areas of your life.

Enjoy time with your partner, family and friends.

Eat right at an early age. I could not gain weight until I was about 37 and I developed terrible eating habits.

Exercise regularly by doing things you enjoy.

Jeff

[martinez]

I'm only 26, but if I could tell myself something back in my younger years it would be...(a la shia labeouf)... JUST DO IT. Stop second guessing yourself and just f'n do it. You'll never know what could've happened so just get off your ass and go for it! If it gets your brain stimulated and gets you pumped...just go for it and drown yourself in it.

Only because I've wasted so much time second guessing things I've wanted to do for so long.