Top 10 Things I'd Tell My Younger Self
Darren over at Problogger has a contest going on for those of us who love making lists. Even if you don't, it's well worth checking out. His site is also full of great tips about blogging and making money online, whether you're a beginner or experienced.
So, without further ado, here's my own contribution:
Top 10 Things I'd Tell My Younger Self
1. Don't be afraid. Most of the things you're afraid of are either completely overblown or extremely unlikely to happen. There are no monsters under your bed, but later you'll find one in the next cubicle.
2. Live for now. Find things to enjoy about life right now that make it worth living. Things won't magically get better without your effort. Stop fantasizing about how great it's going to be in the future and smell the roses while you're there.
3. Don't waste time. You are NOT going to have more time to do things you want to do in the future. Get that idea out of your head. The next time you'll find yourself having all the time you need in a day, you'll be looking for your liver pills and complaining about your bursitis.
4. Chase your dreams. Don't dismiss your deepest desires as pipe dreams. Take a good look at them and think about what you want out of life. Just about everybody is telling you to take the safe path and get a safe, boring job. Don't. Safe, boring jobs suck.
5. Do what you want. Stop doing what everyone expects you to do and start doing the things you want. No, this doesn't mean you should be a jackass. Be smart and straightforward and don't be afraid to speak up about what you want.
6. Finish college now. It doesn't matter what you get your degree in. Trust me. Most of the time, no one cares. Besides, college is much more fun when you're young and single. Again, trust me on this.
7. If you spend money now assuming you'll have plenty later, you won't. Everybody thinks they're going to make a ton more money in just a few years. You might, but you'll have more than enough expenses to eat up every bit of it and more. See, there are these things called credit cards...
8. Set goals. Make plans for what you really want to accomplish. Write them down and stick with them. It's worth it to spend a bit of time hashing out the things you really want. Don't worry, you can always change them as your life changes, but they'll give you something concrete to shoot for.
9. Do something every day to work toward your goals. Don't let a day go by without having contributed in some way to the goals you have set. If you want to be a writer, write a sentence on a napkin with spaghetti sauce. If you want to run a marathon, at least get your lazy butt up and stretch.
10. Choose your battles. The world is NOT your enemy. Remember that when everything seems set against you. The world simply doesn't care. Don't view everything in terms of us against them. Don't argue when it does more harm than good. People won't think you're smart or funny, they'll just think you're a jackass.
Tags: Problogger Top 10 lists advice
So, without further ado, here's my own contribution:
Top 10 Things I'd Tell My Younger Self
1. Don't be afraid. Most of the things you're afraid of are either completely overblown or extremely unlikely to happen. There are no monsters under your bed, but later you'll find one in the next cubicle.
2. Live for now. Find things to enjoy about life right now that make it worth living. Things won't magically get better without your effort. Stop fantasizing about how great it's going to be in the future and smell the roses while you're there.
3. Don't waste time. You are NOT going to have more time to do things you want to do in the future. Get that idea out of your head. The next time you'll find yourself having all the time you need in a day, you'll be looking for your liver pills and complaining about your bursitis.
4. Chase your dreams. Don't dismiss your deepest desires as pipe dreams. Take a good look at them and think about what you want out of life. Just about everybody is telling you to take the safe path and get a safe, boring job. Don't. Safe, boring jobs suck.
5. Do what you want. Stop doing what everyone expects you to do and start doing the things you want. No, this doesn't mean you should be a jackass. Be smart and straightforward and don't be afraid to speak up about what you want.
6. Finish college now. It doesn't matter what you get your degree in. Trust me. Most of the time, no one cares. Besides, college is much more fun when you're young and single. Again, trust me on this.
7. If you spend money now assuming you'll have plenty later, you won't. Everybody thinks they're going to make a ton more money in just a few years. You might, but you'll have more than enough expenses to eat up every bit of it and more. See, there are these things called credit cards...
8. Set goals. Make plans for what you really want to accomplish. Write them down and stick with them. It's worth it to spend a bit of time hashing out the things you really want. Don't worry, you can always change them as your life changes, but they'll give you something concrete to shoot for.
9. Do something every day to work toward your goals. Don't let a day go by without having contributed in some way to the goals you have set. If you want to be a writer, write a sentence on a napkin with spaghetti sauce. If you want to run a marathon, at least get your lazy butt up and stretch.
10. Choose your battles. The world is NOT your enemy. Remember that when everything seems set against you. The world simply doesn't care. Don't view everything in terms of us against them. Don't argue when it does more harm than good. People won't think you're smart or funny, they'll just think you're a jackass.
Tags: Problogger Top 10 lists advice
posted by Ray at 8/16/2006 06:49:00 AM
8 Comments:
I hear you about the money one, but something I had to tell myself was...
There will ALWAYS be bills...they aren't going to get up and walk away one day!
It was a good feeling to just accept it.
Love this list! Something to tell every young person - even though most of them probably won't listen the first time around!
Ah, you probably wouldn't listen tho... Our list is up if you’d like to look… have a great day!
Great list. But of course, as ShadowsEdge said, you wouldn't listen. You may make new, better mistakes though. Fortunately, that's half the fun of life.
Thanks for all of the comments. I've been too busy checking out all the cool links!
#3 - Wiser words, I cannot think of. Time is our most valuable resource, period.
Thanks, Leroy. I was convinced when I was younger that I would always have time to do what I wanted later on in life. Now I know better!
Love the list, I wish I would have applied many of these earlier, especially 'not caring what others think' and 'chasing your dreams'.
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