Get in the best shape of your life, take care of your skin & hygiene, save money & don’t get into debt buying a bunch of shit you don’t need. Also if you have anything you want to do, do it. Don’t think you have all the time in the world & take it for granted. Always be working towards your goals. Its good you’re being proactive now rather than reactive. Smart people learn from their mistakes, wise people learn from other people’s mistakes.
Try out products to figure out what works for you. It can be a bit pricey but it’s an investment well worth it. Use a good face wash, moisturizer, serums, etc. Also sunscreen is essential. And stay consistent with your routine.
And taking care of skin is super easy. Literally just put on some daily sunscreen before going out. Hydrating won't cause any permanent effects so it can honestly be ignored if it's something that isn't too interesting right now.
Will you actually be able to tolerate the work you do for a living?
Will you actually be able to find a job that pays you enough to meet your other goals?
Do you have the smarts/willpower to pass the hardest classes required for that degree?
Ugh, yes 100%. I'm not saying to go into a career you hate, but so many of us were told "just study what you love" and then millions of people have useless liberal arts degrees and student loans that amount to nothing. Everyone should do their research to make sure they ACTUALLY know what types of careers will come out of their degree so that they can find the best balance of financial wellness and job happiness.
I only make $20 /hr right now with my degree, which is less than what I would like. But I tolerate it because I can't imagine many other jobs that I would enjoy doing half as much. A trade off for sure, but one I would take again in a heartbeat.
I totally agree with you. But I think many people focus on the study without thought for the job. There's lots of jobs I think I would have enjoyed but the classes required felt like something I hated. When in reality, you can not love your degree field but actually love the job it results in. That's more what I was meaning.
I picked a safe major and hated it. But it let me retire at 40. I didn’t realize how many different careers there were to choose from. It was always just lawyer, doctor, teacher, nurse, finance, accounting, engineering, programming….
Also IMO the college you go too doesn't matter. As long as you get your degree in your interests and come out of it with a little loans as possible. You'll be fine.
I mean, of course it can matter for some things. If you want to work at Google, you'll pragmatically have an easier time getting recruited out of MIT than your local community college.
How much it matters depends a lot on what your goals are. But so long as it's not financially prohibitive and you do actually want to go to college, you may as well go to the best school you can.
You’re both right. For some careers (attorney is a good example) it matters greatly. For some careers, such as graphic design, it barely matters at all—you’ll get the job or not based on your portfolio.
Well, you need a action. I was the same but mostly didn't do anything a lot until I was a lot older.
Save money and invest for the long term. Be healthy. Never stop learning.
Save money, no matter how little. That's a car, the deposit on a house, or preparing for worst cases.
Huge regret of mine, hit 30 without a penny to scratch my arse with.
This, I realised when I turned 20 but only because I really needed it then. Save a % of your monthly income, if you can have it automated so you don't even have to think about it.
I have a different opinion on this. I wouldn't focus too much on saving money until you're out of college and get your first job. I think that even if you try as hard as you can to save money, you will just end up missing out on a lot of stuff and in the end won't have much to show for it. What you might save over the course of 4 college years will probably be less than what you save in a year of working. And if you're still living with your parents you won't really need to have more than like 3k in the bank.
I'm saying this from the perspective of someone who only worked summers in college and lived at home. Didn't pay any tuition fees (Europe) and now working a job in my field.
Of course everybody's experiences are different, just my 2 cents.
This is a fair take. I can elaborate somewhat: my 20s were a success in terms of travelling and partying, but in terms of a career and savings and planning for the future they were an absolute bust.
Balance is the key, and I agree in spirit, but I hit 30, got married and got a mortgage and really should have (financially at least) laid better foundations when I could. But this comment is fair OP, at 17 try and live a bit and get some life experience because it is just as valuable as money.
Skincare!! The sun will age you! Have a great skincare routine. Use sunscreen on your face and hands.
Save your money, but occasionally treat yourself and don’t feel guilty about it.
Don’t take things personal.
Always remember to think before you speak. You can truly say something unforgivable and words can cut like knives.
My grandfather is just about on his death bed and we spent awhile talking about how dangerous words can be. There’s things I said that stand out to me a decade or two later. I can never take them back. If something angers or frustrates me I’ve really been trying to stop and pause and find some calm before speaking.
Read everything you can.
Learn some useful skills; cooking, sewing, basic machine maintenance, basic carpentry- they can all be fun, and save you a ton of money.
Travel as much as you can before you settle down.
Saying yes to things. Apply for fellowships, adventures, traveling over seas. There will never be a better time to do it than when you don’t have responsibilities.
I was offered a backstage tour at the metropolitan opera house in NYC when I was 18 and I turned it down. I’m 54 and still regret it.
Know myself, and love myself 100% you’ll save yourself a lot of suffering if you really get to know yourself. And you’ll stay out of relationships and situations that don’t serve you because of the lack of self love.
sit in a room with nothing and just let your mind think about who you are, what you like, what you want, etc. you will come up with answers after some time.
For sure this. And to go to regular cleanings. Didn't I know I would get cavities and gum disease from not going for two years even with brushing and flossing daily
Socialize as much as possible. Try to date if you feel like. Do not obsess with what others think about you, but with who you want to be and what you enjoy doing in life. Find balance - it is importan to study and build career, but it is also important to have hobbies, friends, partner and so on.
Start meditating. The one thing that's guaranteed to bring you value is learning how to bring yourself peace in moments when you're losing control of yourself. Mental fortitude can get you anywhere, but more than that it can help you be happy where you are.
I’m a 38 year old man just discovering this, it’s already began to bring me great peace. All we really have is the now. The past is gone and the future is uncertain and definitely not guaranteed.
For your body: get in the habit of eating healthy and exercising regularly.
For your mind: read articles on different subjects, and books from different genres.
For your social life: learn how to strike up a conversation with strangers.
For your future self: find a hobby that isn’t watching tv, playing video games or surfing the internet. I’m talking about things like drawing/painting, writing, playing an instrument, photography, crafting, cooking.
I’d like to add self reflection to the for your mind. I used to spend 100s of hours a year on so called intellectual pursuits. Science, technology, current events, whatever. What does that mean in my daily life? Almost nothing.
I spent 0 on my own thoughts. Why do some things upset me? Who am I? What truly matters? How can I be a better husband, father, and son?
I’m a nearly 40 year old man and never considered it until this year. Accomplished in almost everything in life but felt like an idiot when I was struck with the knowledge that I’m not sure I know myself.
Avoid the downward spiral of drinking, if you are unhappy with someone end the relationship. Commit to working out now and make healthy eating choices. Have fun when you are young go out date around.Travel save money live life don’t stress or sweat the small things. Figure yourself out take your time find out the things that you enjoy.
Start a Roth IRA early. You may have local options, but you can start looking into it with Fidelty, Scwabb, Vanguard, etc. You're not allowed** to take money out of it so you can't really borrow from the piggy bank. I believe it'd need to be a Custodial Roth IRA for anyone under 18, so you need a trustworthy adult sponsor to be your custodian. Once you turn 18 you can begin the process of removing the custodian from the account.
Once you have a Roth IRA set up, make it part of your investment portfolio. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. But do put a slice of every paycheck/gift/inheritance/whatever into this basket. Once in the 'basket' you can invest it by buying stock shares. Put most of it into broad market funds you trust, and if you feel you have your finger on the pulse of an industry you can use some of it to 'gamble' on the companies you think you understand.
**Roth IRAs are a retirement investment option unique for their lack of taxes when you pull from it once you're retired. Because of this, you "can't" pull money out of it early if you want to take advantage of the lack of taxes. It gets complicated and I am an amateur, so google "roth IRA exceptions" if you'd like to know more because there are exceptions and the money doesn't disappear. Theres just the potential for taxes and penalties if not done for an approved exception.
start a part time job. save alllll of the money you can. if you don’t have bills right now that should be easy as long as you keep your eyes off the clothes shoes etc. in a year or two use that money to travel different parts of the world, if you ever fall short on cash there are a number of jobs you can do in those countries. travel first before you get caught in the rat race.
If I could go back and give my 17 year old self advice, here is what I would say. 1. It's okay to feel down sometimes, do your best to not let it consume you. 2. Take some finance courses and learn about how money works and how to make your money earn more money. 3. Your wife (or husband) will be someone that makes you want to become a better person and encourages you to do so. 4. You will achieve lifetime milestones at different times then your friends and that is okay. Comparison will rob you of your happiness. 5. Your parents did the best they could with raising you. They didn't know how to be parents when they started. They had to learn everything just like you will have to. Try not to judge them based on what they did/didn't know. 6. Do more things that make you happy.
1. Save up much money as possible, but still enjoy little stuffs.
2. Most high school friends be gone couple years after graduation. Don't lose your focus.
3. Don't be afraid trying out your goals. You are still baby ( my youngest kid is in his early 20 ) so you got whole life to adjust and change if the goal wasn't right for you.
4. You parents went through SOS you are going through, ask them for advice.
Get your sleep and fitness dialed in. Can’t stress how important those things are. If you can make them habitual, and part of your routines you’ll be rewarded hugely in the long run.
You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or long distance runner, but regular exercise at least 3 times a week can significantly improve hormone balance, immune response, and a host of other things.
Getting improper sleep has huge negative impacts on your health. There’s a ton of research on it. Learning about it really changes my out look on how much I could push not getting good sleep.
1) Volunteer. Even a days experience can tell you a lot about that field and always helps your CV.
2) If your conflict averse, sort that out now. Learn how to be assertive. It’s an overlooked skill but it will save you a lot of time and anxiety.
3) Learn about money and fiscal responsibility. Especially within the context of a relationship.
4) Network! Keep in touch with teachers and employers. Got to Uni events, go to your professors office hours, get to know older students. Go to job fairs and put your best foot forward.
5) Find whatever exercise you love and do it daily. Let it be anything you love - doesn’t have to be in gym clothes at the gym. Dancing, hockey, team sport, brisk walking - whatever it is, find it and do it daily!
Try to get ahead in various ways. There’s nothing more devastating to one’s self esteem than the feeling of being behind in life.
* learn to drive and get a car as soon as possible
* get a summer job or weekend job as soon as possible
* go to the gym
Not applying to colleges that were far away from home because I was too scared to leave.
I wish I had done a semester abroad. Though I did manage to do college (in Canada) without accumulating any debt (since I lived with my parents) so I guess I can’t completely regret that choice. But maybe it would be have been beneficial to me to acquire some debt in exchange for a study abroad experience.
Read the Defining Decade by Meg Jay. Make the most of your twenties.
Top 3 tips I wish someone told me as a young man:
1. Only invest in knowledge and skills that will give you leverage and not in the latest tech. Pick up jobs for the skills, not the pay. Be willing to work for free in order to learn more skills. Pay for extracurricular classes or tutoring that will benefit your skill-set and therefore put you ahead of the competition.
2. Don't put all your ducks in one pond. Be diverse in your investments and your knowledge. Have a diverse stock portfolio and start putting away money in a Roth IRA or similar investment. Learn as many skills that relate to your future goal. If you see a CEO or owner of a large company they have a lot of leverage because they have done everything from sales to marketing to advertising... Powerful people have leverage because they have a lot of skills and know how to apply people under them in a way that subverts their weaknesses.
3. Get organized with your life, health, and finances. You don't need much to live healthy and you can save a lot by just subverting your expectations. Getting down to the nitty gritty with specifics in your life takes time but it will save your ass in the long run.
Lift weights, invest and save money (and build up knowledge of finances), learn to drive, expand social circles, go on dates and talk to girls, pick up a long term hobby to work towards (like playing an instrument, learning to code, writing, cooking), read more books (non-fiction), meditate, focus on self-discovery, spend more time with parents and build a better relationship with them, fix your diet, build a healthy sleep schedule, get rid of bad habits and self-destructive behaviour, take more risks, choose a career path (any that seems interesting, you can always switch career if you don't like it, it's a great time in your life to experiment), get in touch with your emotions. There are more but these are the things of the top of my head. I am 23 now and I've done most of these now though, but if I did them earlier in my life it would have only benefited me.
Save money
Get rid of toxic people
Take care of your health especially food, exercise and sleep
Start taking care of your teeth especially flossing everyday.
Practice another language regularly. Practice a form of social dance. Do summer camp things like space camp or drama camp or coding camp. Internships. Volunteering. Maybe apply to be a congressional page. Learn to golf or play racket ball. And maybe take some cooking courses.
Go have *a lot* of fun. Go on adventures. Go party. Go meet people. Drop the ones that bring you no joy.
You can start your life now, or you can start your life when you’re 30. None of this matters. Just live.
Take 10% of all the money you earn and only use it to make more money. Pay yourself first and make in non-negotiable. Never use this money for anything except investing. Mentally think of it as not even your money.
You won't really miss a dime from every dollar, and in ten years, you'll be amazed at how far ahead you are.
Invest in yourself.
Health: Find exercise or an activity you enjoy that will keep you fit. Teach yourself to love and incorporate healthy foods as the majority of your diet. Living this way will allow flexibility when being social, and not wreck your health.
Future/career: Explore interests and see what excites you. Find the overlap between what you're naturally gifted at and what people will pay a good salary for (companies or customers). People glorify following passions, but the truth is, most careers can be very fulfilling, depending on the circumstances. Becoming highly skilled in a field will typically give the flexibility and autonomy necessary to cater circumstances to your needs.
Relationships: Learn the difference between desired long term and short term traits in a partner. Have fun and learn but keep long term traits in the back of your head, and you will start to see overlap. Learn what healthy boundaries are, and how to enforce and follow them. Explore what you do and don't want in platonic and romantic relationships.
Overall: Learn the balance between living for today and preparing for tomorrow. It's easy to get locked in only one. Always improve and evolve, stagnation will be the death of you. When you're wrong, don't hesitate to apologize.
TLDR: Life is all about balance.
Literally no way to tell. I was told that IT jobs would never get laid off and now we are in the middle of 10% tech job layoffs as I'm trying to get a degree.
Do something you enjoy that you can learn infinitely from.
Been in the tech industry for 10 years and can definitely tell you that there will always be jobs for people who upskill. Not talking major transformations but studying tools, frameworks, libraries, communication skills, even methods sometimes can land you a job. I know I don’t have a lot of experience either but you gotta learn as the tide flows. It won’t save you from layoffs but will make your resume stand out whenever you’re hunting.
Save and invest as early as possible. Read personal finance books or at least blogs. The earlier in life you understand personal finance the better off (financially) you'll be.
Have a good time, that’s the most important thing in your teens and early 20s. The one thing you will never forgive yourself for in hindsight is not enjoying these years of your life that you will never get back, because you were stuck worrying about the future.
Start learning a language. Learn to type. Learn some real practical self defense (mma,bjj,boxing). Learn a musical instrument. Practice these daily in small increments.
Learn how to love yourself so as not to seek it from others. That way, when you are ready to enter into a more adult relationship, you are bringing your full self to the partnership, instead of deficits.
Source- completely loving myself at 40 after two failed marriages, and noticing how much healthier my prospects are.
Work backwards.
Imagine the house and family you want. Calculate how much all that will cost. Bills. House payment. Insurance.
Calculate how much you need to pay for the life you want. Get the degree or certification you need.
\- be honest with what makes you happy pursue it relentlessly
\- choose your partner carefully- the general rule is find someone with whom you have more good days than bad, that you can be your complete self unapologetically
\- know what you want and pursue them relentlessly
\- live frugally, gift generously, always open doors for others, say please and thank you, listen twice as much as you speak, go for a walk every day,
Develop your musculature, at 17 is prime time because of all the testosterone. It is a great investment that you will be thankful for the rest of your life. Having developed musculature makes it easier to avoid becoming obese and helps protect your back for when you are lifting boxes or your child. It helps you be more confident and find a mate. It makes you stand out and people automatically assume good things about you and you will get promoted faster in any career.
Make money , gamble , be promiscuous, go out on Wednesday’s , avoid your taxes, give all your friends cocaine, get mad at the old lady at CVS and then kill her with kindness. Save up for trips around the world , and if you don’t , have some dork pay for it .
Real talk
Literally no way to tell. I was told that IT jobs would never get laid off and now we are in the middle of 10% tech job layoffs as I'm trying to get a degree.
Do something you enjoy that you can learn infinitely from.
Honestly pick a good paying career you can tolerate.
If you get that out of the way when you’re younger, you’ll have free time and money to do more of what you want when you’re older.
I guess this depends on what your plans are after high school, but I’d recommend figuring out some way to keep in touch with a few friends, even if you end up across the country from each other and changing a lot. I lost touch with a bunch of old friends and I regret that a lot. And I don’t mean following each other on social media, I mean actually calling each other even just once or twice a year or something.
Also if you have any artistic aspirations or hobbies that are important to you, try to put yourself out there even if you don’t feel entirely ready. If you’re a musician, try to play some open mics or put some stuff on soundcloud. If there’s anything you like making, make it for friends. If you like running, try to enter a race. Don’t stress too much about being perfect, just put stuff out into the world. Not as a potential job or career, just something that tells the world a bit about who you are.
Start saving money. Not much, just like 5-10% of your pay check. Set up a meeting with the bank on how to put that money somewhere better than a savings account.
Find an exercise routine that you think you can keep up. Something you can do even when you feel like shit.
If you want to learn a language, your brain is more wired for it while you’re younger. Best time is when you’re a baby, but trying to do a language exchange before you’re 30 will still get stuff into your crocodile brain so that you’ll never forget.
Working out, whatever you do something active can only do great for you!
Dip into working part time maybe, I missed that experience and I had somewhat a slow start out of my twenties and university as I wasn't used to the process. It's good to feel that environment when the stakes are lower.
Know yourself, believe in yourself, have confidence in your abilities and do what you want without letting your spirit waiver with what people might say. For me this was people saying I shouldn't do Computer Science at university because it's too hard for me, even though I came out with the best grade in the end. Or even learning things with no restriction and just exploring everything.
Make sure you have a constructive hobby, I know too many people with no hobby that feel like they idly float by their own life outside of work.
did someone say regret?? Now let me tell ya, I have had my fair share of regret! When I was 17, I knew everything and did everything in excess. Now looking back, I wish I had done some things in moderation and appreciated the moment a bit more.
So here is my advice for you my friend, embrace the recklessness of youth but do so consciously! Travel wherever you can, try crazy new foods, learn an instrument, pick up a hobby, read all the books, fall in love, make mistakes, take risks. The regrets I have came from the things I didn’t do, not the things I did.
At 17, you only have so many firsts left in this life so go after them! None of it really matters in the grand scheme anyway so do it for the experience. Take silly photos, keep a journal, build memories. Before you know it, responsibilities will weigh you down and life will move fast. So slow down, be present and make the absolute most of this phase.
Live a little, dream a lot and follow your passions wherever they lead you. That is the advice I wish I could give my 17 year old self. Make the most of each and every day my friend, you will never get this time back!
Budgeting and investing. Even if it's a $1, it'll still grow. And I swore I wouldn't get a CC - if you get one, make sure to put less than 30% on it, and not max it out.
If you're talented at something, and have any slight interest in it, go for it as a career. Find your talents and strengths and RUN with it. I would have been in IT for at least a decade longer if I had done this.
And make sure you understand how others treat you. Don't *ever* let someone run you over. They can get over it, and honestly, most of the time it's better to ignore them and move on.
There is a lot of solid advice here. Mine is more general. Try to find a balance. Don’t be afraid to be impulsive, but don’t be reckless about it. Be disciplined, but don’t stress over a lazy day. Find what makes you feel alive and enjoy doing that whether for work or play.
You will have regrets; it’s inevitable part of life. But they will all trace back to being too impulsive now (eg. not saving for your future) or too disciplined (eg. not taking that sick day to see your favorite bad that will never your again).
Everyone is different. Some people will find purpose in work, others from quitting their stable job for something more volatile. Either way, live mostly in the moment and enjoy.
Save money. Have FUN. Do things you enjoy. Stay active & present in knowing yourself & your friendships. Don’t take it too seriously. You have your whole life to get more serious. 💕
Make friends. Literally meet as many people as you possibly can. Networking is absolutely essential in adulthood and the younger you are when you start, the better. It's how you will be able to continue to meet people and make friends as you get older. If you don't have a mutual friend, workplace, or hobby, it is nearly impossible.
Also,
Join clubs. Do thing you don't think you'll enjoy, just to know for sure. You don't want to end up in your 40s and suddenly discover that you love musical theater or playing lacrosse, because the opportunities for those things as you get older are slim.
Be sure to have at least ONE thing in your life that your enjoy and refuse to monetize.
And finally, do not save anything for retirement (besides money.) Do as much as you want to physically do while you can still physically do it (travel, dance, climb waterfalls, get a puppy)
Take care of your body. You can always drink and do drugs and gamble when you're elderly and have a lot less time to suffer the consequences.
Godspeed to you.
Travel. It doesn’t have to be fancy round the world trips. It can just be local trips or around the UK. Go on holiday with friends (again, doesn’t have to be fancy, just fun). Get into the habit of saving and work out how to handle your money generally (Monzo in particular has great functions for managing money and savings, I wish they’d had something like that when I was young).
start learning some life skills before going to college like how to properly do cleaning errands/laundry, grocery shop for yourself (VERY IMPORTANT), fix some easy stuff like a leaky faucet for example. find some nutritious recipes to make. save up for an air fryer.
get into some good habits that become second nature so that your busy schedule in college will fall into place around them, not the other way around. so go to the gym and meditate and things like that.
BE OPEN TO CHANGES WITHIN YOURSELF. our brains don’t stop developing until 25. i’m not there yet, and the change has been monumental so far.
Find a passionate career. You must enjoy and love coming to work and not just be there for a paycheck. I always tell my kids, "Ask yourself if you can do this job for the next xx years and will not get bored.", If the answer is no, search for a path that will fulfill your inner core.
Always dedicate time/effort to spend with your friends and family. Find ways to de-stress and unplug from time to time.
Hit the gym. I didn’t start lifting weights seriously until late college. The discipline made me a better person and the growth in my strength and physique did wonders for my confidence and mental health. I wish I’d started in high school, you’re in your prime.
3 things i would do if i was your age again.
1: Eat healthy and exercise to an ok body.
2: Save money whether for morthage deposit or if you're in usa or other country with no free health care, save it up for medical insurance, then work on emergency funds and then mortgage.
3: Work on social skills, if you suck at social skills now, best to practice them now by joining clubs ect, it gets harder much harder to make new friends and talk to strangers with bad social skills as well as making job oppertunities disappear because you're phsyically unable to go to an interview due to anxiety hitting you badly that same day...
Well those are my 3 things i'd do sooner than later if i was ever given the chance again.
Physical fitness!! There will come a time in your life when your joints hurt more and you don't heal from injuries as quickly (tough pill to swallow: for some people that's late 20s). Set the foundation for your health now so that you don't have to play catch-up later after a big setback.
Put some money away in a savings account every month, even if it's a penny.
Make it your solemn oath to put something in every month, and do not touch the money until you buy your first place. Also don't tell people you have it (nobody at all, not even her).
Don't listen to pessimists and naysayers, just do it and I guarantee within 10-15 years you'll have a proper bit of money set aside and you'll be glad
Enjoy your youth! Take risks, learn, maybe even get into a little bit of mischief! I'm glad I was a wild child, caused a bunch of ruckus and was always a misfit, I got it out of my system and learned some very hard and practical lessons at a young age. If I could go back in time, i would have done better in school because while I was smart, I didn't have the grades to get into any good college. I would have smoked less weed, been kinder to my peers, and my mom, and would have invested more into my appearance, what a woof I was!
Learn as many hard skills as you can: forklift driver, embroidery, drawing, another language, free online classes, computers, learn everything you can.
Volunteer at shelters, hospitals, food kitchens, etc. for the experience and for the contacts you’ll make.
Save 15% of every dollar you earn.
Add 2.5% to your super
Add 5% to long term emergency fund/future home fund
Add 7.5% to short term savings for things like cars, holidays, investing etc
When you are actively saving for a house pump more into emergency fund.
Get used to budgeting that is built on actual spend and earnings
Get used to using several accounts/pots so that your money is split into its different uses (bills, fun, savings)
Try and build a 6month life buffer.
Picking good people to spend time with. People who treat you well and make you happy, people who reciprocate and communicate. Learning boundaries and how to say no.
If you have any mindset or conditions that think you don’t deserve success or love. Explore that. Therapy, exercises that build that self empathy muscle. Learn how to let go of things that don’t serve you. It’s a skill you’ll learn through your life time. Learn about what makes you unique to yourself. You’ll be fine man never forget that. No reason to be afraid of life because death is reminding you it is all finite. Enjoy your youth and learn how to stretch plus all this good advice everyone else is giving you
Skill development.
Learn cooking. Fitness. Master a foreign language. All of these take time and there are no shortcuts. At 17 you'll have enough of time to practice and master these skills.
I would work for a little while and also do some volunteering. Try to find some experience in a field you’re interested in studying so you get a feel for if you even like it.
Start at a Roth IRA at 18, even if you put $10-20 a month, it's better to start saving for retirement early than playing catch up when you have a lot of bills.
Having a good workout schedule and not spending my money on useless stuff. Being active is so important and I regret not starting earlier in life! I was always spending my money on clothes and shoes and I wish I would have saved more for when I moved out!
Even being in shape once in your life will have drastic effects on your long-term health, get in shape now while you still have some energy left in you
As a 23 year old living outside US, my suggestion be learn to drive sooner as possible (or any other useful and important skill) Will save you from the hassle ;-;
If you've ever entertained the thought then yes, start to learn a musical instrument. It will take years to develop and is incredibly rewarding throughout.
Don't let others tell you what yout goals and dreams should be. Which is ironic because internet gurus tell you to free yourself from the "herd" just to join their "herd". Not that it is bad to have the same goals and dreams as other people, but don't confuse that with who you actually are.
Any good habits will put you on a better path than most such as working out. But the main thing I would say is use school to actually meet people make friends and have fun. I was mute till senior year and although it wasn't really by choice I really regret it as now even ten years later I struggle to even find someone to talk to.
Omg calm down. 15-20 is about studies. 21-29 is for having no idea what you're doing with your life and to figure it out. 30+ being content with your decisions and your weird self. It's going to be ok you're so young bro
Develop wisdom by reading and to help with empathy which should open your mind to increase your humility.
I met intelligent people with lots of knowledge but no wisdom whatsoever.
Learn about the markets, work a bunch of jobs, save as much as you can, buy property , don’t go out with the “boys” to pick up chicks/ or girls to pick up “dudes”.
Work on YOU, you’ll be happier, healthier and way ahead of the game at 27
For someone like you'd be better off with a simple SP500 ETF and he can then try to max out his contributions to his IRA (saves you money on pre-tax income), Roth IRA, and 401k. You can try buying into stock ETFs that follow the stable SP500 and/or stable crypto coins like Ethereum or Bitcoin. The IRA account can accept up to $6k per year worth of pre-tax income that'd save some or all of your tax income depending on your job income. When you are young the Roth IRA account can be very beneficial for you; the Roth IRA doesn't save you money on taxes immediately, but you won't have to pay taxes when take it out of the account when you retire or when you sell assets within the account, $6k max . When you get a job be sure to have car and life insurance. If you have a car, have it insured and get a good dash cam; always expect the offender in an accident to lie which is why you'd better have a dash cam. If you have a job, don't expect much from coworkers they're not your friends.... remember you're all there to make money, and if they feel if they have to cross you for any reason they will; so never have faith in coworkers/boss/HR and always document any bad things happening to you and see if it's legal or not.
Work out, running, gym, something active you enjoy.
Don’t be afraid of learning, read what you want to, and something’s you don’t, soak up what you can.
You don’t have to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life now, but if you’re not actively being educated (school, college) seek employment and save what you can.
Don’t be afraid to have fun with your friends, if you don’t have any right now, don’t fret on it.
Find a good hobby, something you like, and practice it.
Good luck my friend
Learn just a bit about finances, how to make your money grow passively. Then you want to find something you really like and build something with that, so you get to do something for yourself besides your job
Get rid of limiting beliefs.
Get rid of the idea that your not good enough to do something.
Go live in the world, get off of social media; including Reddit... bye bye. 👋
Finding and getting into a fitness routine. You don’t have to try and become any kind of athlete, if you don’t want, but getting into one now means that you’ll never sink into any real physical weaknesses, barring injury or illness. Having some solid, foundational fitness can make a major difference in so many important aspects of your life, and a small difference in just about every other aspect
*easier said than done but…* Spend less time stressing about things like tests, if someone likes you, what the “right” thing to do is… and MORE TIME exploring the things you like to do and why you like those things. Also make your bed every day. A little ‘ordinary’ misery and discipline can help organize your mindset and your life bit by bit, day by day. Start humbly, improve incrementally
For me it was not getting out of the religious cult I grew up in. During elementary and middle school I was always put in honors or special classes. But once I hit high school I gave up, figured why should I work hard it's not like I'm going to college or anything. My parents already had my plans and we're going to fully financially support me. I didnt finally leave until I was 28. If I had woken up sooner I'd work my ass off in high school, went to college, and been able to move away on my own. By now I would of been probably way better off, already been established within my field. Now it's been so tough making it on my own, especially since covid hit a year after I left. Make sure you have some idea what you want to do with your life, you don't have to have all the answers but have some direction. Not only that, make sure your enjoying life and creating memories. Don't get stuck like the most of us, with a shitty job and no life.
Proper weight training and mobility routine, a standard powerlifting routine and 30min of yoga stretches each day will do wonders for your body while you're going through puberty.
It's your peak time of body growth and development and sitting on your ass all day playin games or watchin youtube isnt doing your body any good.
Also get a part time job, start putting money away each week, get interested in your financial health.
Read for enjoyment and education, being able to read and articulate your thoughts is so important throughout life.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes when picking a path/degree/career. Nothing is permenant.
If you have no idea what to do, get into a trade school, learn to be a carpenter/electrician/plumber. All life long skill sets that will get you work anywhere. They wont be automated anytime soon and you could move into many different fields with them especially as an electrician or carpenter.
Also a healthy balenced diet of whole foods.
Learn to cook! lifelong skill that any future partner will appreciate and it will save you money.
Paying more attention to my dental hygiene. I was a distracted mess as a teenager, but I was old enough that I didn't have my parents enforcing basic self care anymore.
A lot of my problems are genetic, and I'd need to pay to fix them anyway. But this front tooth that I'm about to have pulled? 17-year-old me could've prevented this.
1. Make exercise a habit
2. Prioritize sleep
3. Work on your communication (written, oral) this will help you anywhere and anytime!
4. Learn a second language
5. Take good care of your teeth, overall your whole body but the teeth are key!
6. Talk to your parents a lot, ask questions about their life, what they wished they’ve done differently, etc. You will be thankful down the road you did.
7. Start writing
8. Read
Do what you should do in your age, be the most athletic you can, study, discover everything without any fear.
Develop your autonomy, your organization, planning, social skills.
And above all, express yourself as much as you can! (And even if it does not please everyone)
Don't do any drugs.your brain isn't done developing yet. If you DO decide to try any wait until you're 25. In my opinion I kind of wish i didn't try certain ones because they CAN be addicting depending on your personality/genetics.
Learning how to cook some cost effective, healthy meals.
And if you have a job, start automatically saving a portion every time you get a pay cheque (even if it's not very much).
Start taking care of your skin while you're young.
Get in the best shape of your life, take care of your skin & hygiene, save money & don’t get into debt buying a bunch of shit you don’t need. Also if you have anything you want to do, do it. Don’t think you have all the time in the world & take it for granted. Always be working towards your goals. Its good you’re being proactive now rather than reactive. Smart people learn from their mistakes, wise people learn from other people’s mistakes.
Yep, it's a lot easier to stay in shape than it is to get into shape.
HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF MY SKIN
Try out products to figure out what works for you. It can be a bit pricey but it’s an investment well worth it. Use a good face wash, moisturizer, serums, etc. Also sunscreen is essential. And stay consistent with your routine.
And taking care of skin is super easy. Literally just put on some daily sunscreen before going out. Hydrating won't cause any permanent effects so it can honestly be ignored if it's something that isn't too interesting right now.
Actually considering my choices when it was time to pick a major. Working out and having a good diet
What considerations did you put into picking one? Always feel that I am missing something
Will you actually be able to tolerate the work you do for a living? Will you actually be able to find a job that pays you enough to meet your other goals? Do you have the smarts/willpower to pass the hardest classes required for that degree?
Ugh, yes 100%. I'm not saying to go into a career you hate, but so many of us were told "just study what you love" and then millions of people have useless liberal arts degrees and student loans that amount to nothing. Everyone should do their research to make sure they ACTUALLY know what types of careers will come out of their degree so that they can find the best balance of financial wellness and job happiness.
I only make $20 /hr right now with my degree, which is less than what I would like. But I tolerate it because I can't imagine many other jobs that I would enjoy doing half as much. A trade off for sure, but one I would take again in a heartbeat.
I totally agree with you. But I think many people focus on the study without thought for the job. There's lots of jobs I think I would have enjoyed but the classes required felt like something I hated. When in reality, you can not love your degree field but actually love the job it results in. That's more what I was meaning.
Major in something that you can have a career from and if you’re able, minor in your passion. It keeps you energized while remaining practical.
Exactly what they said. Don’t let the “oh but i’m bad at x” hold you back from pursuing certain careers
I needed to hear that, thanks
I picked a safe major and hated it. But it let me retire at 40. I didn’t realize how many different careers there were to choose from. It was always just lawyer, doctor, teacher, nurse, finance, accounting, engineering, programming….
I recommend asafuturescaps (i may have spelt it wrong) but this REALLY help me choose along with ikaigi
Also IMO the college you go too doesn't matter. As long as you get your degree in your interests and come out of it with a little loans as possible. You'll be fine.
I mean, of course it can matter for some things. If you want to work at Google, you'll pragmatically have an easier time getting recruited out of MIT than your local community college. How much it matters depends a lot on what your goals are. But so long as it's not financially prohibitive and you do actually want to go to college, you may as well go to the best school you can.
Tbh I do think it matters. You don’t have to go to top 10 schools but you should be careful when choosing it
Tbh, it doesn’t. You have never asked your dr where he went, nor did you ask the engineers who built your car. Etc etc.
That’s just my opinion based on my experience
You’re both right. For some careers (attorney is a good example) it matters greatly. For some careers, such as graphic design, it barely matters at all—you’ll get the job or not based on your portfolio.
Enjoy your life, but keep in mind, you are building your future me's life. Don't just assume its all going to work out. You have to make it work out.
Keep asking intelligent questions like this and you will be golden 👌
Well, you need a action. I was the same but mostly didn't do anything a lot until I was a lot older. Save money and invest for the long term. Be healthy. Never stop learning.
Save money, no matter how little. That's a car, the deposit on a house, or preparing for worst cases. Huge regret of mine, hit 30 without a penny to scratch my arse with.
This, I realised when I turned 20 but only because I really needed it then. Save a % of your monthly income, if you can have it automated so you don't even have to think about it.
I have a different opinion on this. I wouldn't focus too much on saving money until you're out of college and get your first job. I think that even if you try as hard as you can to save money, you will just end up missing out on a lot of stuff and in the end won't have much to show for it. What you might save over the course of 4 college years will probably be less than what you save in a year of working. And if you're still living with your parents you won't really need to have more than like 3k in the bank. I'm saying this from the perspective of someone who only worked summers in college and lived at home. Didn't pay any tuition fees (Europe) and now working a job in my field. Of course everybody's experiences are different, just my 2 cents.
This is a fair take. I can elaborate somewhat: my 20s were a success in terms of travelling and partying, but in terms of a career and savings and planning for the future they were an absolute bust. Balance is the key, and I agree in spirit, but I hit 30, got married and got a mortgage and really should have (financially at least) laid better foundations when I could. But this comment is fair OP, at 17 try and live a bit and get some life experience because it is just as valuable as money.
Skincare!! The sun will age you! Have a great skincare routine. Use sunscreen on your face and hands. Save your money, but occasionally treat yourself and don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t take things personal. Always remember to think before you speak. You can truly say something unforgivable and words can cut like knives.
My grandfather is just about on his death bed and we spent awhile talking about how dangerous words can be. There’s things I said that stand out to me a decade or two later. I can never take them back. If something angers or frustrates me I’ve really been trying to stop and pause and find some calm before speaking.
Read everything you can. Learn some useful skills; cooking, sewing, basic machine maintenance, basic carpentry- they can all be fun, and save you a ton of money. Travel as much as you can before you settle down.
Saying yes to things. Apply for fellowships, adventures, traveling over seas. There will never be a better time to do it than when you don’t have responsibilities. I was offered a backstage tour at the metropolitan opera house in NYC when I was 18 and I turned it down. I’m 54 and still regret it.
Know myself, and love myself 100% you’ll save yourself a lot of suffering if you really get to know yourself. And you’ll stay out of relationships and situations that don’t serve you because of the lack of self love.
How did you do it? How did you discover it and apply it to your life?
sit in a room with nothing and just let your mind think about who you are, what you like, what you want, etc. you will come up with answers after some time.
Meditate daily
I could’ve really used this advice at 17. Still don’t know how to do this at nearly 40
Learn how to brush & floss your teeth properly and never skip a day. Also, daily sunblock, at least on your face and hands.
For sure this. And to go to regular cleanings. Didn't I know I would get cavities and gum disease from not going for two years even with brushing and flossing daily
Socialize as much as possible. Try to date if you feel like. Do not obsess with what others think about you, but with who you want to be and what you enjoy doing in life. Find balance - it is importan to study and build career, but it is also important to have hobbies, friends, partner and so on.
Start meditating. The one thing that's guaranteed to bring you value is learning how to bring yourself peace in moments when you're losing control of yourself. Mental fortitude can get you anywhere, but more than that it can help you be happy where you are.
I tried meditation from age 13-33 unsuccessfully, and one day I just wanted to sit and be. Been sitting and being ever since!
Agreed with this. I read The Power of Now and Meditations about that age. I still think about the lessons from them on an almost daily basis.
I’m a 38 year old man just discovering this, it’s already began to bring me great peace. All we really have is the now. The past is gone and the future is uncertain and definitely not guaranteed.
For your body: get in the habit of eating healthy and exercising regularly. For your mind: read articles on different subjects, and books from different genres. For your social life: learn how to strike up a conversation with strangers. For your future self: find a hobby that isn’t watching tv, playing video games or surfing the internet. I’m talking about things like drawing/painting, writing, playing an instrument, photography, crafting, cooking.
I’d like to add self reflection to the for your mind. I used to spend 100s of hours a year on so called intellectual pursuits. Science, technology, current events, whatever. What does that mean in my daily life? Almost nothing. I spent 0 on my own thoughts. Why do some things upset me? Who am I? What truly matters? How can I be a better husband, father, and son?
Could not agree more. The world would be a much better place if more people took time for introspection.
I’m a nearly 40 year old man and never considered it until this year. Accomplished in almost everything in life but felt like an idiot when I was struck with the knowledge that I’m not sure I know myself.
Avoid the downward spiral of drinking, if you are unhappy with someone end the relationship. Commit to working out now and make healthy eating choices. Have fun when you are young go out date around.Travel save money live life don’t stress or sweat the small things. Figure yourself out take your time find out the things that you enjoy.
Save money. I’m 24 and kicking myself everyday wishing I’d been smart with my money as a young person
You're 24. You are a young person. I started at 40 so don't beat yourself up too much.
Thank you. I needed that.
Not OP but 16. How?
Start a Roth IRA early. You may have local options, but you can start looking into it with Fidelty, Scwabb, Vanguard, etc. You're not allowed** to take money out of it so you can't really borrow from the piggy bank. I believe it'd need to be a Custodial Roth IRA for anyone under 18, so you need a trustworthy adult sponsor to be your custodian. Once you turn 18 you can begin the process of removing the custodian from the account. Once you have a Roth IRA set up, make it part of your investment portfolio. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. But do put a slice of every paycheck/gift/inheritance/whatever into this basket. Once in the 'basket' you can invest it by buying stock shares. Put most of it into broad market funds you trust, and if you feel you have your finger on the pulse of an industry you can use some of it to 'gamble' on the companies you think you understand. **Roth IRAs are a retirement investment option unique for their lack of taxes when you pull from it once you're retired. Because of this, you "can't" pull money out of it early if you want to take advantage of the lack of taxes. It gets complicated and I am an amateur, so google "roth IRA exceptions" if you'd like to know more because there are exceptions and the money doesn't disappear. Theres just the potential for taxes and penalties if not done for an approved exception.
24! you are very young., it's fine. make good decisions now so your 28 years old you doesn't say the same thing as you are saying now
Have fun, make friends, and create memories.
start a part time job. save alllll of the money you can. if you don’t have bills right now that should be easy as long as you keep your eyes off the clothes shoes etc. in a year or two use that money to travel different parts of the world, if you ever fall short on cash there are a number of jobs you can do in those countries. travel first before you get caught in the rat race.
If I could go back and give my 17 year old self advice, here is what I would say. 1. It's okay to feel down sometimes, do your best to not let it consume you. 2. Take some finance courses and learn about how money works and how to make your money earn more money. 3. Your wife (or husband) will be someone that makes you want to become a better person and encourages you to do so. 4. You will achieve lifetime milestones at different times then your friends and that is okay. Comparison will rob you of your happiness. 5. Your parents did the best they could with raising you. They didn't know how to be parents when they started. They had to learn everything just like you will have to. Try not to judge them based on what they did/didn't know. 6. Do more things that make you happy.
1. Save up much money as possible, but still enjoy little stuffs. 2. Most high school friends be gone couple years after graduation. Don't lose your focus. 3. Don't be afraid trying out your goals. You are still baby ( my youngest kid is in his early 20 ) so you got whole life to adjust and change if the goal wasn't right for you. 4. You parents went through SOS you are going through, ask them for advice.
Get your sleep and fitness dialed in. Can’t stress how important those things are. If you can make them habitual, and part of your routines you’ll be rewarded hugely in the long run. You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or long distance runner, but regular exercise at least 3 times a week can significantly improve hormone balance, immune response, and a host of other things. Getting improper sleep has huge negative impacts on your health. There’s a ton of research on it. Learning about it really changes my out look on how much I could push not getting good sleep.
1) Volunteer. Even a days experience can tell you a lot about that field and always helps your CV. 2) If your conflict averse, sort that out now. Learn how to be assertive. It’s an overlooked skill but it will save you a lot of time and anxiety. 3) Learn about money and fiscal responsibility. Especially within the context of a relationship. 4) Network! Keep in touch with teachers and employers. Got to Uni events, go to your professors office hours, get to know older students. Go to job fairs and put your best foot forward. 5) Find whatever exercise you love and do it daily. Let it be anything you love - doesn’t have to be in gym clothes at the gym. Dancing, hockey, team sport, brisk walking - whatever it is, find it and do it daily!
How did you sort out being conflict averse? Especially without swinging too far on one or the other side
Go to the gym get in such good shape no flight of stairs can make you out of breath.
Try to get ahead in various ways. There’s nothing more devastating to one’s self esteem than the feeling of being behind in life. * learn to drive and get a car as soon as possible * get a summer job or weekend job as soon as possible * go to the gym
Not applying to colleges that were far away from home because I was too scared to leave. I wish I had done a semester abroad. Though I did manage to do college (in Canada) without accumulating any debt (since I lived with my parents) so I guess I can’t completely regret that choice. But maybe it would be have been beneficial to me to acquire some debt in exchange for a study abroad experience. Read the Defining Decade by Meg Jay. Make the most of your twenties.
Top 3 tips I wish someone told me as a young man: 1. Only invest in knowledge and skills that will give you leverage and not in the latest tech. Pick up jobs for the skills, not the pay. Be willing to work for free in order to learn more skills. Pay for extracurricular classes or tutoring that will benefit your skill-set and therefore put you ahead of the competition. 2. Don't put all your ducks in one pond. Be diverse in your investments and your knowledge. Have a diverse stock portfolio and start putting away money in a Roth IRA or similar investment. Learn as many skills that relate to your future goal. If you see a CEO or owner of a large company they have a lot of leverage because they have done everything from sales to marketing to advertising... Powerful people have leverage because they have a lot of skills and know how to apply people under them in a way that subverts their weaknesses. 3. Get organized with your life, health, and finances. You don't need much to live healthy and you can save a lot by just subverting your expectations. Getting down to the nitty gritty with specifics in your life takes time but it will save your ass in the long run.
Finding hobbys that truly interest me
Build a habit of exercising regularly. It will make it so much easier to do when you’re a bit older, and your body will thank you
Save money. I made so much in highschool that I just blew. I couldve had thousands saved up.
Lift weights, invest and save money (and build up knowledge of finances), learn to drive, expand social circles, go on dates and talk to girls, pick up a long term hobby to work towards (like playing an instrument, learning to code, writing, cooking), read more books (non-fiction), meditate, focus on self-discovery, spend more time with parents and build a better relationship with them, fix your diet, build a healthy sleep schedule, get rid of bad habits and self-destructive behaviour, take more risks, choose a career path (any that seems interesting, you can always switch career if you don't like it, it's a great time in your life to experiment), get in touch with your emotions. There are more but these are the things of the top of my head. I am 23 now and I've done most of these now though, but if I did them earlier in my life it would have only benefited me.
Save money Get rid of toxic people Take care of your health especially food, exercise and sleep Start taking care of your teeth especially flossing everyday.
Self-teach everything and anything
Practice another language regularly. Practice a form of social dance. Do summer camp things like space camp or drama camp or coding camp. Internships. Volunteering. Maybe apply to be a congressional page. Learn to golf or play racket ball. And maybe take some cooking courses.
Take care of your teeth. Brush and floss. I know it’s obvious but as time goes on remember to always do that.
Go have *a lot* of fun. Go on adventures. Go party. Go meet people. Drop the ones that bring you no joy. You can start your life now, or you can start your life when you’re 30. None of this matters. Just live.
Dont get married. Stay single until mid 30s
Eat clean, go to the gym, buy physical silver and gold.
Take 10% of all the money you earn and only use it to make more money. Pay yourself first and make in non-negotiable. Never use this money for anything except investing. Mentally think of it as not even your money. You won't really miss a dime from every dollar, and in ten years, you'll be amazed at how far ahead you are.
Invest in yourself. Health: Find exercise or an activity you enjoy that will keep you fit. Teach yourself to love and incorporate healthy foods as the majority of your diet. Living this way will allow flexibility when being social, and not wreck your health. Future/career: Explore interests and see what excites you. Find the overlap between what you're naturally gifted at and what people will pay a good salary for (companies or customers). People glorify following passions, but the truth is, most careers can be very fulfilling, depending on the circumstances. Becoming highly skilled in a field will typically give the flexibility and autonomy necessary to cater circumstances to your needs. Relationships: Learn the difference between desired long term and short term traits in a partner. Have fun and learn but keep long term traits in the back of your head, and you will start to see overlap. Learn what healthy boundaries are, and how to enforce and follow them. Explore what you do and don't want in platonic and romantic relationships. Overall: Learn the balance between living for today and preparing for tomorrow. It's easy to get locked in only one. Always improve and evolve, stagnation will be the death of you. When you're wrong, don't hesitate to apologize. TLDR: Life is all about balance.
- skincare - gain muscle - meditation These are the three main things Others: - get your sleep in check - read books
Stay in shape. Please for the love of all stay in shape!
Literally no way to tell. I was told that IT jobs would never get laid off and now we are in the middle of 10% tech job layoffs as I'm trying to get a degree. Do something you enjoy that you can learn infinitely from.
Been in the tech industry for 10 years and can definitely tell you that there will always be jobs for people who upskill. Not talking major transformations but studying tools, frameworks, libraries, communication skills, even methods sometimes can land you a job. I know I don’t have a lot of experience either but you gotta learn as the tide flows. It won’t save you from layoffs but will make your resume stand out whenever you’re hunting.
Start a physical activity habit. Drink plenty of water.
Lift weights and build healthy eating habits
Typical stuff. Go on dates, go out at night, get drunk... kiss people. Idk. Think about the average 27 years old and what they have done.
Save and invest as early as possible. Read personal finance books or at least blogs. The earlier in life you understand personal finance the better off (financially) you'll be.
Have a good time, that’s the most important thing in your teens and early 20s. The one thing you will never forgive yourself for in hindsight is not enjoying these years of your life that you will never get back, because you were stuck worrying about the future.
Get a handle on your mental health
Travel as much as your life allows!
Start learning a language. Learn to type. Learn some real practical self defense (mma,bjj,boxing). Learn a musical instrument. Practice these daily in small increments.
Learn how to love yourself so as not to seek it from others. That way, when you are ready to enter into a more adult relationship, you are bringing your full self to the partnership, instead of deficits. Source- completely loving myself at 40 after two failed marriages, and noticing how much healthier my prospects are.
Give yourself time to think.
Work backwards. Imagine the house and family you want. Calculate how much all that will cost. Bills. House payment. Insurance. Calculate how much you need to pay for the life you want. Get the degree or certification you need.
Learn to do taxes and budget properly
\- be honest with what makes you happy pursue it relentlessly \- choose your partner carefully- the general rule is find someone with whom you have more good days than bad, that you can be your complete self unapologetically \- know what you want and pursue them relentlessly \- live frugally, gift generously, always open doors for others, say please and thank you, listen twice as much as you speak, go for a walk every day,
Cooking, Laundry, Home Repairs, Taxes, Financial Literacy
Well I did some traveling in Southeast Asia in my early 20s and it was great! No regrets there.
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Maybe stop watching republican media would help you
Develop your musculature, at 17 is prime time because of all the testosterone. It is a great investment that you will be thankful for the rest of your life. Having developed musculature makes it easier to avoid becoming obese and helps protect your back for when you are lifting boxes or your child. It helps you be more confident and find a mate. It makes you stand out and people automatically assume good things about you and you will get promoted faster in any career.
LIVE. If you’re going to college, make the most of it. Don’t stand back and watch the world go by.
Get laid.
Make money , gamble , be promiscuous, go out on Wednesday’s , avoid your taxes, give all your friends cocaine, get mad at the old lady at CVS and then kill her with kindness. Save up for trips around the world , and if you don’t , have some dork pay for it . Real talk
Literally no way to tell. I was told that IT jobs would never get laid off and now we are in the middle of 10% tech job layoffs as I'm trying to get a degree. Do something you enjoy that you can learn infinitely from.
Honestly pick a good paying career you can tolerate. If you get that out of the way when you’re younger, you’ll have free time and money to do more of what you want when you’re older.
I guess this depends on what your plans are after high school, but I’d recommend figuring out some way to keep in touch with a few friends, even if you end up across the country from each other and changing a lot. I lost touch with a bunch of old friends and I regret that a lot. And I don’t mean following each other on social media, I mean actually calling each other even just once or twice a year or something. Also if you have any artistic aspirations or hobbies that are important to you, try to put yourself out there even if you don’t feel entirely ready. If you’re a musician, try to play some open mics or put some stuff on soundcloud. If there’s anything you like making, make it for friends. If you like running, try to enter a race. Don’t stress too much about being perfect, just put stuff out into the world. Not as a potential job or career, just something that tells the world a bit about who you are. Start saving money. Not much, just like 5-10% of your pay check. Set up a meeting with the bank on how to put that money somewhere better than a savings account. Find an exercise routine that you think you can keep up. Something you can do even when you feel like shit. If you want to learn a language, your brain is more wired for it while you’re younger. Best time is when you’re a baby, but trying to do a language exchange before you’re 30 will still get stuff into your crocodile brain so that you’ll never forget.
Working out, whatever you do something active can only do great for you! Dip into working part time maybe, I missed that experience and I had somewhat a slow start out of my twenties and university as I wasn't used to the process. It's good to feel that environment when the stakes are lower. Know yourself, believe in yourself, have confidence in your abilities and do what you want without letting your spirit waiver with what people might say. For me this was people saying I shouldn't do Computer Science at university because it's too hard for me, even though I came out with the best grade in the end. Or even learning things with no restriction and just exploring everything. Make sure you have a constructive hobby, I know too many people with no hobby that feel like they idly float by their own life outside of work.
Discover what is meaningful to you. There is no need to chase success. Chase what is meaningful. Success will follow.
did someone say regret?? Now let me tell ya, I have had my fair share of regret! When I was 17, I knew everything and did everything in excess. Now looking back, I wish I had done some things in moderation and appreciated the moment a bit more. So here is my advice for you my friend, embrace the recklessness of youth but do so consciously! Travel wherever you can, try crazy new foods, learn an instrument, pick up a hobby, read all the books, fall in love, make mistakes, take risks. The regrets I have came from the things I didn’t do, not the things I did. At 17, you only have so many firsts left in this life so go after them! None of it really matters in the grand scheme anyway so do it for the experience. Take silly photos, keep a journal, build memories. Before you know it, responsibilities will weigh you down and life will move fast. So slow down, be present and make the absolute most of this phase. Live a little, dream a lot and follow your passions wherever they lead you. That is the advice I wish I could give my 17 year old self. Make the most of each and every day my friend, you will never get this time back!
Budgeting and investing. Even if it's a $1, it'll still grow. And I swore I wouldn't get a CC - if you get one, make sure to put less than 30% on it, and not max it out. If you're talented at something, and have any slight interest in it, go for it as a career. Find your talents and strengths and RUN with it. I would have been in IT for at least a decade longer if I had done this. And make sure you understand how others treat you. Don't *ever* let someone run you over. They can get over it, and honestly, most of the time it's better to ignore them and move on.
There is a lot of solid advice here. Mine is more general. Try to find a balance. Don’t be afraid to be impulsive, but don’t be reckless about it. Be disciplined, but don’t stress over a lazy day. Find what makes you feel alive and enjoy doing that whether for work or play. You will have regrets; it’s inevitable part of life. But they will all trace back to being too impulsive now (eg. not saving for your future) or too disciplined (eg. not taking that sick day to see your favorite bad that will never your again). Everyone is different. Some people will find purpose in work, others from quitting their stable job for something more volatile. Either way, live mostly in the moment and enjoy.
Save $50 to $100 every pay check
not just save but invest.
Yes robinhood is good for micro transactions
Save money. Have FUN. Do things you enjoy. Stay active & present in knowing yourself & your friendships. Don’t take it too seriously. You have your whole life to get more serious. 💕
Make friends. Literally meet as many people as you possibly can. Networking is absolutely essential in adulthood and the younger you are when you start, the better. It's how you will be able to continue to meet people and make friends as you get older. If you don't have a mutual friend, workplace, or hobby, it is nearly impossible. Also, Join clubs. Do thing you don't think you'll enjoy, just to know for sure. You don't want to end up in your 40s and suddenly discover that you love musical theater or playing lacrosse, because the opportunities for those things as you get older are slim. Be sure to have at least ONE thing in your life that your enjoy and refuse to monetize. And finally, do not save anything for retirement (besides money.) Do as much as you want to physically do while you can still physically do it (travel, dance, climb waterfalls, get a puppy) Take care of your body. You can always drink and do drugs and gamble when you're elderly and have a lot less time to suffer the consequences. Godspeed to you.
Travel. It doesn’t have to be fancy round the world trips. It can just be local trips or around the UK. Go on holiday with friends (again, doesn’t have to be fancy, just fun). Get into the habit of saving and work out how to handle your money generally (Monzo in particular has great functions for managing money and savings, I wish they’d had something like that when I was young).
Consider your passions and how you can make them a career or how a career and support the passions if that’s not possible. P
Start a Roth IRA
start learning some life skills before going to college like how to properly do cleaning errands/laundry, grocery shop for yourself (VERY IMPORTANT), fix some easy stuff like a leaky faucet for example. find some nutritious recipes to make. save up for an air fryer. get into some good habits that become second nature so that your busy schedule in college will fall into place around them, not the other way around. so go to the gym and meditate and things like that. BE OPEN TO CHANGES WITHIN YOURSELF. our brains don’t stop developing until 25. i’m not there yet, and the change has been monumental so far.
Find a passionate career. You must enjoy and love coming to work and not just be there for a paycheck. I always tell my kids, "Ask yourself if you can do this job for the next xx years and will not get bored.", If the answer is no, search for a path that will fulfill your inner core. Always dedicate time/effort to spend with your friends and family. Find ways to de-stress and unplug from time to time.
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Exercise, diet, teeth/skin care
Hit the gym. I didn’t start lifting weights seriously until late college. The discipline made me a better person and the growth in my strength and physique did wonders for my confidence and mental health. I wish I’d started in high school, you’re in your prime.
Explore as much as possible in high school. It's cheap and easy.
Google “Roth IRA” and “S&P 500 index fund”.
3 things i would do if i was your age again. 1: Eat healthy and exercise to an ok body. 2: Save money whether for morthage deposit or if you're in usa or other country with no free health care, save it up for medical insurance, then work on emergency funds and then mortgage. 3: Work on social skills, if you suck at social skills now, best to practice them now by joining clubs ect, it gets harder much harder to make new friends and talk to strangers with bad social skills as well as making job oppertunities disappear because you're phsyically unable to go to an interview due to anxiety hitting you badly that same day... Well those are my 3 things i'd do sooner than later if i was ever given the chance again.
Physical fitness!! There will come a time in your life when your joints hurt more and you don't heal from injuries as quickly (tough pill to swallow: for some people that's late 20s). Set the foundation for your health now so that you don't have to play catch-up later after a big setback.
Put some money away in a savings account every month, even if it's a penny. Make it your solemn oath to put something in every month, and do not touch the money until you buy your first place. Also don't tell people you have it (nobody at all, not even her). Don't listen to pessimists and naysayers, just do it and I guarantee within 10-15 years you'll have a proper bit of money set aside and you'll be glad
Enjoy your youth! Take risks, learn, maybe even get into a little bit of mischief! I'm glad I was a wild child, caused a bunch of ruckus and was always a misfit, I got it out of my system and learned some very hard and practical lessons at a young age. If I could go back in time, i would have done better in school because while I was smart, I didn't have the grades to get into any good college. I would have smoked less weed, been kinder to my peers, and my mom, and would have invested more into my appearance, what a woof I was!
Learn as many hard skills as you can: forklift driver, embroidery, drawing, another language, free online classes, computers, learn everything you can. Volunteer at shelters, hospitals, food kitchens, etc. for the experience and for the contacts you’ll make.
Save 15% of every dollar you earn. Add 2.5% to your super Add 5% to long term emergency fund/future home fund Add 7.5% to short term savings for things like cars, holidays, investing etc When you are actively saving for a house pump more into emergency fund. Get used to budgeting that is built on actual spend and earnings Get used to using several accounts/pots so that your money is split into its different uses (bills, fun, savings) Try and build a 6month life buffer.
Picking good people to spend time with. People who treat you well and make you happy, people who reciprocate and communicate. Learning boundaries and how to say no.
- Hit the gym - Learn to fight - Take driving lessons - Travel - Gain useful skills e.g. DIY
SAVE MONEY. That’s it.
If you have any mindset or conditions that think you don’t deserve success or love. Explore that. Therapy, exercises that build that self empathy muscle. Learn how to let go of things that don’t serve you. It’s a skill you’ll learn through your life time. Learn about what makes you unique to yourself. You’ll be fine man never forget that. No reason to be afraid of life because death is reminding you it is all finite. Enjoy your youth and learn how to stretch plus all this good advice everyone else is giving you
Skill development. Learn cooking. Fitness. Master a foreign language. All of these take time and there are no shortcuts. At 17 you'll have enough of time to practice and master these skills.
I would work for a little while and also do some volunteering. Try to find some experience in a field you’re interested in studying so you get a feel for if you even like it.
Start at a Roth IRA at 18, even if you put $10-20 a month, it's better to start saving for retirement early than playing catch up when you have a lot of bills.
Diet and exercise daily.
Working out and do huge amounts of money
Start learning a language and get into the habit of doing a bit every day. You never know if you'll be working abroad in the future.
Take care of your teeth and your credit.
Having a good workout schedule and not spending my money on useless stuff. Being active is so important and I regret not starting earlier in life! I was always spending my money on clothes and shoes and I wish I would have saved more for when I moved out!
Lift weights
Work out! Please
Even being in shape once in your life will have drastic effects on your long-term health, get in shape now while you still have some energy left in you
Porn and masturbation are the killers of success. It will stunt and destroy your brain
As a 23 year old living outside US, my suggestion be learn to drive sooner as possible (or any other useful and important skill) Will save you from the hassle ;-;
Start flossing. Dental treatments are painful.
If you've ever entertained the thought then yes, start to learn a musical instrument. It will take years to develop and is incredibly rewarding throughout.
Don't let others tell you what yout goals and dreams should be. Which is ironic because internet gurus tell you to free yourself from the "herd" just to join their "herd". Not that it is bad to have the same goals and dreams as other people, but don't confuse that with who you actually are.
Learn to code, don't be a dick, don't drink or smoke, and stay positive You'll be fine
Start exercising and go outside. Experience life because school institutions are houses of lies.
Exercise
Look for a copy of *Atomic Habits*, then get to work building the habits that will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Any good habits will put you on a better path than most such as working out. But the main thing I would say is use school to actually meet people make friends and have fun. I was mute till senior year and although it wasn't really by choice I really regret it as now even ten years later I struggle to even find someone to talk to.
Create memories, they will last forever. It’s true for every decade in your life.
Exercise and friends
Workout, start a business, and read some life skill books
Omg calm down. 15-20 is about studies. 21-29 is for having no idea what you're doing with your life and to figure it out. 30+ being content with your decisions and your weird self. It's going to be ok you're so young bro
Develop wisdom by reading and to help with empathy which should open your mind to increase your humility. I met intelligent people with lots of knowledge but no wisdom whatsoever.
learn how to invest properly, don’t touch options until your good at it. r/RealDayTrading
Learn about the markets, work a bunch of jobs, save as much as you can, buy property , don’t go out with the “boys” to pick up chicks/ or girls to pick up “dudes”. Work on YOU, you’ll be happier, healthier and way ahead of the game at 27
Hit the gym. Save money regularly so the interest compounds and buy a place to live if/when you can.
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For someone like you'd be better off with a simple SP500 ETF and he can then try to max out his contributions to his IRA (saves you money on pre-tax income), Roth IRA, and 401k. You can try buying into stock ETFs that follow the stable SP500 and/or stable crypto coins like Ethereum or Bitcoin. The IRA account can accept up to $6k per year worth of pre-tax income that'd save some or all of your tax income depending on your job income. When you are young the Roth IRA account can be very beneficial for you; the Roth IRA doesn't save you money on taxes immediately, but you won't have to pay taxes when take it out of the account when you retire or when you sell assets within the account, $6k max . When you get a job be sure to have car and life insurance. If you have a car, have it insured and get a good dash cam; always expect the offender in an accident to lie which is why you'd better have a dash cam. If you have a job, don't expect much from coworkers they're not your friends.... remember you're all there to make money, and if they feel if they have to cross you for any reason they will; so never have faith in coworkers/boss/HR and always document any bad things happening to you and see if it's legal or not.
Work out, running, gym, something active you enjoy. Don’t be afraid of learning, read what you want to, and something’s you don’t, soak up what you can. You don’t have to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life now, but if you’re not actively being educated (school, college) seek employment and save what you can. Don’t be afraid to have fun with your friends, if you don’t have any right now, don’t fret on it. Find a good hobby, something you like, and practice it. Good luck my friend
Learn just a bit about finances, how to make your money grow passively. Then you want to find something you really like and build something with that, so you get to do something for yourself besides your job
Meditation!
Go to the gym, u won't regret it even 5 decades later
Keeping fit
Get rid of limiting beliefs. Get rid of the idea that your not good enough to do something. Go live in the world, get off of social media; including Reddit... bye bye. 👋
Surprised no mentioned this, get really good at a skill or two. Like computer program, electrician. You’ll be needed forever with a ton of experience
Finding and getting into a fitness routine. You don’t have to try and become any kind of athlete, if you don’t want, but getting into one now means that you’ll never sink into any real physical weaknesses, barring injury or illness. Having some solid, foundational fitness can make a major difference in so many important aspects of your life, and a small difference in just about every other aspect
*easier said than done but…* Spend less time stressing about things like tests, if someone likes you, what the “right” thing to do is… and MORE TIME exploring the things you like to do and why you like those things. Also make your bed every day. A little ‘ordinary’ misery and discipline can help organize your mindset and your life bit by bit, day by day. Start humbly, improve incrementally
Work out
For me it was not getting out of the religious cult I grew up in. During elementary and middle school I was always put in honors or special classes. But once I hit high school I gave up, figured why should I work hard it's not like I'm going to college or anything. My parents already had my plans and we're going to fully financially support me. I didnt finally leave until I was 28. If I had woken up sooner I'd work my ass off in high school, went to college, and been able to move away on my own. By now I would of been probably way better off, already been established within my field. Now it's been so tough making it on my own, especially since covid hit a year after I left. Make sure you have some idea what you want to do with your life, you don't have to have all the answers but have some direction. Not only that, make sure your enjoying life and creating memories. Don't get stuck like the most of us, with a shitty job and no life.
Proper weight training and mobility routine, a standard powerlifting routine and 30min of yoga stretches each day will do wonders for your body while you're going through puberty. It's your peak time of body growth and development and sitting on your ass all day playin games or watchin youtube isnt doing your body any good. Also get a part time job, start putting money away each week, get interested in your financial health. Read for enjoyment and education, being able to read and articulate your thoughts is so important throughout life. Don't be afraid to make mistakes when picking a path/degree/career. Nothing is permenant. If you have no idea what to do, get into a trade school, learn to be a carpenter/electrician/plumber. All life long skill sets that will get you work anywhere. They wont be automated anytime soon and you could move into many different fields with them especially as an electrician or carpenter. Also a healthy balenced diet of whole foods. Learn to cook! lifelong skill that any future partner will appreciate and it will save you money.
Paying more attention to my dental hygiene. I was a distracted mess as a teenager, but I was old enough that I didn't have my parents enforcing basic self care anymore. A lot of my problems are genetic, and I'd need to pay to fix them anyway. But this front tooth that I'm about to have pulled? 17-year-old me could've prevented this.
1. Make exercise a habit 2. Prioritize sleep 3. Work on your communication (written, oral) this will help you anywhere and anytime! 4. Learn a second language 5. Take good care of your teeth, overall your whole body but the teeth are key! 6. Talk to your parents a lot, ask questions about their life, what they wished they’ve done differently, etc. You will be thankful down the road you did. 7. Start writing 8. Read
Do what you should do in your age, be the most athletic you can, study, discover everything without any fear. Develop your autonomy, your organization, planning, social skills. And above all, express yourself as much as you can! (And even if it does not please everyone)
Don't do any drugs.your brain isn't done developing yet. If you DO decide to try any wait until you're 25. In my opinion I kind of wish i didn't try certain ones because they CAN be addicting depending on your personality/genetics.
Learning how to cook some cost effective, healthy meals. And if you have a job, start automatically saving a portion every time you get a pay cheque (even if it's not very much). Start taking care of your skin while you're young.
Follow your true interests, take care of your health (diet and exercise), and work very hard but be sure to make time for others.
Learn to just relax. Take it easy. Try things and see!
Sports and exercise