I’m 19 and lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how much the decisions you make between roughly 18–25 can shape the rest of your life. There’s obviously a ton of generic advice online: work hard, save money, go to the gym, avoid bad relationships, network, etc. I’m more interested in hearing from men who actually went through this period and can look back at it with some perspective. For those of you who feel like you built a genuinely good life for yourself financially, professionally, socially, mentally, or just in terms of freedom, what did you do differently from most people around you? Were there any habits that seemed insignificant at 19 or 20 but compounded massively over the next 5–10 years? On the other hand, were there things you spent a lot of time worrying about that ultimately didn’t matter? I’m also curious about sacrifices. Did you intentionally give up partying, relationships, gaming, traveling, or other things for a few years to focus on your career/business? If so, was it actually worth it, or do you wish you’d enjoyed those years more? And if you could sit down with your 19-year-old self for 30 minutes, knowing everything you know today, what would you tell him to prioritize and what would you tell him to stop wasting his time on? Would especially appreciate answers from guys in their late 20s, 30s, 40s+ who can look back with some distance. submitted by /u/Gloomy-Associate4226
Originally posted by u/Gloomy-Associate4226 on r/AskMen