You just turned 20 again. Where do you start for the best future?
October 10, 2025
If you just turned 20, What would you have done differently to better your future and health?
24 comments
Should’ve saved more money and made some investments. Otherwise I wouldn’t change much.
Learn a well paid trade move to an affordable city learn to drive early
Realise that everything compounds, both good and bad.
I’m 34 next week, and if I’d put £10 aside every week since I was 24, I’d have £5200 as an emergency safety net, and that’s *before* a decade’s worth of interest. Imagine if I’d done more.
1-2 hours daily focused on my craft would’ve yielded incredible results long-term.
Now I’m scrambling to fix and undo.
If I could start over at 20, I’d spend less time chasing money and more time chasing discipline. Everything else builds on that.
– Pay more attention to my eating habits, activity levels, and general health. Especially as you get older and responsibilities start piling on and tragedies happen and it becomes really easy to let go of the rope. You have to hold on.
– Don’t count on always being able to recover from losses easily, yes you will be able to but they start accumulating and slow you down. Basically still take risks but be a little more cautious.
– Don’t automatically discount something because everyone is doing it, yes most people are dumb and are doing dumb things, but sometimes they are right too.
– Don’t let your social circle fall off, friendships peak early 20s and it’s basically downhill from there rest of your life, it takes deliberate and concerted effort to keep them going.
Learnt emotional intelligence, I wasn’t bad or malicious in anyway, but my lack of emotional intelligence and awareness caused relationship issues which could have been easily fixed. Learning the stuff has been like a cheat code, and I seem a much calmer and better person.
80% Focus, 20% Fun. Aim it up to 90-10 at 23 and. go. hard. Just get the basics right and make time to enjoy the rest. For example: fitness, family, finances. At the end of life, it’s just YOU. So don’t have regret. Establish the habits and mentorships you need to get to the next level, before the crushing weight of responsibilities and random pains catch up to you.
Never lent my dad any money.
Some things, with today’s knowledge:
– go abroad for some time. Job, holiday, internship, whatever. A winter season in the Alps as instructor should be included. Now at 34 I regret not doing so and still think about just getting the certifications and just go for some weeks.
– learn and act better on red flags. Especially in the work environment. Fuck that manager that is screwing you.
Finish. The. College.
It doesn’t matter I thought I chose a wrong field back then. I should have finished the degree, nowadays I’d have completely different and safe career. But back then I thought I wouldn’t have fun working the career I chose when I was 19. It turns out I don’t have fun working my current job anyways, I could – at least – be less sick and survived covid inside instead of working outside the entire time.
My heart is already broken. I won’t fall in love again. I can concentrate on studying, and I don’t need to be pampered by her friend.
My career and my private life are entirely different without doing anything.
1. I would consult people to get their opinions on what career would thrive in next 15-25 years and change my study path if necessary.
2. I would be much more picky when it comes to choosing life partner.
3. I would cut on snacks and processed food
Invest, Exercise and make some memories.
I would read this book : ” Unscripted,” by MJ DeMarco to understand how money works . This book : ” Conversations with God” by Neal Donald Walsch to understand God and Science . Other than this…. I wouldn’t change anything because I have a wonderful teen , a wonderful partner , a wonderful ex-wife…. and probably I am also in their eyes 😁.
buy bitcoin
Knowing what I know so far, I would stay single, I would try to make many friends at university to have more contacts, I would try to start a business sooner and I would take care of my health to get in shape sooner.
First I’d see if there was anything with a girl I briefly talked with a couple of times. She was the first to talk to me both times and seemed like we had something in common.
If there was something, I’d have moved closer to her as we lived way too far away for anything serious and I also would have had other opportunities for dating and work either way. I’d have just picked a different city if there was nothing.
The third thing I’d have done is not to slack on exercise and taken health more seriously in general.
I’d have also probably done what anyone else would. I’d have written down the euro jackpot numbers and lived easy life without a worry about money. Given that in this scenario I retain all of my current knowledge in the past
Depends where you are.
If I’d been in the UK at 20, I’d do what I’m doing now but 6 years earlier which is marine engineering.
If I’d made all the same choices but 6 years earlier, I’d have been on £65k tax-free pa with 6 months off a year by 26.
Am I going back to the year I was 20 as well? If yes, then I would buy Bitcoin.
* Only do drugs and alcool on weekends (coffee and weed are the only allowed everyday)
* Stop dating many girls for a few days, date only the best ones and stay with each for about a year
* Quit DJing completely; buy only the finest records to listen to
* Focus on music production, Don’t buy any gears, just use your computer
* Enroll in a computer engineering school
* Play more video games, mainly StarCraft and FPS
* Grow weed seriously, invest real time and money into it
* Stop taking advice from phpBB forums (the early predecessors of Reddit)
* Practice running and\or swimming at least twice a week
Wouldn’t change shit.
Army infantry then rangers.
Less time chasing money, worrying so much of how other people perceived me, stop going out of my way for those who don’t value my friendship, and just be happier.
Go into the military and just suck it up for 20 years. Get a degree or two while I’m there.
24 comments
Should’ve saved more money and made some investments. Otherwise I wouldn’t change much.
Learn a well paid trade move to an affordable city learn to drive early
Realise that everything compounds, both good and bad.
I’m 34 next week, and if I’d put £10 aside every week since I was 24, I’d have £5200 as an emergency safety net, and that’s *before* a decade’s worth of interest. Imagine if I’d done more.
1-2 hours daily focused on my craft would’ve yielded incredible results long-term.
Now I’m scrambling to fix and undo.
If I could start over at 20, I’d spend less time chasing money and more time chasing discipline. Everything else builds on that.
– Pay more attention to my eating habits, activity levels, and general health. Especially as you get older and responsibilities start piling on and tragedies happen and it becomes really easy to let go of the rope. You have to hold on.
– Don’t count on always being able to recover from losses easily, yes you will be able to but they start accumulating and slow you down. Basically still take risks but be a little more cautious.
– Don’t automatically discount something because everyone is doing it, yes most people are dumb and are doing dumb things, but sometimes they are right too.
– Don’t let your social circle fall off, friendships peak early 20s and it’s basically downhill from there rest of your life, it takes deliberate and concerted effort to keep them going.
Learnt emotional intelligence, I wasn’t bad or malicious in anyway, but my lack of emotional intelligence and awareness caused relationship issues which could have been easily fixed. Learning the stuff has been like a cheat code, and I seem a much calmer and better person.
80% Focus, 20% Fun. Aim it up to 90-10 at 23 and. go. hard. Just get the basics right and make time to enjoy the rest. For example: fitness, family, finances. At the end of life, it’s just YOU. So don’t have regret. Establish the habits and mentorships you need to get to the next level, before the crushing weight of responsibilities and random pains catch up to you.
Never lent my dad any money.
Some things, with today’s knowledge:
– go abroad for some time. Job, holiday, internship, whatever. A winter season in the Alps as instructor should be included. Now at 34 I regret not doing so and still think about just getting the certifications and just go for some weeks.
– learn and act better on red flags. Especially in the work environment. Fuck that manager that is screwing you.
Finish. The. College.
It doesn’t matter I thought I chose a wrong field back then. I should have finished the degree, nowadays I’d have completely different and safe career. But back then I thought I wouldn’t have fun working the career I chose when I was 19. It turns out I don’t have fun working my current job anyways, I could – at least – be less sick and survived covid inside instead of working outside the entire time.
My heart is already broken. I won’t fall in love again. I can concentrate on studying, and I don’t need to be pampered by her friend.
My career and my private life are entirely different without doing anything.
1. I would consult people to get their opinions on what career would thrive in next 15-25 years and change my study path if necessary.
2. I would be much more picky when it comes to choosing life partner.
3. I would cut on snacks and processed food
Invest, Exercise and make some memories.
I would read this book : ” Unscripted,” by MJ DeMarco to understand how money works . This book : ” Conversations with God” by Neal Donald Walsch to understand God and Science . Other than this…. I wouldn’t change anything because I have a wonderful teen , a wonderful partner , a wonderful ex-wife…. and probably I am also in their eyes 😁.
buy bitcoin
Knowing what I know so far, I would stay single, I would try to make many friends at university to have more contacts, I would try to start a business sooner and I would take care of my health to get in shape sooner.
First I’d see if there was anything with a girl I briefly talked with a couple of times. She was the first to talk to me both times and seemed like we had something in common.
If there was something, I’d have moved closer to her as we lived way too far away for anything serious and I also would have had other opportunities for dating and work either way. I’d have just picked a different city if there was nothing.
The third thing I’d have done is not to slack on exercise and taken health more seriously in general.
I’d have also probably done what anyone else would. I’d have written down the euro jackpot numbers and lived easy life without a worry about money. Given that in this scenario I retain all of my current knowledge in the past
Depends where you are.
If I’d been in the UK at 20, I’d do what I’m doing now but 6 years earlier which is marine engineering.
If I’d made all the same choices but 6 years earlier, I’d have been on £65k tax-free pa with 6 months off a year by 26.
Am I going back to the year I was 20 as well? If yes, then I would buy Bitcoin.
* Only do drugs and alcool on weekends (coffee and weed are the only allowed everyday)
* Stop dating many girls for a few days, date only the best ones and stay with each for about a year
* Quit DJing completely; buy only the finest records to listen to
* Focus on music production, Don’t buy any gears, just use your computer
* Enroll in a computer engineering school
* Play more video games, mainly StarCraft and FPS
* Grow weed seriously, invest real time and money into it
* Stop taking advice from phpBB forums (the early predecessors of Reddit)
* Practice running and\or swimming at least twice a week
Wouldn’t change shit.
Army infantry then rangers.
Less time chasing money, worrying so much of how other people perceived me, stop going out of my way for those who don’t value my friendship, and just be happier.
Go into the military and just suck it up for 20 years. Get a degree or two while I’m there.