31 Things I Wish I Knew at 21

51 years of living should mean something, right?

This list is so contrived, but we love lists right? At least I’m not a 31 year old dropping this wisdom, it’s legit, hard fought and hard learned advice below.

1. Being authentic doesn’t mean “just be a jerk.”

2. Your relationship with your job is contractual.

3. Success is made up of multiple parts: Contentment + Stability + Opportunity + Happiness.

4. Wealth isn’t about the things you own, it’s about not needing anything else.

5. Needs are defined by you, advertisements might try to convince you otherwise.

6. Your first ten years of employment are developmental, the next ten are about connections, after that it’s just wrangling for promotions and salary increases.

7. Your first year of self-employment is the same as your first 30 years of employment.

8. Create a budget that pays 10%+ of your income into savings as soon as possible. Never stop.

9. Create a habit that has you getting sweaty for 30 minutes every day as soon as possible. Never stop.

10. Take every piece of advice with a grain of salt, only you know what works for you.

11. Never settle for the first offer.

12. Get 11 hugs a day, chase that number.

13. If anyone tells you, “You’re not a serious person”, thank them!

14. Find time to laugh at yourself.

15. Before laughing at others, seek to understand them first.

16. Turn the thermostat down 1–2 degrees in the winter, and up 1–2 degrees in the summer.

17. Create a positive relationship with sweat and dirt.

18. Never pretend humans aren’t fundamentally stinky, dirty animals with thumbs.

19. Learn to meditate.

20. Keep a journal, write at least 3 times a week. (Try for daily)

21. Everyone else is making it up, you should too.

22. Try it by yourself at least once, then seek help.

23. Even when you succeed, seek help.

24. It’s dangerous to go alone, find a friend.

25. Older doesn’t mean wiser, it just means more experienced. (Sometimes old people don’t learn from experience, so allow yourself to respectfully disagree.)

26. Question everything, find your own truth.

27. Be kind.

28. If you ever think you’ve got it all figured out, change a variable and try again.

29. If you feel hopeless, change a variable and try again.

30. Excessive wealth doesn’t ensure peace or happiness.

31. Bonus: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Anyone seeking more money than they can spend, or more control beyond themselves, should be watched with a wary eye.

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