I want to ask this question for the people 35 or older. Im 24 and turn 25 later this year, and time seems to be flying by faster and faster. It seems like a lot of people dread turning 30 because it makes them feel old, but my question is, if you could go back what advice would you give to your 25 year old self?
1. Appreciate your older loved ones now because they'll gradually disappear.
2. Stop or greatly reduce anything that can affect your health as you get older like smoking, alcohol & drugs.
3. Have some kind of exercise routine even if it's just a daily 20 minute walk.
4. Take time to appreciate the sunrise, sunset, the stars and the sounds out in the middle of nowhere.
5. Take time to think about those already gone.
6. Instead of wasting time filling your head full of information you can easily find on the Internet, spend your time looking for the patterns in life most people don't see– those patterns that allow you to get beyond a $ per hour mindset.
7. Even if working for others look for investment/income opportunities up & beyond.
8. Invest as much as you can in assets that appreciate (stocks/mutual funds/your own business) as opposed to assets that depreciate (automobiles).
9. Pay yourself first– take 10% of your income and invest it religiously.
10. Resist the temptation to spend your paycheck to the last penny.
11. Find a mate who has no destructive life habits like an addiction or the constant need to "Keep up with the Jones's." Looks leave quickly– destructive habits will be there for a lifetime.
Yes, there's a lot of emphasis on financial security here... Why? because so many of life's problems circulate around money or the lack there of. Those with a narrow view see money as a way too "gadgets"... most of which depreciate at an incredible rate. Those with a big view see money as freedom– the freedom to make choices without the pressure of having to decide one way or another due to a shaky financial situation.
