Ask HN: What do you wish you knew when you were 25? - ratsimihah
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mililani
Whenever I hear about young people asking for advice, it invariably turns into
a conversation about regret, etc... And, in hindsight, yes, I wish there were
LOTS of things I knew when I was 25. However, I wouldn't have learned any of
those things unless I went through the process. At nearly 40 y.o. and back in
school, I shoulda, coulda, woulda many times over. But, I also have, done, and
did lots of things that I also regretted or turned out to be disappointments.
I followed my childhood dreams, in fact, and that turned out to be a
nightmare. I also saw this happen to a few friends who pined to work in the
video game industry since their youth only to be so severely burnt out several
years later to vow off programming forever.

So, all I can at this point it, you won't know what you want to know until you
go through those experiences. And, stop listening to everyone else. We're all
different and have different values and beliefs. What works for me probably
won't work for you. I can say follow your passion, and that may just
completely backfire like it did me. I can say save all of your money and be
frugal, look at what's happening to most Americans! But, you could end up with
cancer and die in your 30's without having truly lived. I guess what I'm
saying is, 15 years from now, when you look back at your life, and you think,
"Man, I shoulda, coulda, woulda..." Realize, your decisions are half chanced.
Just like everybody else's...

~~~
cafard
One must give advice understanding that it will probably not be heard as told,
and may be ignored without or after consideration. But still we seek and give
advice.

I wish that I knew: that computers are fascinating to work with; that I could
make a living at it; that, well, lots of things.

------
vfulco
loyalty to a corporation or even an smaller LP doesn't count for anything.
always ruthlessly cultivate your career, growth & salary potential. And always
be looking for a better environment. The "organization" will take everything
from you it can to your personal & health detriment.

~~~
aryastark
In a similar vein, HR is not your friend. Never trust what they say.
Especially when they have you sign things.

~~~
benawabe896
This is extremely important to know for many reasons. For emphasis... HR is
not your friend! Their loyalty is to the company, and that is all.

------
ctdonath
How to buy stocks. Didn't buy just-issued Microsoft stock because the
mysterious "how" was just daunting enough. (You had to actually go to a brick-
and-mortar broker office; no such thing as "online trading".)

~~~
ratsimihah
Good one, thanks!

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mxxx
"yes, you _should_ throw a few grand into bitcoin..."

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ScottWhigham
Not a whole lot, actually. I think by 25 most of the "core" of me was
developed. The things after 24/25 came as a result of the experiences I had.
That can't be taught. For example, I could tell you 1,000,000 things on how to
be a father and you could totally buy into it. None of that is a substitute
for learning how to deal with a brooding 8yo prodigy though. It might help,
but it isn't a substitute for how that specific kid reacts to anything.

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strick
Save 25 times your annual spending, invest it in index funds, and you are
financially independent. Spend the rest of your life working on whatever you
think is important.

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wikwocket
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Or, alternatively, if something looks too good to be true, one should ask
oneself two questions: "What's the worst case scenario if I go for it?" and
"What's the worst case scenario if I _don 't_ go for it?"

~~~
codeonfire
Well, that's how most scams work. The person fails to foresee the worst that
can happen until it's too late.

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jamram82
Interesting read - [http://hbs1963.com/](http://hbs1963.com/)

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hkarthik
I wish I had lived in an urban area like SF, Chicago, or NY at 25 and then
settled down in the suburbs a few years later. Instead, I've spent almost my
entire career in the burbs or burb-like centers.

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bcheung
I would have told myself to stop trying to figure out how other people become
successful and trust yourself more. What works for others might not work for
me.

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cprncus
When in doubt, don't park there. (Even for a second)

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jacobquick
It's not nighttime panic attacks, it's severe sleep apnea. Get to an ENT
specialist and save yourself 12 years of hell.

~~~
Maven911
wow really !! i wake up in the middle of night several times, especially when
I'm under stress, is that what you had ??

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heathlilley
I wish I knew how much I didn't know. Self-awareness for the win.

~~~
ratsimihah
Thanks. I feel like there should be an app for knowledge discovery.

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NAFV_P
A programming language.

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davidsmith8900
\- I wish I knew about
[https://news.ycombinator.com](https://news.ycombinator.com) and startups.
Back then I knew you could build your own company but not like this. Most
importantly, I wish I knew about how life is made up of your choices and how
you can control how your life turns out.

~~~
ratsimihah
It's never too late, is it?

