I remember turning 20 years old. Bright eyed and bushy tailed I was ready to take the world by storm. I had it all figured out so that my intricate plans would bring me immediate personal and professional success.

The thing is, we make plans and god laughs.

And it isn’t until now, many years later, that I can finally appreciate the humor. Upon reflecting on the good, the bad and the ugly times of my twenties. There are a dozen things I wish I knew sooner. So what would I advise my 20-year-old self?

Spend more time with your family.

It is easy to neglect your family when you’re 20 as you go off and do your own thing. Take a moment everyday to think of those who care for you the most, and remember to call home.

Build good habits when young (because they stay with you for life).

You’ll be surprised how difficult it is to change your habits when you get older, make an effort to build good habits when you’re 20. Keep a healthy lifestyle, work hard, rest well and read often.

Remember you’re only racing against yourself.

Try to remember that all good things take time. When you’re 20 and rushing to move forward in life you’re only racing against yourself. In this kind of race there is no winner only frustrations.

Don’t let your education get in the way of your learning.

Always make time to explore the topics that excite you. Make an effort to learn what you want to learn outside of class, because some of your most important lessons won’t be taught in a lecture hall.

Read 5 books on investing and start investing.

One hour spent reading about investing will be the most money you’ll make in an hour in your lifetime. Start investing when you’re 20 and learn to form your own investment opinions. Don’t blindly follow what other people tell you, no matter who they are.

Find a way to enjoy anything you’re doing.

As nana used to say, in life you need three bones, a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone. Try to have fun in everything you do, no matter how menial the task is. It’ll change your outlook for the better.

Keep a Journal.

You should write everything down. When you look back on what you’ve wrote, you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come and reflect on your thoughts from a different perspective.

Stop spending all your money on nights out. Drink frugally.

Stop drinking away all your money when you’re 20. On average there’s a 300% to 400% price markup on beers and wines, and it only gets worse for cocktails.

Get a coffee with someone you admire once a month.

Make it a habit to get coffee with someone you admire once a month. Learn what you can from their process. Theres also the added benefit of broadening your network.

Learn how to drive

Get your drivers license before you’re 20! The longer you put off doing your drivers test, the less likely you’re going do it! This is speaking from experience!

Get outside your comfort zone.

Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity, take a risk. Travel to the furthest possible place, where the culture and people are different. Embrace the challenge and you’ll surprise yourself along the way.

Keep in contact with old friends

Its inevitable your friends will go off their separate ways. Try to keep in good contact with friends you care about, reach out to them every so often and touch base.

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