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Those 40 and happy with life, what's your advice to people in their 20s?

3 points by khushjammu 6y ago

jki275 6y ago
Get an engineering degree. Save money. Never take it out until you're ready to retire.
khushjammu 6y ago
I found this on Reddit earlier today. It's interesting to see how the passage of time affects your priorities: I'd wager none of my friends (we're all students) would think of the things mentioned. One I found really interesting was the idea of not synthesising life into a single narrative: Don't fall for the trap that your life needs to be one long narrative that you should be building. Life is best when it's a bunch of happy moments that just happen to be connected. Don't try to make your life into a novel, make it a book of poems.
MilnerRoute 6y ago
I always tell people that if you can invest in a retirement account in your 20s, you'll have 50 years for it to increase in value. (And now with the stock market down, you could even start off with a big bounce in the next recovery...) You can also withdraw from these retirement accounts early for first-home purchases and medical emergencies. And some employers will even match your contributions, which one financial advisor described to me as "free money."
- khushjammu 6y ago
  Retirement savings seem pretty complicated in the States (Roth IRA, 401k etc)
davismwfl 6y ago
I read that thread too. Being in my mid 40's I agree with most of what was said. Some of the life lessons I have shared my kids, including my 22 year old. 1. Listen to people to hear them not just to respond. You will develop better connections with people and have greater respect & understanding for people this way and they for you. 2. Pay more attention to what people's actions are and less to what they tell you. This applies heavily to social media. What people post is what they want you to perceive, not necessarily what is reality. 3. You have to be your own, humble, cheerleader. Celebrate your wins, and don't be too hard yourself when you fail, failure is just an opportunity to learn a new lesson. 4. Expect that people will do what is in their own best interest until you see otherwise. It is human nature and you shouldn't be upset with someone for it. This one thing has kept me from being disappointed and upset with so many people because when you expect it you aren't hurt by it. Doesn't make me dislike anyone more, it lets me accept them as human.
- khushjammu 6y ago
  Thank you for sharing!

3 points by khushjammu 6y ago

Get an engineering degree. Save money. Never take it out until you're ready to retire.

I found this on Reddit earlier today. It's interesting to see how the passage of time affects your priorities: I'd wager none of my friends (we're all students) would think of the things mentioned. One I found really interesting was the idea of not synthesising life into a single narrative: Don't fall for the trap that your life needs to be one long narrative that you should be building. Life is best when it's a bunch of happy moments that just happen to be connected. Don't try to make your life into a novel, make it a book of poems.

MilnerRoute 6y ago

I always tell people that if you can invest in a retirement account in your 20s, you'll have 50 years for it to increase in value. (And now with the stock market down, you could even start off with a big bounce in the next recovery...) You can also withdraw from these retirement accounts early for first-home purchases and medical emergencies. And some employers will even match your contributions, which one financial advisor described to me as "free money."

khushjammu 6y ago
Retirement savings seem pretty complicated in the States (Roth IRA, 401k etc)

davismwfl 6y ago

I read that thread too. Being in my mid 40's I agree with most of what was said. Some of the life lessons I have shared my kids, including my 22 year old. 1. Listen to people to hear them not just to respond. You will develop better connections with people and have greater respect & understanding for people this way and they for you. 2. Pay more attention to what people's actions are and less to what they tell you. This applies heavily to social media. What people post is what they want you to perceive, not necessarily what is reality. 3. You have to be your own, humble, cheerleader. Celebrate your wins, and don't be too hard yourself when you fail, failure is just an opportunity to learn a new lesson. 4. Expect that people will do what is in their own best interest until you see otherwise. It is human nature and you shouldn't be upset with someone for it. This one thing has kept me from being disappointed and upset with so many people because when you expect it you aren't hurt by it. Doesn't make me dislike anyone more, it lets me accept them as human.

khushjammu 6y ago
Thank you for sharing!