If I only knew then what I know now...

Topher925

"If you only knew then what I know now..."

I've been hearing this statement a lot lately (mostly from old people). I've been thinking about it lately and there's really not too many decisions I wish I didn't make in my past experiences. Yes, there's the obvious stock or investment that I shouldn't have bought in and the occasional girl I should have asked out. However, I'm in my mid 20's and consider myself rather ignorant when it comes to life's lessons.

Anyways, I thought it would make a neat thread to hear what some of you more "experienced" folks on PF would say to younger versions of yourselves given the chance and a time machine. Any special words of wisdom other than "buy low, sell high"?

Charmar

That thing you've been putting off? Do it. Also, that other thing, do that too.

nei14

I have one! "Don't stay up late or else you'll turn into a panda."
It sounds like a joke because it is but I regret staying up really late 'til very early in the morning during my college days. It's of no benefit now that I'm working already.

Pkruse

Here is something that I would have rejected completely in my youth, but find great wisdom in today. ("Youth" is a relative term. For me, it lasts at least until 30, perhaps 40. I can remember Grandma applying it to women in their 60's.)

The most important thing in our lives are our relationships with the people in our lives. Everyone does the best they can with what they have and what they know. So cut them some slack and don't judge them negatively.

And my favorite from Grandma, who taught it to me as a small child: Happiness is a state of mind. So take care of your mind and treat it nicely. Don't fill it with negative garbage. Fill it with good stuff and exercise it often. Don't believe half of what you hear and doubt the other half. Develop your own opinions, and feel free to change them often. Learn to have complete control over over your mind, and it will give you much happiness.

Charmar

Your grandma is smart! Thank you for sharing.

Infinitum

Sell high, buy low?

Stock futures.

cobalt124

Things turned out well for me so I don't have any great regrets about decisions made. However, don't wait (or expect) things to happen. Seize the moment and go for it. Listen and think about what people say to you rather than immediately rejecting it. Pkruses Grandma has it nailed basically. But most of all I really wish I'd listened to what my mother said....

Jimmy Snyder

Don't look back.

Chi Meson

Take care of your teeth!
Seriously. I know some of you do already but, I thought I did too. I just had my 3rd crown worked on yesterday. Brush 2 or 3 times a day; it's worth 1000s of $ in the future.

chiro

Thankfully I've never had to really tell myself this in the past, but if I was meeting a me in a different world-line I would say to treat everyone with the respect that they deserve: don't think you know how to 'fix' or 'know' anyone else, their situation, or their life story in any kind of serious detail.

It's amazing how some of the things that change people, change this most important of values that if lost, really comes back to bite them.

ZapperZ

This is the impetus for my writing of the "So You Want To Be A Physicist" essay. There were a gazillion things that I wish someone would have told me, and I think I could have gone into several things with my eyes wide open, rather than discovering things the hard way as I was doing it. It would have made me a more well-prepared student.

So I would say that that whole essay is what I would have told my younger self.

Zz.

Ivan Seeking

Haha, this is probably going to go over like a lead brick.

Be more selfish. I've spent far too much of my life trying to make a difference and trying to do the right thing, instead of trying to be happy. Luckily I realized the error in my ways while there is still some time left.

Greg Bernhardt

omg, I totally feel you there. As a kid I didn't take care of my teeth and no matter how clean I keep them now they are still falling apart from all the work that had been done before. It's painful and expensive!

Chi Meson

Totally with you there! Some people need the opposite advise, but many people put themselves last. That leads to misery. Don't go all Ayn Rand though; there IS a middle and it is not gray, it's colorful!

leroyjenkens

I had a different brain when I was younger. Even if I told myself something, I wouldn't have listened.
After you floss your teeth, try smelling the string. If that's not enough motivation to keep your teeth clean, I don't know what is.

rolerbe

1. Take more ambition risks (e.g. joining a startup). The downside of failure is never as deep or bad as it seems.

2. Work on bigger problems. Smaller problems are just as much work as bigger problems. They just have smaller rewards.

3. Make yourself happy. Noone else is responsible for your happiness. You are no good to anyone else until you do.

Borek

That's what every crackpot does