comments
Your Take: What Would You Tell Yourself 10 Years Ago?
Email
 Print
|
Hindsight is 20/20, we all know that, but imagine if you not only had hindsight but also a time machine. What fun that would be! If you could go back in time ten, twenty, thirty years… what would you tell your earlier self?
I would tell myself that it takes hard work, talent, and a little bit of luck to find success in this world, emphasis on hard work. When I was 18, I had a pretty high opinion of myself. I did well in high school, I got into the college I was aiming for and go into the program I wanted to. I went to college, had to adjust to my newfound freedom, and was immediately floored by the genius that surrounded me (it was Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, I was routinely the least intelligent person in the room and I’m not being humble in the least). After all was said and done, I survived the experience pretty much intact.
When I entered college, I thought I could out-smart and out-think everyone. When I left, I knew that I couldn’t out-smart or out-think people, I had to out-work them. If I only had known that from the beginning, I probably would’ve graduated with a few more A’s and B’s. 
If you had a time machine, would you tell yourself ten years ago? Don’t feel like you have to stick to personal finance tips, it’s Friday Funday, so feel free to write whatever you want!
(Photo: jhoweaa)
{ 57 comments, please add your thoughts now! }
Related Posts
 By Jim |
 Stumble It! Bookmark reddit.comTags: College Jul 10, 2009 | Read more in Your Take |
Like this article? Get all the latest articles sent to your email for free every day. Enter your email address and click "Subscribe." Your email will only be used for this daily subscription and you can unsubscribe anytime.
I’m thankful that I could tell myself that you’re on track to accomplish your goals in your 20s.
Of course I would be a teenager and look at my older self and tell him what a dork he’s become.
I’d also say don’t listen your college advisor, and go find the sheconomist because you’re going to marry here and might as well meet her now since you live in the same town.
I would tell myself ten years ago:
Hang in there… you’re getting a bit discouraged, but it WILL definitely be worth it. Keep giving it 100% and, above all, keep a positive attitude and enjoy what you are doing. The reward IS getting closer!
I’d say…
Rams by 7
Ravens by 27
Pats by 3
Bucs by 27
Pats by 3
Pats by 3
Steelers by 11
Colts by 12
Giants by 3
Steelers by 4
…and save at least 20% the winnings along with your other income for the future.
Ha!
I would tell myself to take everything you have and short the Nasdaq on March 10, 2000….
Dylan,
You basically took the words out of my mouth
I would just Add for myself, enjoy your 20′s you have the rest of your life to work, and raise kids.
it will be okay. you WILL make it.
Save more of the money you and your wife will make when you both have jobs and use it to travel as much as possible. Once the kids come and you’re down to one income, you’ll thank me. Oh, and don’t put so much money into the house. You’ll be there fewer than 5 years and won’t even be able to list it for as much as you’re going to pay for it.
Much as I tried to stay away from money, there it is.
You are going to be able to accomplish your professional goals in the next 10 years, so relax.
You are marrying the right person.
Spend as much time with your family as you can, cause 3/4 of them won’t be around in 10 years.
I would tell myself 5 numbers (plus a powerball number) and a date.
Probably just a list of ticker symbols.
Oh, and don’t see the Transformers movies. Those were awful.
I agree with the point about work in college. My teachers in high school always told me it was hard work that would get the good grades instead of intelligence, alone.
Ten years ago I was 41 years old struggling with Retinitis Pigmentosa and worrying what the future would bring. I would tell myself 10 years ago that it is ok to cry about it instead of trying to be strong and not to worry, you will figured it all out in time.
1) You do NOT need a new car every 2-3 years. 2) Put more money into your 401(k)/403(b). 3) Get rid of your credit cards. 4) Live below your means, always. 5) Stop buying stupid crap.
I wish I would have told myself to start doing more entrepreneurial type things in college when I had tons of free time. I worked extremely hard and studied my butt off, but I never did anything outside of what was expected of me in my classes. It would have given me a chance to try different things before I started a full-time job.
You know that girl? She’s not the one. Turn around, walk away. Better yet, run.
“it was Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, I was routinely the least intelligent person in the room and I’m not being humble in the least”
OMG! I went from being top of my math and science classes in a little snotty private high school to feeling like a total clueless idiot as a comp sci major at Case Western Reserve. I so totally understand what you’re saying
1. Break up with your current girlfriend NOW. She’s a terrible influence.
2. Don’t accept the highest salary job offer out of college. It’s not your talent and FAR from your passion.
3. Work smarter, not just harder. Put more effort into building more relationships rather than mastering your tasks.
Ten years ago I was 17. I would tell myself:
Go get a job.
College is nothing like high school
Keep doing it and you might get carpal tunnel syndrome
Most importantly, the best-laid plans often go astray. At 17 my main goal in life was to get as far away from my dad as possible – I wanted this at any cost. The next year my dad died and suddenly all my plans were no longer applicable. Always have a contingency plan.
1) Going away to college will be hard but worth it. But if you do it, embrace it from the beginning – don’t spend the first year feeling guilty for leaving home.
2) Senior year of college will be terrifying. Enjoy it anyway.
3) Business travel is an opportunity to save/make money, not spend it. That $4,000 you will get for travel in fall of 07 can be put to much better use than shopping and eating out.
4) If a career feels wrong, it probably is. Have the courage to do what you love.
1. Throw out the credit cards
2. Spend more time with the kids (4 & 6 at that time)
3. Spend less money because a lot of the “stuff” you buy you don’t need.
4. Save more money.
5. Take more trips with hubby & kids.
I would tell myself to study a little bit harder, always take an internship in the summer and/or during the school year, and to take a double major. I would proably also tell myself to spend a little less money on clothing, but that’s a lesson I still haven’t learned!
I’d tell myself that, yeah, it’s important to do what you love, but it’s also important to make a decent salary, especially if you’re going to have a family. Then I’d say, “Don’t get an English degree. Don’t get a teaching degree. Find something you like to do that makes money.”
Totally agree!!
A+ and MCSE Certifications are more important than the Computer Science degree. Get them now. Don’t buy all the DVDs and CDs. Nobody needs 500 DVDs and 1000 CDs and you will just put most all of them on eBay for pennies of what you spend. Buy the Projector from Daryl when you can. Get the approval for the VPN “in writing” from Brad before taking the promotion.
A+ and MCSE are garbage, where did you hear this crap?
Keep on doing what you are doing, by 30 you will have met and exceeded the goals you have set for yourself. Also, spend more time with your father in law, his time is limited. Follow your head, continue writing goals as you will see it works. Take at least two weeks off when kids are born.
Wow, this can get wild…
Save more, spend less.
Do the best you can, then relax.
DO more, worry less (it doesn’t help anyway).
The best things in life really are free.
Be thankful for the things you did right, and even more thankful for the things you DIDN’T do wrong.
Follow your instincts, pursue your passions.
How much time do we get for this question?
Study abroad! It’s the only time in your life that you can go and see the world and stay in student funding housing!
Your college friends, classes, and parties will all be there when you get back!
leave your husband and start a band.
You are the average of your five closest friends. So choose your friends wisely.
I love these questions…. I would tell myself to not feel guilty about having taken time to travel before university – that in fact I could even have packed more traveling in there – and then I’d make sure to get even more involved in other activities, networking while in college. Also, I would have told myself to invest more aggressively when I did. I had the perfect idea, but I was just too cautious. Also, to save much more – I had three jobs at one point, it’s a shame I saved none of it!
You’re only FREAKIN’ 20 dude. You have a LOT of life to live…leave that girl before you get hurt in a year. Go out west for a few years and live life! Do exactly like your grandparents preached EVERY time you saw them – save some money out of every paycheck – you’ll wish you had later. SAVE FOR A DOWN PAYMENT ON A HOUSE…and for God’s sake, that girl in the darkroom in photography class in college…DO IT!
Keep putting money into retirement savings.
Yes, buying eBay at the IPO *is* the great idea you think it is so go ahead and do it.
Don’t forget to call your grandparents.
Don’t worry about the time with your friends that you may miss by going to spend a summer with the grandparents, it will be a wonderful experience that you will remember forever. And don’t worry about the guy while you’re there – it doesn’t work out anyway
Oh, and get better grades so that when you apply to grad school it’s not as scary!
Don’t invest for the next 10 years, you’ll be able to get stocks for the same price or less in March 2009.
Agreed!
Plan more fun and “mini retirements” into life instead of focusing solely on saving for retirement. Life should be fun throughout it all, not just at one point.
Hustler–Looks like someone’s read The Four Hour Workweek. (Strong plug!)
But I fully agree, we have to enjoy life as we go, not just at some designated point in the future when all will (hopefully) be right in our world.
I was 12, almost 13, moving from a house “in town” to out in the sticks…
1) Keep up your “by-kids-for-kids” newspaper, the Kids’ Gazette. It’s one of the more interesting things you’ve done as a kid, and will be an interesting talking point when you get older. It might be harder now that you’re not living in town, but do it anyway.
2) Save the money you make from the Kids’ Gazette in your bank account. When you have enough, buy a video camera.
3) Take your video camera and make movies – a ton of them. Script them out and make them. Watch old movies. Learn whether or not you really want to be a filmmaker before you get $42,000 in student loans trying to go to film school.
4) Join drama club much earlier than the 11th grade. You want to be a stage manager. Trust me on this.
5) Do your homework. Yeah, I know telling you this won’t make a difference, but I’m saying it anyway. There’s a billion reasons to do it and none not to.
1) Save more money.
2) Have more sex.
Ten years ago I was 20…
1. Not having health insurance will cause you financial ruin, even if you are young.
2. Find a way to finish college.
3. Buy a house in the Bay Area if you can and sell before 2007.
4. Travel. Dont wait until you “paid your dues”. (Having to go on permanent disability taught me that, now that molehill feels like a mountain)
I’d tell myself to mail a “stop having a high opinion of yourself” letter to the 18 year-old Jim Wang in east coast.. then challenge him to a death match. *cue star trek death match music*
I really dig your site Cap. You should post more.
Hi
I would say concentrate on the best career path rather than the most amount of money that you can earn immediately.
Oh and keep in contact with your friends.
We should reverse this a bit now, and based on what we would have told oursevles 10 years ago, try to project and think about what we should be doing NOW for the life we want to have 10 years into the future!
I’m an “old fart”. So, I’d want to go back 50 years. I’d tell myself: “Think very very carefully about the choices you make. Write down what you want when you’re my current age. (Hint: You didn’t get it because of those choices.) And, remember that in the future, the “Shouldas, wouldas, and couldas” will really annoy the ever loving out of you. Looking back you’ll say SWC!”
Success for the current generation IMHO is: (1) ruthless financial discipline — no bad debt; (2) a life long interest in learning — education — a degree — they can’t take it away from you; (3) a white collar job in order to save big bux; (4) a blue collar skill for hard times — never saw a poor plumber; (5) one or more internet based businesses — your store is always open; (6) a free time hobby that generates income; and (7) a large will-maintained network of people who can “help” you.
Hope it helps someone avoid these darned “Shouldas, wouldas, and couldas”! (Think the demons that come collect souls in the movie “Ghost”.)
Start reading personal finance blogs sooner.
Never do what the person next to you is doing… ever!
I would have warned myself about my ex-wife’s intentions and taken measures to protect myself.
Stash every dime you can in Vanguard and Fidelity funds. In May 2008, SELL!
Get long and sell out in Jan and Feb of 2000.
Then buy puts.
Learn and have fun!
Decide to stop being shy now instead of waiting till college.
Learn to overcome procrastination before you get out of college. Read ‘The Now Habit’.
Your future wife is awesome!
Invest in Gold.
Try new things.
Learn as much as you can from your dad in construction.
Respect your parents, they are awesome.
Don’t vote for George Bush.
Find out who Ron Paul is.
Look before you pull out in front of that elderly lady.
Go fishing more.
Go to Africa it is awesome!
Save money for school. You will return to university at 41 and get that nursing degree you always wanted.
Don’t EVER take your health for granted. In 5 years (age 40) you will be told you have MS, but it’s not as bad as you think and you really don’t need to waste all those days crying about it.
Exercise and nutrition really are important.
“If in doubt, throw it out.” This wisdom can apply to dubious fridge finds, out-of-style clothes, ill-fitting jobs and spirit-draining relationships.
You are strong and beautiful.
This post is like a kick in the butt for me to start working harder!
I’m not really one to post on blogs but since this is cathartic…
1. Take college seriously and graduate on time
2. stop smoking pot
3. Going to china, taking that wall street job, and dumping stocks in feb 2008 were good though risky decisions but you need to think about grad school MUCH SOONER. Playing catchup SUCKS.
4. Dont go into Structured Finance stay in muni debt
5. Dont get so drunk when you drink, it’s more trouble than it’s worth
And finally:
6. Save more money…How trite, I know
I would tell myself, to listen to my gut and not purchase that million dollar plot of land to develop in March of 2006. Trust the fundamentals, not emotion.
oops, whada ya gonna do?