DISQUS

remodelingthislife · 1 year ago

What an excellent post! A great way to start my day!

Thanks :)

Hunter Nuttall · 1 year ago

Very good advice, and most of it is not too late regardless of your age!

deepali · 1 year ago

It's never too late! You can still glean useful skills from this, regardless of age... and you can always teach the next generation. Great post.

SavingDiva · 1 year ago

I love this post!

I really like #10. I need to remember that I will have a memory forever, but a new pair of shoes will wear out in a few years.

BeThisWay · 1 year ago

Some lessons you're never too old to learn.

I have to admit that when I first read #3, I thought you were telling people to skip college. I figured it out, though. ;)

Asithi @ Small Steps to Health · 1 year ago

I have journaled since I was 12 years old. I have all these journals in the closet. It truly is amazing to read about my 14 year old self and 23 year old self sometimes. I automatically transport myself back to whatever drama I had in my life when I was younger. And other times it just makes me laugh out loud about how foolish I was and how hurt I get over the stupidest thing.

Mrs Pillars · 1 year ago

I really enjoyed this post. I'm a big believer in #12. Pregnancy is messing me up just now, but I look forward to getting my routine back in a few months, or maybe next year.

ed · 1 year ago

It's nigh impossible to get some of these lessons across to arrogant kids bent on doing their own thing. While I was in full on debt accumulation mode I had coworkers tell me about the dangers of credit cards and spending beyond your means.

I think the issue is some stupid kids (like myself back in the day) aren't told these things, but just don't listen.

But it's always good to get the information out there. I especially found points 4 and 7 useful. That's all you need, really. Some smarts and a body that isn't made of jello pudding pops and grape soda. The rest will fall into place after that.

SJean · 1 year ago

Love this post. Thanks!

ms. m&p · 1 year ago

This is a great list and just what I needed to hear today. It's like you were reading my mind on some of these. Taking more risks, watching less TV, and getting on a real sleeping pattern are all things I've been trying to do lately. And this seriously inspired me to start a spreadsheet journal. I'm always overwhelmed by journaling, but I can do a spreadsheet. So thanks and great post!!

Steve (Brip Blap) · 1 year ago

Thanks everyone - I'm glad this post has been useful! ed has a good point - it's not always easy getting young people to listen to all of the advice from older people. The best thing is to throw as much helpful advice at them as you can and hope little bits and pieces stick. Some of the advice I got young stuck (financial discipline, for example), and some didn't (staying healthy - I got really, really bad before I got better). But I'm glad people gave me the advice!

Patrick · 1 year ago

I love the Tecmo Bowl reference - not because I liked the game, but because I have so many similar experiences, especially from my time in the USAF. I feel the same way; it's not things that make the experience worthwhile, but who you share the experiences with. Great article.

sfordinarygirl · 1 year ago

Your article was spot on! I hate my parents but I don't want to spend my free time and energy ranting and raving about their mistakes. I have too much to conquer and I'm going to be selfish for once.

I'm going to move out of SF in the next few years. Not quite on a whim move but getting out of my comfort zone of being in a place I've known my entire life is a risk I want to take.

I like spending money on experiences. I went to Vegas for a trade show/conference, Nashville to see my friend, Portland to visit more friends and Austin for SXSW as a freelance writer. I wouldn't trade any of those experiences for anything in the world. And one of my even crazier ideas is to see all of my friends this year before I settle down and move on to my next job.

Money is important as is learning and advancing in one's career. But the friends I'm going to visit have let me crash on their couches, took me out to eat when I came to visit, picked me up at the airport and so much more. I couldn't ask for better.

Edyta · 1 year ago

This is a wonderful post! These are things that are just sort of in open air all the time. It's great how you put the spotlight on them here with some explanation. I just sent this to my 17 year old sister telling her to pass it on to her friends. I really hope she does!

Living Off Dividends · 1 year ago

if this were a religion I'd sign up right now!

JJ · 1 year ago

Great post. I finally started a journal on word that I've been meaning to start a long time ago (well, I'm 17 so I guess its not that long) but I finally started it.

I've come to many of the same conclusions that you have but its really good that you actually wrote this out on the internet. I found it through stumble upon.

Great work

hereverycentcounts · 1 year ago

I agree with most of these. I don't think Sitcoms are a total waste, but you should limit your viewing. Law and Order just takes me and grabs me by the ears sometimes and I watch for hours on end. Now that's wasting a life.

Steve (Brip Blap) · 1 year ago

@HECC: Of course sitcoms aren't a total waste. I'd be lying if I said I never watch any. Recently I've noticed that Comedy Central is playing Futurama, which I didn't see when it was actually on - I love that and have to force myself not to watch it. It's fun, it cheers me up.

But you're exactly right - moderation in all things!

Megan · 1 year ago

Great article. My kids at a very young age have started to have an entreprenerial mindset. I work by own online business. I share my experiences my strategies with the family. They surprise me sometimes with there responses. Never to young to start taking information on business and wealth. Enjoyed your blog it was fun and educational. I will definately be returning

Megan
http://www.PassportMentors.com

steve · 1 year ago

Jee-eez. Preach much?

Steve, you clearly have a handle on dispensing advice. Good advice at that; cleverly written to boot. But do you think it's necessary to lay out behaviors most people wish they would have taken on in their lives? The most insightful, introspective and poignant moments in my life come right after I've realized I've made a mistake. Right after I quit smoking. Right after I lost a close friend via "hating." Right after I did something stupid with my car.

The above 13 traits of life-improving behaviors cannot be learned from reading a succinctly written article like this. They must be conditioned in by mistakes. Preface this entry with something like "Rule 1: Err. If you don't want to err or are too afraid of the fallout thereof, then stick to the following 13 points. They should get you through life pretty safely."

Steve (Brip Blap) · 1 year ago

@Steve (the commenter - not myself): It is a little preachy, and I certainly wouldn't expect someone to make a huge amount of life changes based solely on my blog. It's really intended just to get the thought process started. And I will point out it's "too late advice" - meaning it is stuff I would expect people (including myself) - to find out too late, after they missed it the first time.

That's probably why the tone is a little preachy - it's a retrospective list!

Shawn@MoneyBrick · 1 year ago

Thanks so much for this post! It's an amazing list and one that everyone should follow. I'm sure people might have more than 13 pieces of advice for their own lives, but I'm sure you covered the absolute basics here.

I especially liked #6, although I must disagree a little. If you spend your time watching channels such as Discovery, National Geographic Channel and other such educational TV, I'm sure you're not wasting time at all. It's the pointless TV programs meant purely for entertainment that zombieize people and lead to meltdown of consciousness. I totally agree, however, that watching a movie is so much greater than watching anything on TV (aside from mentioned channels...). The whole story starts and is over in two hours, and you feel a sense of satisfaction knowing the whole story. Sitcoms, however, just keep you dangling there. I'm proud to say I haven't watched a sitcom in more than ten years. Honestly!

No Debt Plan · 1 year ago

Fantastic list. Not too late for some of us! (Came across this from FMF's March Madness.)

zane edwards · 1 year ago

this is for you now that you're young. Especially point 12 and 4. luv ya.

kentuckyliz · 1 year ago

The experiences vs. stuff thing is really a personal decision and neither necessarily affects the bottom line differently than the other. Some people like stuff better than experiences because it isn't so ephemeral. Sometimes experiences and stuff go together. I have a lot of great rowing experiences but it necessitated buying a boat. LOL

Re young people taking advice and counsel. Some listen, others are smarter and know better. You can learn the easy way or you can learn the hard way: listen to your parents, teachers, counselors, mentors; or let life kick yer beehind and teach you the hard way.

A lot of young folks insisted on learning the hard way. I did. I reminded my mom that she did, too, when she was trying to nag and preach and teach. Let me go make my own mistakes!

But life being the teacher leads to lessons well learned and never forgotten!

Ben · 1 year ago

These are great ideas...it makes me want to change how I give advice on my site.

El Cheapo · 1 year ago

Thank you for #10. I used to play Tecmo Bowl with the bros for hours and hours too, haha. As I get older, the more often I hit my 'savings goals' I realize that people/experiences are still much more important than the money I have in the bank. But its certainly nice to have both!!

Know The Ledge · 1 year ago

This is a list of great advice, and I agree that not all of it is too late. There are some things here for people of all ages and stages in life.

Greg · 1 year ago

Behold! I am voting!

Brip Blap you'll surely reign supreme with my vote... I mean, I am an egotist

Ruth · 1 year ago

What good advice! I practiced on my own children, now I can get it right with my grandchildren!

7million7years · 1 year ago

BripBlap ... you deserve to win this whole shebang ... good luck!

I would add a couple of additional items:

14. Start a business or three ... just for the 'experience', but, don't get too upset if you make a ton ;)

15. Buy a rental property or two ... don't live in it (yet) .. again, just for the experience of handling tenants and finances.

16. Read these books (in this order): Richest Man in Babylon; Rich Dad Poor Dad; The E-Myth Revisited; The Art of the Start ... then STOP reading and START ACTING!

fathersez · 1 year ago

Steve,

This is a great article.

I have not opened my google reader for about 10 days now and there are probably a couple of thousand posts outstanding, and this article of yours is a refreshing start to my reading schedule.

Thanks, and

PS: you got my vote

Steve (Brip Blap) · 1 year ago

Thanks everyone for following up with the votes! :)

JEM · 1 year ago

Thank you.

Michael · 1 year ago

Great article !
Everything i do since 1 year is related to that, including what i write on my blog.
We live in a society where thinking about the future equals nightmare. Everyone wants to enjoy his life right now and forget all the bad things that could happen later. We do not accept disease and risk but that's life !
Thinking is the key.

alex · 1 year ago

Many thanx for the good approch and reading!
Greetings from Paris

NikSan · 1 year ago

Nice things you said there,
Its never too late to follow good practices :)

The right time is when you start following,
very useful ones,

Thanks!
niksan

Manish Kapoor · 1 year ago

“People are always looking for the newest way to earn cash for the least amount of work. ”

I don’t see anything wrong with this. We’re naturally energy-conserving creatures. I think we could all learn from Ben if we realize that working smarter, instead of harder, is the true meaning of being industrious. By conserving our energies and attention, we are being frugal.

It’s one of the foundations of the GTD philosophy: conserve.

Economically, its a natural behavior to strive to get more out than we put in; that was what the productivity boom of the ’90s was all about, and why a lot of white collar information workers kept their jobs. Everything we do, from technology, to education, to hard skills training, helps us get more accomplished with the same energy, thereby increasing our wealth.

Even the ancient stone masons had strict processes and methodologies, before one could even say there existed hard sciences, to improve the quality and speed of their work.

DGG · 1 year ago

Hi, Interesting advices, will u expalin more on (11)journal please..

Thanks...

A 19 Year Old from Texas · 1 year ago

Thank you kindly for this post. I would like to press you further on the question of personal finance and education. I am taking a debt of about $12,000, spread over four years. With that debt, I am studying Economics, Mathematics and becoming fluent in Chinese. I am at a nationally known private college.

My goal in life is to build a great deal of wealth so that I can improve math and science education in this country, as well as the hardly edible food that is served (seriously--http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/161/11/2005). I never was taught Algebra, Chemistry, how to write an essay or take notes. However, I was taught how to avoid having to talk to the police if you saw someone getting stabbed at school. Although you may have Rousseau inclined views about education, in my view, education (especially higher education) gives a person a set of logical tools with which to invent new things or innovate old ones.

Given these, would my education still be worthless given the amount of debt I'm taking? It's about as much as a car, and I don't drive.

My e-mail's joshua.moton@oberlin.edu if you would like to answer there.

rhinokitty · 1 year ago

What an arrogant post! Thanks for sharing your privileged perspective with the humble masses. You act as if these things CAUSED your success, but your logic is completely reliant on the assumption that because your success was chronologically followed by these things that you did, that these are what caused it.

Steve · 1 year ago

Yes, rhinokitty, I made the assumption that the actions I took led to the results that followed. I'm not sure why that would be interpreted as arrogant, exactly - it's just my take on things that helped me out to get where I am. It was a backward-looking post and hindsight's 20/20, of course.

Rishikesh · 5 months ago

Nice Post. . I really enjoy reading your articles and I love your writing style