This exercise is not to be used to give you financial gain or to give yourself a high profile status and success, but to give yourself one solid piece of advice. I’ve made some decisions back then and looking at the now, I’m so glad I followed my instincts, but what would you have done differently?

Knowing what you know now, If you could go back 5, 10, 15, 20 years, what advice would you give yourself?

My advice to myself would be: (go back 18 years)

1. To stay in school and get my degree. Something no one in my family has ever accomplished. It’s not too late for me and I’m in the process of making that happen, I just wished I had done it sooner.
2. I would have done the complete opposite of what my Father told me to do, something that has really messed me up now. Now that I know he didn’t know what he was doing and how to be a father in the first place.
3. Take more risks in my career and life, and just take more risks period. I’ve always played it safe and that lead to a little success, but if I had taken more leaps….OMG!

I hope someone in thier teens and 20's will look at this thread and get inspired and use this advice.

[Edited 1/22/12 14:46pm]

I can think of a few, but the one that is currently top of mind is...and I'm not saying that I should have, because there are lots of benefits to running your own company - but working for yourself usually doesn't provide the wonderful benefits that a corporation can - i.e. better health care, disability, dental, unemployment, parachutes and of course - PENSION. You don't think of this as you have fun rolling down your career path year after year. But after 30 years of self employment....and living life, unless you've been able to sock away and invest a fair chunk of funds for your golden years - me thinks many of us, as we age, especially the boomers, are in for a bumpy ride. So, if I could go back, I would have socked away a bigger monthly contribution for myself.

[Edited 1/22/12 12:56pm]

G3000 said:

2. I would have done the complete opposite of what my Father told me to do, something that really has really messed me up now. Now that I know he didn’t know what he was doing and how to be a father in the first place.

Find and become really good friends and partners with Mark Zuckerberg.

Absolutely STAY in college, no matter what. That's something that haunts me everyday.

G3000 said:

This exercise is not to be used to give you financial gain or to give yourself a high profile status and success, but to give yourself one solid piece of advice. I’ve made some decisions back then and looking at the now, I’m so glad I followed my instincts, but what would you have done differently?

Knowing what you know now, If you could go back 5, 10, 15, 20 years, what advice would you give yourself?

My advice to myself would be: (go back 18 years)

1. To stay in school and get my degree. Something no one in my family has ever accomplished. It’s not too late for me and I’m in the process of making that happen, I just wished I had done it sooner.
2. I would have done the complete opposite of what my Father told me to do, something that has really messed me up now. Now that I know he didn’t know what he was doing and how to be a father in the first place.
3. Take more risks in my career and life, and just take more risks period. I’ve always played it safe and that lead to a little success, but if I had taken more leaps….OMG!

I hope someone in thier teens and 20's will look at this thread and get inspired and use this advice.

[Edited 1/22/12 14:46pm]

You bet! You will always regret the things you didn't do far more than the things you did!

SaraWright10 said:

Absolutely STAY in college, no matter what. That's something that haunts me everyday.

It's not too late to go back.

1. I would have applied to Roosevelt University as soon as I became a Junior in high school. That school was damn amazing and I blew it last year by burning myself out. However, had I just gone to that school in 2003...I would have been over the moon. But it was out of my price range because I wouldn't have had all the scholarships and Pell Grants and stuff that I did at 25. I miss that school so much, but I refuse to let my dad pay for another year of college. I'm slaving at a cheaper school for my Associate's just so I can get SOMETHING and shelve away to get my Bachelor's on my own.
2. When my dad and aunt offered that whole TN thing to me about 5 years ago, I would TAKE it. I couldn't see how great and free it was because of a man. I'm not even with the man anymore, and all that freedom that was right there at an AFFORDABLE price is now something I'm slaving for.
3. Not texting my ex that one fateful Summer day. GOD. That crap ruined my day and I was supposed to go on a date with this dude. I was so "messed up" with all the raw feelings that I cancelled. This dude probably wouldn't have been "the one", but a whole lot of stuff I went through off and on with my ex would not have happened.

I dunno. Some of those things also made me a stronger person. They allowed me to dig deep within myself to write a lot of poems and blog entries. I learned to express myself after years of keeping quiet. On the other hand, that freedom I mentioned...I'd have a damn house to cover in windchimes and all the job connections in the world.

But I'm only 26, so....I still have some time left. My mother really didn't get started until she was about my age. It's times like this that I wish she were still around. I think she'd "get" me in all my craziness.

Ugh, I'm not one for regrets, but I'd definitely tell myself to:

1. Stop trying to kiss up to people who won't like you anyway

2. Take more chances

3. Be your own best friend and take care of yourself first.

4. Trust your instincts

5. Ask for help when needed

6. Learn to say no to people. They will get over it.

LadyLuvSexxy said:

1. I would have applied to Roosevelt University as soon as I became a Junior in high school. That school was damn amazing and I blew it last year by burning myself out. However, had I just gone to that school in 2003...I would have been over the moon. But it was out of my price range because I wouldn't have had all the scholarships and Pell Grants and stuff that I did at 25. I miss that school so much, but I refuse to let my dad pay for another year of college. I'm slaving at a cheaper school for my Associate's just so I can get SOMETHING and shelve away to get my Bachelor's on my own.
2. When my dad and aunt offered that whole TN thing to me about 5 years ago, I would TAKE it. I couldn't see how great and free it was because of a man. I'm not even with the man anymore, and all that freedom that was right there at an AFFORDABLE price is now something I'm slaving for.
3. Not texting my ex that one fateful Summer day. GOD. That crap ruined my day and I was supposed to go on a date with this dude. I was so "messed up" with all the raw feelings that I cancelled. This dude probably wouldn't have been "the one", but a whole lot of stuff I went through off and on with my ex would not have happened.

I dunno. Some of those things also made me a stronger person. They allowed me to dig deep within myself to write a lot of poems and blog entries. I learned to express myself after years of keeping quiet. On the other hand, that freedom I mentioned...I'd have a damn house to cover in windchimes and all the job connections in the world.

But I'm only 26, so....I still have some time left. My mother really didn't get started until she was about my age. It's times like this that I wish she were still around. I think she'd "get" me in all my craziness.

The whole issue of going back and forth and wasting years with a guy (my ex-ex) who wasn't worthy or deserving of my time, energy and heart is something that I would LOVE to go back in time and change. I wish I could've seen the situation for what it was, instead of letting my heart prevail over all. I think I've blocked a lot of blessings for myself in the "romance" arena dealing with that fool for so long.

Other things...

2. I would have made an attempt to pay for grad school out of my pocket instead of taking out student loans. Big mistake that I'm clearly paying for, literally, right now.

I would have gone to bed two hours ago and then i wouldn't have opened the second bottle of wine...hick!

funkmunki said:

I would have gone to bed two hours ago and then i wouldn't have opened the second bottle of wine...hick!

If I could go back knowing what I know now, there's a few things I'd like to give myself a for and would like to change;

1: I would've gone to the school that I REALLY wanted to after high school.

2: ^^^^related: I would've taken more risks in life.

3. I would've ended that whole "good Catholic boy" shit decades earlier.

4: In 1989 I would've gotten out of my car and walked into that Bally's gym instead of saying "next time".

5: I Would've told that limo driver to keep going past the church...

PurpleJedi said:

If I could go back knowing what I know now, there's a few things I'd like to give myself a for and would like to change;

1: I would've gone to the school that I REALLY wanted to after high school.

2: ^^^^related: I would've taken more risks in life.

3. I would've ended that whole "good Catholic boy" shit decades earlier.

4: In 1989 I would've gotten out of my car and walked into that Bally's gym instead of saying "next time".

5: I Would've told that limo driver to keep going past the church...

I would have hired a hitman to rub out Shitney Houston.

No, but seriously, I would have concentrated on getting the best grades possible and would have tried to go to college.

I would like to think that if I knew then what I know now that I would have gone a down a whole bunch of different paths. But who knows, really? Those paths weren't well lit back then, so I might have ended up going the same direction regardless.

Edit: I would also like to think that I have a decent grasp of the English language. Posting at the org often leads me to believe otherwise, however.

[Edited 1/22/12 22:14pm]

i would not go back 4 fame, money, success.... none of it matters 2 me

but i would go back about 7 years, 2 a significant date in my past ~ and do something different

its my biggest WHAT IF date and it often plays on my mind......

personaly

if i thought i was gonna ever make it to 21

i woulda opened up a bank account.

if i thought i was gonna make it to the age i am now

i woulda put a rack in and forgot about it.

at this point i could just live off the interest.

I would have purchased a lot of AOL stocks and followed for my dreams

• Follow my instincts and NOT go out with that guy... or that guy... or that guy. It's not worth the problems being with them causes.
• Sometimes people DO have my best interests in mind; they're not trying to hurt me.
• Be smarter with money.
• Take more risks. Life is too short for "shoulda, coulda, woulda".

transition word edit...

[Edited 1/23/12 7:21am]

Knowing what I know now still isn't enough for me to be able to build a time machine.

But try me again with this question next year.
Maybe I'll have gathered enough knowledge to have a better answer then.

[Edited 1/23/12 3:21am]

15 years ago I'd of told myself to completely trust my instincts and follow them.

20 years ago I'd of told myself to follow those rules you knew when you were 10 explicitly.

I'd of still had the same problems but I'd of been 1,000x more prepared.

I would have never started smoking...anything!

Shyra said:

I would have never started smoking...anything!

I would've done some when it counted, (when I was young), then stopped.

G3000 said:

Knowing what you know now, If you could go back 5, 10, 15, 20 years, what advice would you give yourself?

"Nothing matters and what if it did?"

1. i would of never dated my first boyfriend in the first place.
2. i would of never dated my second boyfriend either.
3. i would of moved out of my parents house at age 18.
4. i would of went to a public high school instead of being home schooled by my mom, that sucked and ruined my chances for getting into a good college at the time.
5. would of went to college after highschool.

I would have put my morals aside and slept with him.

Shyra said:

I would have never started smoking...anything!

That's about the dumbest thing that we start and we start it in our teenage years because it's "cool". Oh, the extra money I would have if I didn't smoke but once you're addicted, that's it. Hell, I'm trying to ween myself onto a cheaper brand and am unsuccessful at doing that so I can just imagine if I just totally quit. I'd probably be the next serial killer on the news that went off when somebody pissed me off.