What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?

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The great American author, economist, political commentator, social theorist, and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University Thomas Sowell once stated, “There are no solutions, there are only trade-offs; and you try to get the best trade-off you can get, that's all you can hope for”. Reflecting on your past decisions is normal. Most people regret the decisions they made in their past or lack thereof. The graveyard has the greatest talents the world has never witnessed. Most people are too afraid to live their dreams. Society has been conditioning people to follow the 40 - 40 - 40 plan. Work 40 years, 40 hours a week and retire on 40 percent of their income.

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Here are 7 things that people would tell their younger self.

1. They wished they had taken better care of themselves.

There are numerous excuses why most people do not take care of themselves. 42% of Americans are obese. The national obesity rate was 26% in 2008. The obesity rate of children is increasing as well. The data shows that the childhood obesity rate is 19.3 percent. In the mid-1970s the obesity rate was 5.5 percent. Let's look at the list of excuses people give for not taking care of themselves:

● They have too much work to do.

● The weather is bad

● The weather is great

● They would rather watch Netflix

● They don't have the motivation

● They don't like exercising

● The gym is too expensive

● They feel too old.

Now is the time to make a change. Start off with walking about 10,000 steps. Cut out the bad food and replace it with healthier choices.

2. They wished they lived more in the moment.

Many people are not present for their children due to busy work schedules. For instance, a guy was a salesman who made a great income. He was a great provider for his family. The salesman was traveling 3 weeks out of the month while raising a son. Once he grew older, he regretted not spending quality time with his son. When his son became an adult, they didn't have a great relationship. That time was lost. Time is a commodity that you cannot barter or trade anything to gain more of.

Evaluate your schedule. How can you arrange your days or weekends to make time for your family. We have choices in life so choose wisely how you use your time.

3. They wish they had taken more risks.

Many people felt that a fear of failure caused them to play it too safe. They knew that they could have more fulfilling lives if they would have taken more risks in life.

Consider making a list of everything you want to do. Now it's time to act on your goals. Make it a game by crossing them off of your list when you complete them.

4. They wished they had lived their dreams.

Many people confess they did not live their dreams because they were living up to someone else's expectations. Some people are scared of being criticized by their friends, family and loved ones.

Stay focused and be cautious of the opinions you let guide your decisions in life. If you take their opinion, you get their lifestyle.

5. They wished they prepared for crises in their life.

You should always stay ready so you won’t have to get ready. What is the best time to deal with a crisis? Some people would say during the crisis. The answer is before the crisis.

Save money so you can have emergency money during a crisis.

Eat a healthy diet at least 6 days a week and focus on healthy lifestyle changes to keep the doctors away. Build healthy relationships with your peers before you need them.

6. They wished they networked when they were younger.

Network creates your net worth. Having a huge network can provide opportunities for you that others won’t have. People should build a huge network before you need them. Give value to the people around you. If you bring enough value to them, they will give it back when you need them.

According to Wikipedia, “The norm of reciprocity requires that we repay in kind what another has done for us. It can be understood as the expectation that people will respond favorably to each other by returning benefits for benefits, and responding with either indifference or hostility to harm”.

7. They would've learned to say no.

People do not like rejection so we avoid it. Most of us want to be liked by our peers. Saying yes to people is a way people avoid conflict, or confrontation. People say yes to events we don’t want to attend, favors we don’t want to do, food we don’t really want, and jobs we hate, nights out with people we aren’t sure we even like.