I come from a humble background and don’t see myself in a position to give advice. However, having a YouTube channel, I often get asked questions as “Can you help me improve myself?” more often than I expected. Given I’m still in my early 30s, here’s the advice I would give to my younger self.
If you’re 10-20. Go all out.
- Grasp every opportunity. Small things add up over time. Even if it’s just a minor voluntary project, it could better shape your thinking and expand your network.
- Add value to people. Help your friends with their assignments. Pass your books to your siblings. Raise funds to help your underprivileged friends.
- Take care of your health. Your body is still growing. Metabolism is working in your favour. You’re less likely to get fat despite the large amount of junk food. Yet, regulate it. Eat more vegetables and fruit. Protect your eyes and skin.
- Read. Books are the fastest way for you to get access to the greatest minds. Social media can offer insights too, but it won’t leave you with the same lasting sense of fulfillment.
- Leverage AI. AI is the fastest way for you to interact with the greatest minds. Learn how to make the most out of it.
- Explore your passions. You enjoy singing? Sing more. Fastinated about technology? Buy tech magazines. Stay curious, try different things and don’t let your passions die. You’ll be amazed at how much it’ll shape your future self. Presumably, your true passion might not change throughout the course of your life—so discover it as early as you can.
- Even if your passion seems insignificant by conventional standards, doesn’t mean it lacks value. You don’t need to follow trends or force yourself to love whatever industry hype dictates (GenAI, as of early 2025 when I write this). Go deep on what you love, and enjoy it.
- Be good at multiple things. Not just one. Being a math genius or language master separate yourself from thousands. Being good at both separate you from millions.
- Stay close to your family. When the time comes, you’ll not share the same roof with them anymore. Help your parents and siblings. Mentally, financially, emotionally.
If you’re 20-30. These are your prime years.
- Become the best of what you do. Don’t be happy with being mediocre. Go deep and become an expert. You only live once, and your time is limited. Live it to the fullest.
- Capitalise on your uniqueness. Everybody is born different. If you think you’re the only one experiencing this life tragedy and career path, chances are, you’re in the wrong. Instead of shaping your life to the norms, build up your individuality and turn it into an advantage. You’ll become a unique asset to any organisations or communities lucky enough to have you.
- Perfect your passion. You already had some sense of what you love when you were younger. Now refine and sharpen it. Even if your career doesn’t follow the exact path you envisioned, your passion can still work in your favor—if you know how to tell a good story about it.
- Keep interacting. Talk to strangers. Reach out to your old friends. Call your mom regularly. Switch up your teammates for different projects. Build breath and depth (rather selectively) in your relationships. Your network may evolve with every job change, but meaningful connections will always add richness to your life.
- Learn from the best. If you want to go for a PhD, find ways to speak with doctors in the fields you like, ideally in person. Watch YouTube videos. Find insights online. Cold connect with some on Linkedin and emails. The Internet is the 8th wonder of the world—use it to your advantage.
- [List in progress].
If this list helps you in any way, I’d love to hear about it.