What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? | What I Wish I Knew at 22

0:00 Hello and welcome to real men. Feel this is your host, Andy Grant. I'm also an author coach healer and speaker, check out V and E Grant.com to learn more about that a couple days ago. I came across an Instagram post from an account called awake spiritual and it was a picture of Dwayne Johnson The Rock and it was called things. I know at age, 45 that I wish I knew it 22. And it was a list of 14 such things. Now, I don't believe this is anything The Rock actually said but but maybe it is anyway. Got me thinking about what I would tell my 22 year old self and I had a couple items you know be top of mind right away. And then I decided to let my brain simmer on this for a few days.

0:48 So I came up with five items that I wish I knew at age 22 and I'll also share all 14 that the IG post. Mentioned as well. So first off what I would tell my 22 year old self. Is that life is good. I really thought life sucks, then you die, but life is good and you are worthy of joy. S, nothing, I repeat nothing. You are worried about ends up mattering. Much at all third, the only definition of what it means to be a man that matters is yours. Whatever you are doing. That's what a man does. And for Action, cures fear, do the things, you're afraid of, and finally, number five, you can be right or you can be happy.

1:44 Please choose happy. So, among the items that the initial post had and I came up with mind before reading these, but number one, things I know at age, 45 that I wish. I knew at 22. Number one, you need to start. This is your only life. It's too short to keep putting off doing what you want to do, live your life for you. Not anyone else. Great. Totally agree. Number two, your environment is crucial regardless of how disciplined or motivated. You are. If you're in the wrong environment, you'll never get anything done.

2:24 Yeah. I mean I don't have the exact quote but you know, we financially I think it's financially. The Studies have shown that we become the average of the 5 people we hang around with most or maybe it's 7:00. There's math involved. But yeah. You know, you become, you know, an average of the people you're most with. I think that goes to General mood. It simply goes to finances. But yeah, where you are matters and you can do better if you change your surroundings. Number three, be ready to Pivot things change plans, fall apart and life happens. Be ready. And willing to Pivot when chasing your goals. According to the feedback you're getting Yeah, right.

3:06 On adaptability is key resilience is key to living your best life to enjoying your life. Number four books are mental masturbation. Now I I don't I don't get that, I don't agree with that. So it goes on to explain. I love reading, I love learning but too much reading and not enough doing is just like binge watching YouTube, read, apply, repeat. Yeah, I don't, I don't get this, I don't agree to me. Call me something mental. Masturbation means, it's a freakin waste of time. So I, you know, I would tweak this and you know, I would I would interpret this. I would say never stop learning because I have not met a man who reads too much, you know.

3:53 Most people don't read a book a year so yeah, I don't, I do not think books are mental. Masturbation number five, you need to be selfish. You can't pour from an empty cup, so be selfish fill your cup first and then you can be selfless and pour into others. Yes, this is something I say often on this show and in talking to clients, selfishness gets a bad rap, true. Selfishness can really be selfless, you put yourself first so that you can help others, you know, selfishness in the terms of being super competitive and taking from other people. That is not what we're that me or The Rock. If it's him saying this are talking about, but but putting yourself first that sense of selfishness is great. It's a very underrated number six. The gym is preparation.

4:44 So maybe the rock did say this. In the gym, your mind is telling you to quit the whole time by not quitting. You're building your mental fortitude and resilience and preparation for life. 20 by that number 7, you can't stop learning. All right? This is kind of what I stick. We stated earlier. The moment you stop learning you stop progressing, acquire, new knowledge, learned new skills. Apply progress, repeat right on number 8, not everyone wants you to win. Learn to recognize those that truly want the best for you, and those that don't cut the ladder out. Yeah, I'd say that's easily. It's more easily said than done often. We don't know till it's too late. Who is out to harm us or doesn't have their our best interest at heart?

5:34 But yeah. When you're aware of someone, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. Number nine, risk is a part of life, whether you're taking a new job, starting your own business or moving to a new country. Anything that has the potential to improve your life involves risk and Brace it. Yeah, totally agree. You need to take risks in your life. Number 10 challenge your beliefs. Why do you believe something? Because your parents told you, because the news told you challenge, what you believe, be willing to listen to opposing, opinions, and always be ready to learn. Yeah, and I agree this and I would, I would add be willing to be wrong, right? And in fact, Embrace being wrong, celebrate, discovering that you're wrong about something. Again, I mentioned earlier, I used to think that life sucks then you die.

6:23 I was Thrilled to discover, that's not true. So you know I celebrate being wrong. I have no I have no attachments to being right about freaking anything. Again, I'd rather be right. I don't know. I used to want to be right, I'd rather be happy than right. Beautiful, let's see, number 11 money can buy happiness. All right? Now that's contradicting. That kind of the most cliched things we hear about that. So money can buy happiness. Money can buy your time, Freedom, location, freedom, and most importantly, the opportunity to do what actually makes you happy. All right, then I would retitle this money. Buy his freedom. Then you do? You need the disclaimer.

7:04 You don't need to explain that more, but yeah, so money can't buy. I still believe money can't buy happiness, but money can buy Freedom, which can lead to your happiness. 12, you need discomfort, whether it's physical discomfort in the gym or mental discomfort when chasing your goals and bracing discomfort is the key to long-term fulfillment. You know, I'd even I'd even say this harsher Comfort is death. Everything you truly want is outside of your comfort zone. Humans can become too comfortable, I think of the future people in the Disney movie Wall-E, where they're all just like super fat and floating around on, you know, moving couches and stuff.

7:49 We're just, we're so comfortable. They're all destroying themselves. So, again, Comfort is death, be willing to be comfortable in your discomfort. 13 failure is not final. Failure is nothing but a sign telling you which direction not to go stop. Treating it like a never-ending red light. Yep, I agree. You do what you fear? And the has a Japanese saying I don't, I don't know how to say it in Japanese, but fall down seven times. Get up eight. And finally number 14 consistency, always wins.

8:29 Talented. But not consistent. You'll fail hard working, but not consistent. You'll fail so long. As you have consistency you'll win eventually I mean, this this comes out, you know, be willing to play the long game. Instant gratification does does not create a really gratifying life, right? Beautiful long haul. All right, so so there's a bunch of ideas. Maybe you agree with most maybe with none, I don't care. Truly what I do care about is that you take a few minutes here, just think about this, for yourself. What would you tell? 22, year-old you or or if you're a younger man.

9:12 What would you tell your 16 year? Old self, right? Don't let the age as mentioned in this exercise. Be your excuse not to do this. Give yourself that gift of time of discovering your most valuable life lessons, right? You probably a lot wiser than you. Give yourself credit for wherever you are discovering real men, feel please, like subscribe, follow comment and share. You can always shoot me an email at real men. Feel at gmail.com, perhaps, let me know your top three things that you wish you knew at a younger age. If you want to explore, what life might be like for you with more Intensity, vulnerability risk, taking action taking book a free Clarity call with me. Visit v&e, Grant.com, talk, and until next time, be good to yourself at every age. Intensity, vulnerability risk, taking action taking book a free Clarity call with me. Visit v&e, Grant.com, talk, and until next time, be good to yourself at every age.