habits in your 20's that make life WAY easier later on?
I’m turning 31 this year, and I’ve been reflecting on some of the things I did in my 20s that made my life easier. My life today is far from easy, but my problems would be much worse if I hadn’t learned these habits sooner.
Developing just one of these habits in your 20s will make your life SO much easier later on:
Reading. When I was in my early 20s, I developed a reading habit. The more I read, the more ambitious I became. I felt a lot more confident learning things that most people didn’t take the time to learn, and reading stories of people accomplishing great things made me believe I could do it too. If you learn to love reading, you can teach yourself pretty much anything.
Staying active. Running consistently and joining a boxing gym were some of the best things I did for my mental health. You’ll build confidence, become more resilient to stress and depression, and develop discipline that carries over into every area of your life.
Avoiding FOMO. I once deleted all my social media accounts for two years to focus on myself and my goals. Keeping up with friends is important, but sometimes, it’s better to take a break from living life online. Your real friends will always be there, no matter how disconnected you are from social media. Avoiding the need to keep up with people—especially online—will help you stay focused. Your journey is unique, and your only competition is yourself.
Living below your means. I bought a used 2006 car in 2016 for $6,700 (paid in cash with money I saved from waiting tables), and I still have it today. I kept the same iPhone and laptop for 5+ years and kept my expenses to an absolute minimum. Having the money to buy what you want whenever you want is infinitely better than actually buying stuff.
Prioritizing saving & investing. Open a Roth IRA and start investing in low-cost index funds/ETFs today. I now have over $100K invested—if I had started sooner in my 20s, I’d probably have triple that. Having money work for you while you sleep and knowing your financial future is secure eliminates so much unnecessary stress, allowing you to be more present and enjoy life.
Taking risks. It gets significantly harder to take risks as you get older and take on more responsibilities. Your 20s are the time to go after your dreams, make mistakes, and learn from them. You won’t regret failing—you’ll regret not trying. I started an e-commerce business on the side while waiting tables, and that business later became my full-time income. It only lasted 2.5 years, and I made pretty much every mistake possible, but I learned a lot, and I don’t regret it.
This isn’t to say you can’t develop these habits later in life—it’s never too late.
What habits would you add?