Post: #1

I'm currently in my mid 20's. My childhood and adolescence and even college sucked donkey balls because of the specific circumstances I was in. Through all that mess though, I was always pretty upbeat about my life because I knew (not trying to blow my own horn here) that I was smart and ambitious, and so although not certainly, there was a good possibility that the best shit was ahead for me. The funny thing is that now that my life is definitely on the upswing and moving in the right direction, my optimism has dropped off considerably compared to when I was 17 and trying to simply stay above water. At 17, life was a completely unknowable, limitless ocean of possibilities. I wasn't sure if I was going to end up a special forces operative, pilot, doctor, or homeless bum, haha. Now that I'm in my mid 20's, I know that although I may end up as a billionnaire-hey, it could happen-I also know I definitely will never be a commando or a a professional pilot or any of a million things that were possible outcomes when I was 17. That narrowing of possibilities is kinda depressing.

And I'm not even old yet. I've yet to notice any signs of physical decline, although they will inevitably manifest themselves soon. So I'm left wondering, how valuable is youth compared to everything else? Assuming I was stuck in a dead end job with no possibility of advancement, my satisfaction with my life would of course decline with each passing year. So I try to ask myself, by how much do I need to improve my lot in life each year so that at the end of that year, I'm more satisfied by the things I have achieved than I am regretful of the 1 fewer year of life that I now have. This is of course an impossible question to answer, just a musing, really.

If a man was happy and optimistic at 20, and by the age of 40 had accomplished all that he could have hoped for at 20, and more, would he be as happy as his 20 year old self? Or would he gladly give it all up just to be 20 again, with no certainty that he could replicate his success again? What do you guys think? How valuable is just the sheer fact of being young when compared to the money, power, and accomplishment that usually accrue with age? It would be especially awesome to hear the perspective of some of the experienced cats here who have been there, done that. This forum definitely has a bunch of those. Anyway, interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

Post: #2

Don't look back, look forward.

Post: #3

(06-23-2013 04:49 PM)rekruler Wrote:  At 17, life was a completely unknowable, limitless ocean of possibilities. I wasn't sure if I was going to end up a special forces operative, pilot, doctor, or homeless bum, haha.

I know exactly what you mean, I think most people do. I'm in my mid thirties now and my biggest regret is not having focused on something. I lost so many years trying to figure out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go that I ended up not doing anything or going anywhere. One advice, amongst many others, that I could give is to just pick something, focus on it and be really good at it.

Post: #4

(06-23-2013 04:49 PM)rekruler Wrote:  And I'm not even old yet. I've yet to notice any signs of physical decline, although they will inevitably manifest themselves soon.

Even though I still look several years younger than what I really am I must admit that this past year I've been getting more and more injuries working out, which I never did before, and these injuries take longer to heal. I can't work out with as much intensity anymore either. So basically, I'm getting weaker and more crippled, it sucks.

Post: #5

Now is the time to make the optimism for yourself. How do you do this? With the failures and disappointments you have accumulated you have the best tools for future success in your life. The greatest failures are usually the greatest at success. Take a page from Samseau use the money you get and travel often, live in different places. New experiences in a new environment will help you shed those memories of the past and thus enhance your present day emotional state. A lot of people think people travel to "find themselves" when what they're really doing is escaping from themselves, the selves that they've created(with society's help of course) rooted in expectations and cute beliefs, useless desires for things that don't matter and social roles that on some deep level they instinctually reject. Say someday you're in Mexico in some dangerous city with a sweet sexy latina on one arm, a bottle of Patron in hand and a bank account with a couple hundred thousand and you think you'll give a fuck about how you were a fool 10 years ago? Live with a little danger and you'll see how your past and future will vanish. Where did your expectations go? You left them in that shitty city you used to live in back in (insert your country of residence) when u had time to focus on feeling sorry for yourself.

Post: #6

You're over thinking this. Who knows if your youth will be your best part of your life? There are great parts to all ages of a man's life.

Step 1. Stop giving a fuck

Step 2. Identify something you like

Step 3. Pursue it

If you want feminine women, in a country with high speed internet and a cheap cost of living, check out some places in SEA. If all you want is hot women, Eastern Europe. If you think you can swing it doing something else, just go for it.

Why care if you fail or not? You never had anything to lose in the first place.

Post: #7

It's a navel gazing exercise but yeah, virtually every 40 year old man on this earth would trade away everything to be 20 again.

If it's a self-made men, he'll confidently bet he can make it all over again. If it's a guy who inherited wealth, then he wouldn't have to worry about repeating his success since it was all given to him.

Post: #8

(06-23-2013 06:39 PM)Therapsid Wrote:  It's a navel gazing exercise but yeah, virtually every 40 year old man on this earth would trade away everything to be 20 again.

If it's a self-made men, he'll confidently bet he can make it all over again. If it's a guy who inherited wealth, then he wouldn't have to worry about repeating his success since it was all given to him.

A.

If you are lucky to have something in life that totally takes you out of yourself, that makes you happier than anything else, take that one thing you care about the most and give it everything you've got.

I was lucky enough to have something like this, but this is not a "rags to riches story"; I turned out to be pretty mediocre at what I loved, it didn't get me rich, it didn't really get me a lot of girls, but all the time I spent doing it I was happier than doing anything else.

When I'm laying there dying (if I know I'm dying), I'll be happy I didn't listen to anyone, but did that one thing I loved.

There's a great story about George Burns, who was a famous comedian who died at something like 103.
He said his parents wanted him to be an accountant. But he wanted to be a comedian and gave it a try.

When he first started out he said he was so bad he would have to change his name because they would never hire him back.

He said he thought about it, and realized he'd rather be a failure at being a comedian than a success as an accountant.

So the question is, what is the equivalent of being a comedian to you, if you have such a thing?

B:
If you don't have such a thing:
"If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there."

"Having once found the intensity of art, nothing else that can happen in life can ever again seem as important as the creative process."
--F. Scott Fitzgerald

Post: #9

(06-23-2013 05:28 PM)Teutatis Wrote:  

(06-23-2013 04:49 PM)rekruler Wrote:  At 17, life was a completely unknowable, limitless ocean of possibilities. I wasn't sure if I was going to end up a special forces operative, pilot, doctor, or homeless bum, haha.

I know exactly what you mean, I think most people do. I'm in my mid thirties now and my biggest regret is not having focused on something. I lost so many years trying to figure out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go that I ended up not doing anything or going anywhere. One advice, amongst many others, that I could give is to just pick something, focus on it and be really good at it.

Thats some good advice.