The Advice I Would Give The Younger ME

Google Photos has a nice feature that pops up old photos as memories.

This morning a set of photos from about 15 years back popped up as a notification on my phone. I clicked the notification, and pictures of a 35-year-old ME filled the screen and revived many memories.

As I looked through the photos, a thought struck me. Knowing what I know of life today, If I had to give some advice to the younger ME, what would it be?

Embrace Adversity. It Is The Doorway To Your Greatness.

Difficulties, Challenges, and Pain are there to filter out the great from the average. Adversity is that doorway through which anyone ordinary has to pass through to become exceptional. So don’t worry when you face difficulty and pain. They are your friends. Every time you face a situation that looks challenging and painful, don’t run, don’t hide. Lean into the pain, and you will see yourself coming out on the other of the fence better.

Focus On Your Return On Time Spent

When you work in a job, you are renting your time to the organization. As you grow within the organization, you will feel like you are achieving something significant and substantial. Be wary of this feeling. Big title and big pay do not necessarily mean that you are growing as a professional. Keep a close watch on the Return On Your Time spent. Don’t fall into the false illusion that a bigger salary means your Return Of Time Spent is improving. If the work demands more and more of your time, your paycheck may have gone up, but your value per time spent has gone down. This will be an indication that you have stopped growing professionally. You are doing more of the same stuff and not learning anything new. Take necessary actions to maximize the return on your time spent on the job.

Decide With Awareness

When you are thinking of your career, Investments, Relationships, don’t jump into making decisions without being aware of your emotions and choices. Emotions are the enemy of your awareness. Decisions made when you are in the grip of greed, fear, anger, or overconfidence always turn out to be bad for you in the long term. When you bring in your awareness, you will force yourself to look beyond your emotions. Follow these two simple rules.

1. If you find yourself stuck in a situation where you feel compelled to decide, thinking you have no choice-Resist that choice. It will turn out to be a compromise that you will regret later. 
2. Avoid the easy choice. It’s a trap. If you encounter two options, always choose the one that is likely to be hard in the short term. It will always turn out to be better in the long run.