21 Lessons from a Newly-Minted 21 Year Old
a good time to reflect
Hello all,
I turned 21 today.
Inspired by my friend Sean's fantastic birthday thread a few months ago, I wanted to share 21 lessons I've learnt from my 21 short years on this earth.
So much more to experience but also a lot to reflect on!
21 lessons of a newly-minted 21 year old
1. ⚡️ Take control of your learning.
However much you may be pushed in school, nothing will prepare you for "real life" more than experiencing it yourself.
It's a fantastic time to try online courses, watch YouTube tutorials, and learn practical skills.
Here are a few that I have heard great things about:
Marie Poulin's Notion Mastery
Robbie Crabtree's Performative Speaking
David Perrell's Write of Passage
Tiago Forte's Building a Second Brain
I'm really hoping to enroll in these in the coming years.
2. ⚡️ Never underestimate the power of writing something down.
As I transitioned from a disorganized high school student, taking the time to write down goals, habits, tasks, and events has completely shifted my lifestyle.
Here is the neuroscience behind it.
3. ⚡️ Perseverance needs to be a personality trait.
Nothing tests character like failure.
Off-days are natural, coming back the next day with even more energy than before is supernatural.
Stand out.
⚡️ Build a community
No matter the activity- a cappella, research, sports, business -each requires a team to be successful.
The biggest influence on my life have been the people I have been surrounded by.
Find those that have similar passions and grow with them.
Here are some of my favorite Notioneers and No-code Evangelists:
@MathCrin @JanelSGM @Prodactive_Co @CBlanchod @thenotionbar @Leader_NoCi
⚡️ Seek new experiences
Transferring universities after one year and leaving my friends behind was tough.
But I knew that a new environment and the experiences I would gain would allow me to grow in exciting ways.
I took the plunge and haven't regretted it since.
⚡️ Value your parents
Once I left home, I realized my parent's advice & thoughts were ingrained in my own persona.
As I explore my own interests, I am forever grateful to the wisdom they instilled in me at a young age.
I wouldn't be where I am today without them.
⚡️ Over-doing is better than under-doing
I was reminded of this just last week.
I wrote an 18 page draft for my final and sent it to my teacher for a review.
She responded with possible cuts.
Turns out it was supposed to be 8-10 pages long.
Her response was this:
⚡️ Find your passions and don’t be afraid to follow through
This was a big one when I established HumanOS
I felt (even now) unqualified to share my reflections.
Connecting with others like KP at On Deck made me realize the value in building in public.
⚡️ There is nothing stopping you from excelling
Truly.
If you want it bad enough, you will make it work.
This applies to anyone and everyone.
Find those areas you want to excel in and dig deep.
⚡️ The greatest people are the humblest
The most intelligent people I have met have attributed their success to communities, articles, and even luck.
Not once have I heard one say they were better than the others.
Being humble and vulnerable is difficult, having an ego is not.
⚡️ Brand is always more important than material wealth
This is a big one.
Your thoughts, ideas, statements are analyzed by others and reflect on the type of person you are.
You are building a brand by words and actions alone.
Make it count.
⚡️ You CAN live more than once
Shoutout to @anthilemoon for this one.
In a world of increasing specialization, maintaining a diverse set of passions and skills that you continue to cultivate as you age is a necessity.
You are not limited. Don’t stop learning.
⚡️ Consolidation is not the same as creation
This is really what inspired me to create HumanOS. I had spent years consuming content from some of my favorite creators without creating anything of my own.
To break into a space, you must bring something unique and valuable.
⚡️ Find role-models
Learning from those who you admire is a massive catalyst for growth.
Some of my favorites are Ali Abdaal, Thomas Frank, and Matt D’Avella.
The insights from these individuals can massively shift your mindset.
Never underestimate the power of good advice.
⚡️ Demonstration > Articulation
It is far too easy to make empty promises.
Words mean nothing without results to back them. Be cognizant of what you say and outperform your own promises.
Here is my friend Jihad following through on his challenge:
⚡️ Building something with value now will pay off with time
I'm talking about personal value.
It can often feel like small iterations are meaningless and growth is stagnant.
Have patience, invest now for payoffs later.
⚡️ Reading is underrated
This year I made it a point to read at least 10 articles/day.
Not only did it improve my reading skills, but I was able to stay up-to-date on news, learn random facts, and exercise my brain in a non-academic setting.
Next: 2 books/month.
⚡️ Writing is even more underrated
Writing well has become an invaluable skill in the face of the pandemic.
From papers to Twitter messages to emails, the way someone writes is an immediate impression of their thoughts.
Prose is an art form.
⚡️ Manage energy, not time
The Power of Full Engagement by Tony Schwartz & Jim Loehr
I cannot recommend a better read.
This completely changed my study/work habits and made me reflect on my bursts of productivity.
For me, this happens from 8pm-12am.
When are you most engaged?
⚡️ Reflect consistently
This always makes me think of my friend Brandon Toner's bio "Writing to think"
Set a moment aside each day, week, month to reflect on your goals, ideas and projects.
What worked? What didn't? What can be tweaked for the next time?
What are you grateful for?
⚡️ Speak like you write
The greatest strength of written communication is the ability to reflect on and critique your thoughts before sending.
Speaking is raw.
Blunders, Freudian slips, and so much more can distort your goal.
Robbie Crabtree taught me the importance of silence.
I hope there was something here you could connect with.
It's been a big year for growth but I know an even bigger year lies ahead.
Thanks for coming along for the ride; I cannot overstate my appreciation.
You can check out the full Twitter thread here:
It’s been an exciting year of change and I am looking forward to seeing what this next year will bring.
Best,
Ariz