What Does a 40 Year-Old Man Wish Hed Known at 25?December 20, 2014 by AskMen 7 Comments

21 things people aged 40-plus wish they knew when they were in their 20s.______By Johnny TestaAs you age, you always tend to look back at moments in your life and immediately think, I could have done/handled/taken care of that situation better. For some, this type of realization may eat them up, but for others it turns into an opportunity to help a younger generation with everyday life issues. This reddit thread asked redditors that are 40 or more years old to list things they wish they knew while in their 20s. While most of these redditors arent unhappy with their current lives, they do wish theyd done a few things differently. Here are the best responses from the thread:No bullsh*t, no dramaThe bullsh*t/drama you allow yourself to pay attention to complete waste of your time and energy.Let other people carry around their own bullsh*t baggage.Live your life. oldheadGet rid of toxic peopleGet rid of the toxic people in your life; they serve no purpose other than to drag you down. You can neither change nor even help them so quit wasting your time. Cambium29If you have freedom, take advantageYou will never have more freedom and free time than you do now. So f*ck excuses, get to the gym, ask the hot girl out, go on that trip.Also all the fear you feel is bs. Fear was meant to save your life, not stop you from public speaking or starting a business. What would you do if you werent afraid? jraby3Start things you want to do, NOWYou have things you want to try in life learn to play piano, try your hand at writing, whatever. You figure youre 25 years old so youve got plenty of time later to give them a shot. Well, START NOW. You will be shocked how quickly youll find yourself in your late 50s, looking back at your twenties and thinking Jesus that seems like it was only a few weeks ago. You are going to run out of time far sooner (subjectively) than you think. joeomarGet in the habit of exercisingGet in the habit of regular exercise now, because it will be a lot harder to start after youre already obese. NDaveTSpend disposable income on experiencesSpend your disposable income on experiences, not products. Youll be a lot happier with the outcome. GrayandlovingitEase up on the drinkingLiver damage is a real thing. whistled***Keep an eye on your credit scoreThe importance of keeping your credit in good shape. Paying an extra 1% on a home loan is a huge deal. dougglattChill and live within your meansChill the f*** out. The world will continue to turn with or without you, youre not that important and dont need to solve every last problem that presents itself to you.Take more time to enjoy your youth before you wake up and suddenly have weird aches for no reason.Communicate better with those around you. Especially your spouse/significant other.Live within your means, dont try to impress anyone but yourself. JeF4ySpeak your mind, be honestJust f-ing say it. Whatever it is.You arent sparing anyones feelings when you arent being honest about yours and the things you dont say affect your life far more than the things you do. Gilga-MoshPot, the more you know, women, etc.1. Smoking pot is a big waste of time.2. The more you learn at 25, the more youll know 40+.3. Women enjoy sex as much as men do.4. Live your life for yourself, not for others.5. Develop good exercise and eating habits; you will have much more energy in your 40s because trying to get back into shape when youre older is a real bitch.6. Take care of your teeth.7. Dont let other people get into your head.8. Stay close to your family.9. Dont take love for granted; its much harder to find the older you get.10. Wear sunscreen. tsatsawassaGet used to rejection and failureTry and get used to rejection and failure as soon as you can and up until you dont care any more, so you become a person that isnt afraid of it. And of course, try and learn from your mistakes or (even better) other peoples. Be observant.The sooner you do that, the better life will be for you. Youll be able to get to old age with little regrets. jandemorDo NOT be too niceBeing OVERLY nice to a girl, wont make her like you and want to date you. VerbalRadiationIts not the destination, its the journey Its not about the destination; its about the journey to get there. Find the good in each step and enjoy itit doesnt last longMost important, you are far, far capable than youll ever know, either at 25 or 40. Go. allyallmfersneedHave a contingency planAlways have a contingency plan, no exceptions. You (obviously) think youre going to be married for ever and that (obviously) you are special and different from all those yucky, lazy people who end up divorced. Youjust are a little more careful and have things a little more together than all of them. Obviously, right? newloafThere are no guarantees in lifeNo one owes you s***. A lot of people bitch and moan about their bosses, work, the promotion they gave to Tom instead of you. Everyone feels like their not getting recognized for something great they are doing, that its all being over looked. Those guys are usually the ones who are insecure about something. Dont play into the drama. There are going to be good days, there are going to be bad days. Good years, and bad years. Put your head down, do your job to the best of your ability, and dont be the guy whining about everything thats wrong. Wise_KruppeEverything, bad or good, will eventually changeI know I am late to the party but I would tell my 25 year old self that nothing is forever. Everything bad or good will eventually change. So if you are going through a bunch of stuff just keep your head down and move forward till it gets better. And when things are good appreciate and cherish it. Oh and stop drinking diet soda that stuff is going (to) rot your brain. tonguefangtail829Say to the people you love what you want to say while you canPeople close to you are going to die and you wont know when. Say to the people you love what you want to say to them while you can. ThatGuyFromOhioGet regular check-ups 1. Even if you feel healthy, get regular checkups. Make it a habit.2. If you bang your teeth up, say in a mountain biking accident, talk to your dentist about it. Internal tooth damage can take a while to show. You can catch it early if youre looking. greendotDont be bossy, be a better listener and get some sleepEven if you are a pro at something-dont be bossy. Most people already have a boss; they dont need you telling them what to do.Be a better listener. Dont interrupt some people will stop talking to you if you keep interrupting them.Sleep is a beautiful thing. QueenofCakesInvest in value and dont get into a serious relationshipI wish I had known the following.1. It isnt about how much you earn its how much you owe that is important. Bling gets boring, so avoid it and focus on investing in things that go up in value.2. In your 20s dont get into a serious relationship. People in their 20s are idiots, so focus on becoming the kind of person that you want to be, not what some idiot 20 yr. old thinks you should be. Cause, they arent going to stick around anyways.3. Vote quietly, dont tell anyone whom you voted for and stay out of political conversations because Democrats and Republicans have created actual hate out of their beliefs. In fact just try to vote for the best American and ignore political parties. 1fineFZO9______This article originally appeared on AskMen.- See more at: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/things-learned-40-wish-knew-25-hesaid/#sthash.11tm0p2Q.dpuf