Comments on: Don’t Waste Your Twenties — Part 2: Train Your Brain for Lasting Success

By: Dime

Dime — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:53:07 +0000

:) Props for this article!
I am 22y.o woman and i dropped out of college a year ago when i was 20y.o and in my 2nd.yr doing art and design. I was very lazy and occupied with other things like partying…relationships… However,immediately i dropped out i started studying french to keep me busy because i didnt know what i wanted to do/to be in my life.
1 yr down,and i am doing very good in my french classes and i am now considering advancing my french and taking up a french related career path like teaching and only deal with art as a hobby, i think this is what i am really meant to be doing.
My boyfriend broke up with me two weeks ago and after reading this article i kind of think he was justified to do so coz i was messed up,very petty,imature and still kidding around like i was still a teenager. well,am glad that i stumbled onto this post it has really struck in my brain that once we hit 20 we are Grown up Adults who need to be disciplined in making and working towards fullfiling important decisions in this crucial point of our lives,most importantly to avoid regrets.
I am now,more than ever motivated to be a disciplined person in regards to commitment to my goals,maturity in relationships and every other aspect of my life.
I would like to advice especially those in their 20′s to get and maintain focus & always seize every opportunity that comes their way, as brett stated “strike the iron while it is hot” & to those above 20 or feeling hopeless remember “no matter what your age,a strong and wise captain can always turn the ship around” :)

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:24:03 +0000

Great article. For the people who are worried that they have wasted these formative years, I think it is worth mentioning that psychedelic substances- particularly the ‘classical psychedelics’ such as psilocybin (magic mushrooms), mescaline (peyote) and LSD- are known to have an anti-ageing effect on the personality. Recent studies have shown that a large part of what accounts for the unusual effects of these substances is derived from their temporary suspension of activity of the pre-frontal cortex. In this state, one’s conditioning from society, as well as self-conditioning through experience and repeated behaviour, no longer mediates our thoughts or experiences. To use the analogies of the above article, it is as if the holes in the sieve become much wider again, and the grass in the field we must hack through returns to the short length it was in our youth. As such, we are able to do our own neural pruning, discarding old patterns of behaviour which no longer serve us and carving out new routes and connections with relative ease. If you get the, dosage, intention, state of mind and setting correct (which isn’t THAT hard to do), a psychedelic experience has the potential to be one of the most profound and existentially significant experiences of one’s life. So although it may well be the case that our neural and mental constitution becomes more static in the years 25-30, this does not mean that they cannot become plastic once again for a short period of time with the help of psychedelics. While these experiences may only last a few hours, the inner mental work that we can perform on ourselves during this time can be equivalent to a complete re-wiring of the personality. I thoroughly endorse this kind of activity, but do your research first if you are thinking of this. Read Huxley’s ‘the doors of perception’ or john lilly’s ‘the human biocomputer’ and check out erowid.com. http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20110929/magic-mushroom-drug-anti-aging-effect-personality

By: Eric Scott

Eric Scott — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:45:37 +0000

Your article jiggered what seem to be ancient memories. I’m 33 and consider my 20′s to be somewhat disastrous. Now however, they may not have been as bad as I thought. At 14, I lost my father which caused a massive 11 year up hill legal – identity – drug – expulsion – relationship war with myself. The dark days and tumultuous times amidst failing frequently in a wide array of areas seemed to be a time of failure and rebellion. However, now I’m a successful Multimedia Specialist transitioning into blogging and becoming an entrepreneur. My massive drive for an unconventional career and wild goals of traveling for 18 months while working now make sense. During my 20′s I was scammed, imprisoned, and fought voraciously. In my 30′s now, I’m a man of steel with gargantuan drive and passion for success and happiness. My 20′s delivered me one hell of foundation for growth and perspective in a rather twisted way. I’m constantly reading and thinking of non-linear ways to accomplish my goals. I’ve worked feverishly on impoverished maps, beliefs, and discovering my true path in life. I’m rambling and will shut-up. Great article. Thanks for the a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Furthermore, I think it’s difficult to have the understanding of what to do in your 20′s. This either comes from superior parenting, a keen sense of direction, or extreme punishment. Tony Robbins makes the point of pain and pleasure. Learn from the pain to seek pleasure.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:29:40 +0000

Turned 28 a couple of months ago and was feeling pretty depressed about working constantly since I was 25 and ‘wasting’ my twenties- not getting to write every day and frittering my time when I could have been playing music, two of my ultimate goals.

It’s seductive- and as someone else said, white-sugar poison for the soul- to think ‘oh man, if I’d really started back then when I wanted, imagine how amazing I’d be NOW?!’

But now, focusing on the positives- I DID learn discipline and the ability to work hard, something I lacked and I need to learn to apply toward my goals.

I mentioned to a coworker in his late 50s once that I felt like I’d blown my chances to use my 20s to develop into a great writer and musician, and he started hysterically laughing. Reading the other posts on here by folks twice my age who are doing awesome things and only looking forward, I’m beginning to understand why..

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:22:52 +0000

I will be 27 this year and have been considering a career change. I have spent that last 10 years working hard and have nothing to show for it. I feel like I have wasted my youth working. I know that I have gained invaluable life skills and have grown as a person, but I am regretful and resentful also.

By: David

David — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:59:41 +0000

I’m 20 and after reading the two articles on this and looking at what is going on in my life right now, I’m a bit freaked out because even thought I want to go out, explore, and take risks I feel boxed in by the fact that I am still at home (community college), I don’t have a job, and I have to work hard with school. I’m afraid that by the time I get out of all of this (into a four year school and have a job) I won’t have the time to do anything talked about in these articles.

By: Christian

Christian — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 06:59:28 +0000

I’ve just turned 20 an hour ago and I just have to say thank you. I have always held a lot of importance in my third decade of life and some of my friends didn’t seem to understand why…and I couldn’t exactly articulate my feelings exactly. My main point was always that it’s a lot more badass to be young and successful than it is to be old and successful – basically, why wait? No one’s going to achieve my dreams for me. Being lazy is being wasteful of the precious seconds I have left to live. Thanks again.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:04:56 +0000

Well… I’m 24 and I did nothing even remotelly important and I don’t think that is going to change…
I wasted my youth.
This series of post just makes me feel even worst.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:47:32 +0000

Great article, would have been accessible too if I wasn’t 115 years old…

I’m actually 23, and I loved it – very encouraging and insightful. I love ideas that are grounded in biology, but can be formational to psychological/spiritual/mental development. Very interesting. Thank you!

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:45:50 +0000

This happened to me at a very unconscious level starting around 21(Up to that point I was very risk averse) right around the time I bought the AOM book. I’m now 24 and ready to make some big decisions, invest the money I’ve saved,start my own business and use all the ideas I’ve studied to make my life and the world better.

I also love reading about brains. Thanks for your articulate and accessible article.