Only if I knew this in my 20's
Mistakes you can avoid in your 20's
When I was 20, I thought I had it all figured out.
The world felt like an open highway, and I was convinced every turn I took would lead somewhere great.
I didn’t realize I was driving with no map.
Most days, I chased people instead of purpose. I’d spend late nights in loud rooms, laughing at jokes I didn’t find funny, just to feel like I belonged. I didn’t see it then, but I was trading my authenticity for approval. And the more I tried to fit in, the further I drifted from the person I was meant to become.
I told myself I had time. I was young. There was no rush. So I let my dreams collect dust in the back of my mind while I distracted myself with “tomorrows.” What I didn’t know was that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and every day I delayed was a day I could never get back.
I spent money the way I spent time, recklessly. Sneakers I didn’t need, dinners I couldn’t afford, gadgets I bought to look “successful.” I wore the image of someone who had it together, but my bank account told a different story. If I had invested even a fraction of that money, my future would’ve looked very different.
I waited to feel ready. I thought success required confidence first, that I had to prepare until everything felt perfect. But readiness never came, and opportunities passed me by while I was still convincing myself to start.
Even when I was busy, I wasn’t making progress. I filled my days with tasks that didn’t matter emails, meetings, “projects”, but nothing moved me forward. I confused movement for momentum, and exhaustion for achievement.
I ignored my health, thinking it could wait. Late nights, cheap food, zero exercise. It didn’t seem urgent until my energy dipped, my focus blurred, and my ambition faded with it. Only then did I realize that discipline in the body fuels discipline in the mind.
And then there was the time I quit too soon. I had started a small side business, one that showed real promise. But when the results weren’t instant, I gave up. Years later, I watched someone else turn the same idea into a thriving company. They didn’t have a better idea than mine. They just stayed.
Can you find yourself into these?
I avoided difficult conversations, thinking silence kept the peace. Instead, it built walls between me and the people who mattered. And when I was alone, I filled the gaps with comparison, scrolling through other people’s lives, measuring my timeline against their highlight reels. It made me feel like I was behind, when really, I was just on a different road.
For years, I waited for someone to tell me, “You’re good enough. You’re allowed to try.”
No one did.
So at 25, I finally gave myself that permission. I stopped chasing people, stopped waiting, stopped pretending. I chose purpose over approval, action over perfection, and growth over comfort.
And here’s the thing, you don’t have to wait until 25 to do the same.
If you’re 20, you can avoid my mistakes. You can start building now, even if it’s messy. You can protect your time, your energy, your money. You can take care of your health before it demands your attention.
Because when you turn 30, you’ll either be grateful to your younger self…
or wishing you could go back and do things differently.
The choice is yours, now.
Always remember that no one is coming to hold your hand and save you.
It’s You vs. You.
Whether you take actions that your future will thank you, else you’ll live a life full of regrets and chaos you never wanted.
If you read this whole article, now is the time to take action and make your 20’s worthy, and useful. Be someone your younger self always needed.
If you loved reading such articles do not forget to Subscribe us, and follow us on Instagram @goodmindsquote
Drop your thoughts in the comments 👇