Twenty things I’ve learned in the first half of my twenties.
I was thinking about this on my 30+ mile bike ride. Bike rides are either the best or worse thing to happen to me. I come up with my best ideas…but I also narrowly avoid wreckless truck drivers and suck down a slime like goo for calories. Here’s what I was thinking about today.
1. A lot of the stuff that seems really fun in high school/college has SERIOUS repercussions later in life. To be blunt: drinking excessively kills your liver. Sleeping around kills a piece of your heart. Smoking kills your lungs, and makes your car nearly unsellable if you want to get rid of it.
2. The best thing that’s ever happened to me is Jesus. Without knowing God who came to earth, the first half of my twenties would have been a vain search for meaning.
3. Life isn’t just about what can make you feel good right now. The successful people I’ve met are also the ones who are disciplined.
4. Cancer is to the body as reality TV is to the brain (particularly any dating show, or anything on VH1).
5. While we’re on the topic, I have become much more at peace when I made the commitment to NOT watch TV news. Ever since the 90’s ALL of it has been sensationalist. Find out the current information another way.
6. A good pair of jeans really are worth the money.
7. After a breakup, show respect. Do that by quietly walking away from the relationship, and never talking to the other person again. All of this “let’s be friends” nonsense should be left in high school. Most people get married in their twenties. You don’t need a bunch of exes emailing you to “catch up” when you’re in your next relationship, and neither does that person. Shut the door, and move on.
8. Find people with great lives, and watch what they do. Whenver I’m around TobyMac, I shut my mouth and listen (unless I’m doing an interview, in which case, I need to ask a question or two). Toby’s at the place I want to be in my forties. Five kids, his own company, still skateboarding, playing bball, and video games once a week. Every time I’m around him or people like him, school is in session.
9. Read. As much as you can. If you don’t now, start.
10. Money comes and goes, but time leaves and we can never grasp it again. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my life is to value my time to have experiences more than money.
11. The older you become, the more your family will mean to you. If you’ve still got grandparents, call them twice a week.
12. The one thing that’s essential for your survival through the first half of your twenties is a group of friends who love you, and love you enough to call you out on your garbage. Assemble them carefully, and hold onto them tightly.
13. Seek wisdom. I listen to 3-5 sermons each week while doing mundane life chores (grocery shopping, laundry, etc). It redeems the time, and has given me a more broad understanding of scripture. The podcasts I listen to weekly are: Mars Hill Seattle (Mark Driscoll), Mars Hill Grand Rapids (Rob Bell), National Community Church (Mark Batterson), Christ Community Church-St. Charles (Jim something-or-other), Parkview Church Orland Park. All are free on itunes.
14. Texting while driving=owing your roommate $600 for the bumper you just smashed. And that’s a bad way to spend your 26th birthday.
15. Spend less time on Facebook. You’ll be happier.
16. Realize how fleeting most of your 20’s experiences are. I did an Emmy-winning TV show for four seasons, and it was over quickly.
17. Chew on these words by Rob Bell “God, help us see that history is going somewhere. That all this is not just a series of random events.”
18. Don’t be a jerk. Tip at least 20% unless the service is horrendous.
19. Learn to like Bob Dylan. Even if it takes you awhile to get past the terrible singing, he'll eventually enhance your life.
20. The easiest thing in the whole world is to just coast through your day, week, year. Shake things up. Do something scary. Drink deeply from great books, albums. Ask out a girl who’s way out of your league, even though you’ll probably get turned down. Ride a skateboard down a hill. Sign up for a triathlon, even though you’re not sure if you can do it. There’s a great advantage to pain…it reminds you to get off of autopilot and be alive.
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