7 min read DPS

Daily Productive Sharing 1250 - Advice to My Old Selves

Daily Productive Sharing 1250 - Advice to My Old Selves
Photo by Kateryna Hliznitsova / Unsplash

One helpful tip per day:)

On his birthday, swyx wrote a heartfelt letter of advice to his younger self—a collection of reflections he wished he had heard earlier in life:

  1. A powerful exercise: write letters to your past self. Imagine being at a specific age and moment, and send a message that could correct your biggest mistakes or shift your path dramatically.
  2. Don’t be stingy about basic living needs. You need around $2–3K/month. Being cheap here often costs you more in missed opportunities.
  3. Write a "dating README"—be intentional about seeking high-quality partners. The good ones are still out there, and they’re just as frustrated with the apps.
  4. When writing newsletters, don’t just summarize—research and articulate your own perspective.
  5. Most good things in the world exist because someone like you decided to do something about it instead of waiting.
  6. If you’ve gone off-track for 5–10 years, it’s okay. You’re still young.
  7. Pick a big trend. Go all-in. Bet every chip.
  8. The best startup formula: {timeless human need} + {new tech / new media / new generation}.
  9. Take strong stances on important issues. You’ll either quickly realize you’re wrong—or be profoundly right.
  10. Make a list of everything you want to do before 40. Work backward into a timeline—otherwise, time will slip by.
  11. Settle long-term in a major city. NYC/SF > London >> Singapore.
  12. Lifelong friendships (10+ years) are magical. They don’t just happen—you have to start early.
  13. Every pay cut eventually led to a bigger income leap.
  14. Proactively automate or eliminate your job when you can.
  15. Learn to trust yourself and your ideas.
  16. If you’re the 80-20 type, you probably won’t finish the last 80% well. Pick an area where you love the 80%, and go deep.
  17. Be sincere, curious, and ambitious. Regularly gather like-minded peers—not for parties, but for intellectual exchange.
  18. Don’t let “work” or “distance” be your excuse to give up on her.
  19. These things don’t really matter: GPA, extracurriculars, school pedigree. Take the hardest classes—not the easiest.
  20. Study STEM. Within each field, choose the hardest path. Push your mind to its edge.
  21. Learn to code and build games—not just play them. Make games for your friends.
  22. Start journaling. Write down everything that makes you happy. One day you’ll be older and wish you could remember.

If you enjoy today's sharing, why not subscribe

Need a superb CV, please try our CV Consultation

时值 swyx 的生日，他写下了一些对年轻的自己想说的话：

  1. 一个有用的方法是写“给自己的信”——想象自己在某个具体年纪、某个特定情境下，给那个时候的自己送去能纠正最大错误或带来剧烈改变的信息。
  2. 不要在基本生活上吝啬。每月大约需要两三千，但吝啬反而让你损失更多机会成本。
  3. 写一份“约会说明文档”，有意识地去追求优质对象。优秀的人还在，也对交友软件很不满。
  4. 写 newsletter 时要研究与表达观点，而不是只做内容总结。
  5. 世界上一切美好的事，基本都是像你这样的人某天决定亲自做点什么，而不是等待别人做。
  6. 如果过去五到十年走错了，也没关系，你还年轻。
  7. 选择一个大的趋势，全力投入，把所有筹码都押上去。
  8. {人类一直存在的旧需求} + {新技术/新媒介/新一代} 的公式，就是最好的创业机会。
  9. 在重要问题上要主动表达鲜明立场，要么快速发现自己错了，要么极其正确。
  10. 列出 40 岁前想做的所有事情，倒推到具体时间表，不然时间会很快过去。
  11. 选择一个大城市长期定居。纽约/旧金山 > 伦敦 >> 新加坡。
  12. 有一群超过 10 年的朋友真的很棒，不早点开始根本建立不起来。
  13. 每次降薪，最后都能带来更大的收入增长。
  14. 在可能的情况下，主动把工作自动化或消除掉。
  15. 学会对自己和自己的想法有信心。
  16. 80-20 的点子人注定不知道怎么把最后的 80% 做好。选择一个你喜欢的 80%，深耕进去。
  17. 做人要真诚、好奇、有野心。要定期聚集志同道合者——不是随便聚会，而是思想交流。
  18. 不要因为“工作”或“异地”就放弃她。
  19. 以下这些事其实不重要：学历、课外活动、GPA。选最难的课，不要选最简单的。
  20. 学 STEM，选每个领域里最难的方向，挑战大脑极限。
  21. 学编程和做游戏，不只是玩游戏。为朋友做游戏。
  22. 开始写日记，把所有让你开心的事记下来。以后年纪大了，你会很难回忆，会因此感到遗憾。

如果你喜欢的话，不妨直接订阅这份电子报 ⬇️

Dr Selfie

Dr Selfie