7 things I wish I learned at 18 years old

There have been many light bulb moments over the past decade and with this decade coming to a close I wanted to share with you some of the lessons I learned through my experiences and wild ride of a journey thus far...

1. Freedom Isn't Free - In my teen years well into to my early 20's, I figured things would happen for me if I put a little effort towards them. We all want that freedom without paying the hefty price tag that comes with it. I underestimated the time, effort, and focus it takes to pursue the dream of being financially free. I can't say I am there yet, but now understand the science of attaining it.
2. You Must Educate YOURSELF- the unfortunate truth is you won't be able to rely solely on the institutional education you've endured. In my experience, I only learned what I truly needed to know when I dove head first in the trenches and took a chance. You can't learn experience sitting in front of a chalkboard for 8 hours a day. The real education begins when you understand what is necessary to really make a dent in the marketplace.... Persuasion, Sales, Marketing, Effective Communication, Focus, Financial Literacy, etc. Chances are you may be lucky to find a few good mentors who will take you under their wing but you must dig for the GOLD yourself. Very few give away their actual tools that took them years to acquire. I would have invested more time into studying the successful and less time listening to outdated information.
3. Leave Home! - I didn't leave home until I was 25 years old. Back in 2016. Truth be told, My brother and I had it easy growing up. Our mom did almost everything for us. As grateful as I am for her, it was a major detriment to my growth as a man. I encourage everybody to leave home earlier to discover their own voice, beliefs, values, and opinions. Your loved ones always want to protect you. There's no room for growth if you're afraid of pain. Leave your roots. Find yourself. You can always go back if you so well choose.
4. Girls w0n't pay the bills or make your dream a reality- Up until about 23 years old, I was that guy chasing tail. Though I always had an ambition in me, I looked to escape in the presence of the feminine. I spent too much time wondering why a girl wouldn't love me for who I was and where I was at. It wasn't until I had several reality checks that I needed to shift my focus on my future and not craving acceptance from a female. You attract people based on where you are and your current habits. Now wonder why I was having an abundance of flings... I would have doubled down on my goals more.
5. Power is in the calmness- True power and confidence comes in the form of a quiet mind and one who is a constant observer of his inner happenings and external activity. Confidence is silent. There's no need to brag when you know you have god given talents in certain areas. Show up with QUIET power. When you're outwardly confident, running your mouth, you've now made yourself a target in which people will look to exploit. As Wayne Newton once said, "Tell the truth, but not all of it."
6. Open a book- Books changed the course of my life and allowed me to gain new perspectives on the world and envelop a belief in myself. I opened "Unlimited Power" by Tony Robbins in 2014 and was hooked ever since. Personal development is now a religion. I was to ignorant to read a book at 18.
7. You Don't need to know what you want to do- Regardless of what we've all been told, most of us don't know what we truly want to do entering our senior year of High School, nor should we. We haven't experienced near enough to make a decision on. Follow your curiosity. I thought I was going to be working in sports. I originally went to college for Sports Management and Communications, then dropped out 2 times. I started pursuing acting and booked some roles in short films, two local independent films, several commercials, and a Western film. I moved to Los Angeles to only discover that was a false start for me. I moved to Arizona, met someone in finance who introduced me to the business and my first business was started at age 27. I didn't see myself in finance of any sorts 10 years ago. In fact, I highly disliked it in high school. I have learned what's really going on in the financial world and have grown to love what I do. None of us have it figured out. Continue to follow your curiosity until you uncover what makes you tick.

The reason I wanted to share this is because the earlier we can all learn, the better and more efficiently we can develop ourselves into the next version. My mom always used the excuse, "you're young yet". Next thing I knew, I was 25 years old and felt an overwhelm of anxiety to get on with my life.

Tiger Woods learned young. Bill Gates learned young. Michael Jordan learned young. Elon Musk learned young. Warren Buffet learned young.

This is to my generation and those coming up in the next generation... take your current situation and your future more serious. IT MATTERS.