When you’re young, everyone tells you to “be the best version of yourself”. The funny thing about this is that deep down, we almost all know what the other person means when they tell us something like this. That being said, sometimes we need a mental map of how to get our lives together, because it’s not always so clear cut. This is where I come in. From one self-improver to another, I’ll be telling you what to do to cultivate a good life. Becoming the best version of yourself entails creating a daily routine that maximizes your potential in every area of life, including your health, finances, and dating.
Quit any and all addictions and bad habits.
Any psychiatrist will tell you that quitting the use of psychoactive substances is necessary in order to begin getting treatment for any mental health condition. If you want to improve yourself, make sure you quit doing anything that is likely to be harming you or impacting your life negatively. I wrote an article on how to quit smoking weed. Weed addiction is something I used to struggle with, and I managed to get over it pretty easily. I used to overdrink, but quitting alcohol was also easy for me. You should definitely stop drinking. Alcohol is super carcinogenic, and it’s rare that anyone drinks “just a glass of wine”. If you’re doing drugs definitely stop those. Hard drugs lead to death and prison. Even if you’re a lucky genius, most of your friends will be unlucky morons. Best case scenario, you’ll be watching bad things happen to them. Quit your vices to fulfill your potential. Seriously consider whether social media is a vice.
Figure out how to make some money.
The thing about money is that all the people who have it claim, “money doesn’t buy happiness”. It doesn’t, I can tell you that much. That being said, there is no point in living life without money. Without money you can’t do anything. You can’t rent an apartment, eat nice foods, or even travel without money in today’s world. You certainly can’t help anybody else if you’re not financially stable. The easiest way to make money is a job. I promise you, it’s not online, and it’s certainly not through trading and Forex. Online money can be made but it takes time, and it will likely require you living in a foreign country or rural area. Get a job working in health or for the government. These will guarantee you a low stress life if you’re health and free of addictions. If you want to make money, learn sales. Get a degree if you can do it cheaply. That way you can work in tech or med sales, then fall back on corporate work if you truly suck or hate it. When you get good enough at sales, start a business. If you’re really brave you can start a business early, but I’ll tell you from experience that it’s hard work. You’re going to spend the first year or so feeling very, very broke. Either way, the pursuit of some money is worthwhile, because it will allow you to live a comfortable life.
Establish some savings or net worth goals and systematize your work life.
I’m not a personal finance guru. I have my own net worth goals that will have me retired by age 32, and I’m on my way to pursing those. This is because I’ve chosen to take my talents to the internet. With enough determination and elbow grease I should be able to scale my business up and create the life of my dreams. I think the goal for many Americans is to own a home in their early 30s. Make a plan to get to that point, learn how to budget. There are a few Apps which can help you do that, such as Nerdwallet. When you feel like you’re on track to reaching your goals and retiring, you’ll find your life improving a lot.
Establish a proper grooming and hygiene routine.
If you’re working from behind a computer, you might be able to get away with looking a bit rough. But if you are actually going outside and working, setting up a grooming routine will actually come part and parcel with you learning how to make money. This will be especially true in sales. Ugly or unappealing people simply don’t make it. Even if you do manage to skate by being a slob, people will talk shit about you behind your back. Take it from me, I used to be a depressed, unlikable high achiever. It’s not worth your time. When you cultivate good social skills and emotional intelligence rather than a talent stack you make friends. Friends will help you in times you can’t or don’t want to work. Having proper hygiene will help you make friends.
Create an exercise routine that you enjoy and stick to it.
Nowadays most people are extremely unhealthy. Many would rather eat unhealthy food, drink alcohol, sit around watching TV, and deal with the consequences later rather than do some basic body maintenance. It sounds harsh for me to say it so bluntly, but it’s reflected in global obesity rates. Figuring out how to work out consistently for the rest of your life is great way to put yourself ahead of everyone else. I recommend picking up an intramural sport. This way it’ll be fun rather than a chore. If not, go with Stronglifts and a half hour of cardio daily. You’ll be less swole, but you also will mitigate the risk of a heart attack. This isn’t medical advice, just a conclusion I’ve drawn from seeing bodybuilders drop dead young. If you don’t have access to a gym, just do 100 pushups, 100 burpees, and 100 crunches every session until you can afford one. That will keep you in shape in conjunction with daily cardio.
Have fun, be curious, and be nice.
This is just an opinion of mine, but I don’t think productivity matters as long as you’re doing what you need to financially and taking care of the community. If you’re providing a legitimate service and being paid accordingly, you’re probably helping the world more than you think. The next thing to do is to leave a positive impact on people. Hang out with the people you want to be around. Do the things you want to do, within the bounds of the law. It’s fun to help others. I want to work hard until I’m around 30 in order to do so. I like to volunteer my spare time, but I know I’m unique. There’s nothing wrong with going out and dancing or taking some time to yourself. Just make sure to walk in the light.
Don’t make socializing a goal, unless you have an obvious personality disorder. Just let it come naturally, and be geniuine. That will get you a lot farther than looking to network or trying to become the extrovert you’re not, in my opinion.
Overall, being the best version of yourself is completely subjective, but I tried my best with this article. I’m young, and I don’t think I’m my best self yet. I’ve spent nearly two years learning how to get location independent, and it’s only about to start paying off right about now. I’ve had some relationships with women, and I do have friends, but they haven’t been the focus. Soon, I’ll be able to turn my full attention to other areas of my life. I’m very excited.
