May 8, 2025
This article shares ten important lessons for those in their 20s and 30s, based on experiences from someone now in their 40s. It covers topics from work-life balance and financial planning to personal well-being and business strategies, aiming to help young adults avoid common pitfalls and build a more fulfilling future.
It's easy to think that working all the time will lead to success. But, as I've learned, hard work doesn't always equal success. In my 20s, I worked incredibly hard, just like my parents did, thinking it was the only way. All that really happened was I got burnt out. If hard work alone guaranteed success, then every police officer, nurse, and doctor would be rich, and that's just not the case.
What I've found is that it's more about working smartly. There's this idea called the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule. It means that 20% of your efforts can lead to 80% of your results. The trick is figuring out what that important 20% is. You can even take it further with the 4% rule, which suggests that 4% of your actions can create 96% of your outcomes. It's about finding those few key things that make the biggest difference and taking calculated risks. Sometimes, you just need to focus on a few important things that have a big impact, rather than trying to do everything.
This might not sound exciting, but it's really important: think about your financial future. In my 20s, I had some successful side businesses. One involved buying and selling laptops, which brought in a lot of cash for about nine months. Like any young person with a sudden influx of money, I spent it on cars, holidays, and champagne. It was fun at the time, but looking back now at 43, my pension pot is quite small.
If I had just put a small part of that money into a pension fund back then, it would be worth a lot more now. My advice to my 20-year-old self, and to you, would be to start putting aside even a small amount, like £200 a month, into a pension. Life can throw unexpected challenges your way, and having savings for a 'rainy day' is crucial. Pay off debt as soon as you can, too. Even starting with £10 a week or £50 a month in a savings account can make a big difference when unexpected things happen. If you earn £2,000 or £3,000 a month, setting aside £100 or £200 isn't a huge sacrifice, and it can make you much more financially secure in the long run.
I really wish I had travelled more in my 20s. Now, at 43, my wife and I get to visit many countries with our children, which is wonderful. But it also makes me realise how much I missed out on when I was younger. I was so focused on work, making money, and then spending it, but not on creating experiences. Exploring the world and seeing different cultures is incredibly valuable.
Growing up, my parents never took us abroad. Our holidays were often spent visiting relatives. While those memories are good, I wish we had had the chance to explore the world as a family. It's never too late to travel, but if you're in your 20s or 30s with fewer responsibilities, now is the perfect time. Long-haul flights with kids are a completely different experience! After a recent health scare, I've realised how important it is to seize these opportunities now. So, if there's a place you want to see, go and explore it while you can.
This one is simple: don't drink alcohol. I wasted so many hours and days with hangovers. It's even worse when you have children and wake up with a massive hangover on a Saturday or Sunday morning, knowing you have to look after them. I stopped drinking two years ago, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I even stopped drinking for two years at university and got so much more done with my businesses and life during that time.
There are so many good alcohol-free options available now, so you can still feel like you're part of social events without actually drinking. I realised how embarrassing I might have been when I was drunk after seeing others in that state. Alcohol can mask who you really are and how others see you. If you're feeling nervous or anxious at business events, drinking more can lead to unprofessional behaviour. You don't have to stop completely, but cutting back and choosing alcohol-free options, especially at home, is a very smart move.
Prioritising your health goes hand-in-hand with cutting down on alcohol. Over the years, I've had times when I put my health first, going to the gym, swimming, cycling, and playing sports like rugby and hockey. I often did it for the social aspect and fun, which is a great way to stay active. I've made lifelong friends through these activities. Health doesn't have to be a chore; it can be enjoyable.
After a good workout, you feel better about yourself. While I did prioritise health in my 20s, I could have done more. As I've gotten older, my consistency has declined a bit, partly due to a busy family life. But exercise isn't the only part of health; healthy eating and making sensible choices for your body are just as important. You only get one body, so look after it. I've focused on watching my weight and eating healthily. You can get away with more in your 20s, but forming good habits early on will give you a head start when your body naturally starts to slow down in your 30s and 40s.
I wish I had read more books in my 20s. After finishing university, I thought I was done with learning and reading. It wasn't until about six or seven years into running my agency that I realised I wasn't the smartest person in the room. Other people had immense business knowledge, and I wondered where they got it from. They were simply reading books by experts, learning principles, and applying them to their businesses.
This made me realise I needed to go back to learning. My business management degree was very theoretical, not practical. So, I started listening to audiobooks aggressively, aiming for at least one a month. I now have a library of over 260 books. One of the first was "Built to Sell" by John Warrillow, which helped me understand how to make my agency more valuable by simplifying it. We productised our services, and our revenue doubled the next year. Reading practical business books earlier would have made a massive difference. I think I'd be much further along now if I had started sooner.
When I started my first business in my early 20s, I felt very awkward at networking meetings. I used to dress in button-down shirts, smart chinos, and shiny shoes because I thought that's how business people should look. Honestly, I felt uncomfortable and anxious. As you can see, I'm more of a t-shirt and jeans guy. I surf (badly) and cycle downhill at high speeds; I've never been the buttoned-up type.
When you're in a new environment and trying to be someone you're not, it's no wonder my early businesses struggled. I felt uncomfortable, and that projected to others. Eventually, in my mid to late 20s, I decided to just be myself, wear what I wanted, and stop worrying about what others thought. That's when things started to take off. Be authentic and true to yourself. You deserve a seat at the table, even if you don't feel like the smartest or most charismatic person in the room. Many successful people felt imposter syndrome too. Now, in my 40s, I have conversations with influential entrepreneurs because I finally realised this. Be yourself, add value, and give without expecting anything in return. This will create amazing opportunities for you.
Many business owners, myself included in my early days, forget to charge what they're worth. Businesses often don't have a cash flow problem; they have a problem making enough money and then keeping it. I wish I had known this when I first started my business in my 20s. We charged what we thought people could afford, which led to a race to the bottom on price. In my first year, my business partner and I each made only £8,000.
This lack of proper pricing had a negative compounding effect through my late 20s and 30s. Now, in my coaching practice, I don't have this issue because I learned from past mistakes. I'd tell my younger self to charge in the top 10% of the industry, or even aim to be the most expensive. This creates positive cash flow and allows you to build a rainy day fund. When you're not desperate for every client, you can be more selective. In my 20s, we took on any client, and many turned out to be difficult. When you niche down and qualify clients, you get better quality clients who pay more, leading to better results and more positive cycles in your business.
Successful entrepreneurs often have multiple streams of income. When we first started, we only sold one-off website packages and logo designs, meaning we constantly had to find new clients. I'm talking a lot about business, but these are also life lessons about personal finance. I've learned to be less dependent on my business for regular income.
Eventually, we realised we needed recurring revenue, like support or care plans that clients subscribed to monthly. This allowed me to sell my agency after 12 years because we had 150 clients paying regularly. Many of these plans required little upkeep, making them quite passive. Now, in my coaching practice, I've built a rainy day fund and have multiple income streams: books, speaking, events, group clients, one-to-one clients, and content partnerships. If one stream dips, others can support the business. I wish I had known the power of recurring revenue when I was 20. Building multiple income streams—some upfront, some recurring, some passive—means you're not constantly scrambling for money.
Life and business will throw dips at you. These can be in your energy levels, health, motivation, or work volume. In my 20s, I thought entrepreneurship would be exciting with explosive growth and no problems. When the first dip hit, it felt catastrophic. We ran out of money, had client issues, and fell out with my business partner. It felt like everything was going wrong, and I wondered if it was just me.
I've since realised that these dips are cyclical and almost designed into life and business. I can guarantee you'll go through one, probably within the next two to three years. Over 20 years in business, I've experienced five major dips. The first was awful, the second still uncomfortable. But by the fifth, I was a pro. Now, when I see a dip coming, I sometimes purposefully break my business or switch focus to different areas of my life. This forces me to creatively solve problems and leads to massive breakthroughs. Some of my biggest growth, both personally and in business, has come after emerging from a dip. You consolidate at a higher place than before because you're forced to innovate and solve problems. So, embrace the dips; they lead to growth.
