Professional advice I would give my younger self

Hey internet!!!

I wrote up some advice for software careers, and plenty of it will also apply to your industry.  I was inspired by this great post from a man I really look up to:     

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/a-life-engineered_if-i-could-give-my-younger-self-advice-share-7454515328065306624-rMSP?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAGQZnDkBmdPxcdnM_2qe4Q39--L1RznXznY

I wrote out a list of career advice I'd give my younger self, and is still applicable today:

0.  Please your stakeholders. Managers, customers, romantic partner, family, etc.    

1. Think long term

2. Do the most simple, inconsequential things quickly and from memory.     

3. But for important decisions like which job to take, which house to buy, which car to buy, which school to attend, which state to move to, who to marry, which investments to pick, which nutritious foods to eat every week, etc. use the regret minimization framework: "If I were to look back at this decision 25 years from now, what will I wish I had done today?"   

4. Here's how I personally make these most important decisions: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18iSRFxyV6-MhcGFjLlfVyh0DZo_fdc-T77kSAF6Vp94/edit?usp=drivesdk . It is a version of the famous "prioritization matrix" that my old professor, mentor and manager told me about

5. What would my manager want me doing right now? And this week? Month?

6. What would my future self from 10 years in the future, 50 years in the future , etc. want me doing right now?

7. Don't burn bridges. Options help you feel safe, and psychological safety is super super important for both long-term thinking and your stress levels, sleep, etc. People liking you is important regardless of what career path you're on

8. Invest. Invest your money, invest your energy, invest your time. Rome wasn't built in a day  

8.5.  Planning your day?  Use the "Eisenhower Matrix": also popularized by Stephen Covey.   

9. Sleep lots (at LEAST 7 hours / day for the week, and ideally 9)

10. There are so many mini to-dos in there to help you sleep. I'm gonna just say "Meditate before you sleep" and "stop staring at the Internet, thinking too hard, etc. for 1 hour beforehand" , for now. But Bryan Johnson has many more great sleep to-dos. He's the king of sleep! Very practical and detailed. Dr. Eric Berg is also good for multiple techniques

11. Wake up early before your meetings to have focused thinking and working sessions (like Steve)

12. Carve out time in your week for deep work 

13. Work harder and longer than your competitors 

14. Focus. You know what the most important long-term task on your to-do list is, and it will take sustained focus over long periods of time (about a week. You can take some shortcuts to actually get an answer / results, but you do also want a quality result  

15. Be creative and cerebral. Find key strategies that maximize your output and results

16. Due next month? Start today. It'll dispell the fears

17. Chunk big projects into smaller tasks and "subdeadlines"

18. Work harder than your competitors 

19. Find key strategies that maximize your output and results

20. Do simple chores RIGHT NOW to knock them out

21. Finish your tasks (my ex's dad used to say "close your loops, Nate")

22. AKA "A Bird in the Hand is worth two in the bush"

23. There's plenty more about love and relationships, but this list is mostly work focused. I like Brene Brown, Dale Carnegie, Stephen Covey, Tony Robbins, and Daniel Goleman for relationship advice. Start with Brene Brown and Covey; as effective as the book is, Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" can be a bit manipulative. For the most important relationships in your life, you need to think long-term. We're not all used car and insurance salesmen. You have to tell the truth and be trustworthy

24. Ask for help (strategically)

25. And when you get advice, write it down. Remember it. Repeat it to yourself multiple times. Do it. Finish.

26.  Learn about cars.   You can save a lot of money in a little time, and they're also fun and cool :)    Personal finance, time management, and psychology are universally useful, too.   

27. Listen.

28. Think.

29. Remember.

30. Be independent (the Internet helps a TON)

31. Perfect is the enemy of good

32. Done is better than a perfect plan

33. Laugh

34. Fun is also a part of work

35. As is passion 🙂

36.  

37.  There is always more room to grow, learn, be more effective, improve, and love more deeply and broadly.  You can do it!!  We believe in you.   :)

38.  

Steve Huynh also has so much other great advice from over the years.  Here's his YouTube channel, which contains the most nuance and wisdom of all his platforms, especially mostly his older videos:

https://youtu.be/c3pzcV9yi24?si=9t53hia5uK8ZyMui