Unfortunately, no one has ever taught us how to succeed in our twenties.
Written by Miles Deutscher
Compiled by: AididiaoJP, Foresight News
If you're in your twenties and haven't "succeeded" yet, please listen carefully.
The road ahead will be difficult. Unfortunately, no one has ever taught us how to succeed in our twenties.
Schools didn't teach it, parents probably didn't teach it either, and most information online is just noise.
I'm someone who achieved success in my twenties through "unconventional" means (though I'm still progressing and have a long way to go). I want to share my sincere advice and personal experiences here, like writing a letter to my 18-year-old self.
But no matter how old you are, I hope that some of these experiences will offer you some useful wisdom.
This article doesn't just talk about theory; instead, it delves into real and concrete methods that you can immediately put into practice.
I suggest you save this, make some notes, or use it as background information for your AI project.
But remember: to truly benefit from these kinds of articles, simply saving them isn't enough. You must sit down and seriously consider how to apply these principles to your own life.
This article was written by me 100% by hand.
Part One: Foundation
In 2026 and beyond, the most important capability will be: to have a high degree of "autonomy and initiative".
Simply put, it means you can take control of your own life.
How fast can this cycle of recognizing opportunities, acting decisively, experiencing failures, learning from mistakes, getting back up, and trying again go?
For the first time in human history, "information" itself is no longer a moat (now you can ask AI anytime and know anything instantly).
Now, your deepest moat is the agility and speed of your thinking.
Secondly, maintain your curiosity.
If you feel like your life is stagnant, it's probably because you've been stuck in the same place for too long.
Read more books, explore more, explore new and interesting "rabbit holes," try new products, and communicate with different people.
The last point is especially crucial because modern society makes people too isolated.
People genuinely desire to work with outstanding individuals.
Countless excellent opportunities stem from collaboration, thinking, and brainstorming.
This is precisely why the 𝕏 platform can change lives, and will continue to do so in the future.
Don't deprive yourself of the opportunity to discover new things out of curiosity.
You'll be surprised to find that you can go very far simply by having a high degree of autonomy and an insatiable curiosity.
Extreme focus
Establish a set of daily routines, a set of high-value tasks that can propel you forward every day.
Stay away from all that "bullshit" at all costs.
My definition of "bullshit" includes: video games, scrolling through social media (unless it's for research or work), junk food, relentlessly pursuing the opposite sex... basically anything that isn't essential to your core goals.
Of course, people need entertainment. But I've found that it's best to take an "absolute approach" rather than something ambiguous. For example, either focus entirely on work for three months and then completely relax for a week—don't mix the two together.
Health First
Health equals diet + exercise + sleep, which together account for 90% of its importance. And of that 90%, sleep accounts for half. If you could optimize only one thing in your life, it would be sleep. My experience is: when your brain is functioning optimally, work will naturally fall into place.
Work priority
The night before, identify the three most important tasks for the next day that will drive progress. Upon waking, tackle them immediately. Until they are completed, nothing else matters.
The work that needs to be done has to be done by someone. And that person can only be you.
How many consecutive days can you keep doing this? The compounding effect will make the momentum get stronger and stronger.
Make "effort" your defining characteristic, not just a passing fad.
I work 14 hours a day, 7 days a week (with scheduled rest, exercise, and gym workouts). I do get exhausted occasionally, but I get back up and keep going. To be honest, my fatigue is usually not due to the workload, but rather because the work doesn't resonate with my inner self. If I enjoy it, I can work tirelessly for days on end.
Simplify your life and establish "anchoring" habits
You only need a few high-impact habits, and over time, you can achieve tremendous results.
Here are two examples:
- Bedtime alarm clock (sleep better → feel better → be more efficient)
- Focus on three top priorities each day (this ensures that core progress is maintained even if you slack off at other times of the day).
growth leverage
arbitrage
Hire an administrative assistant as soon as your finances allow. They're inexpensive (take advantage of global labor cost differences). When you can hire a second employee, act immediately and continue expanding. Invest your money in increasing your workforce, not in luxury watches, expensive goods, and a lavish lifestyle—I've experienced all of that, and I own multiple Patek Philippes, Maybachs, and Loro Piana suits. Believe me, it's all bullshit.
AI
Spend at least 10 hours per week learning and improving your AI skills. Also, spend 1-2 hours each day using and practicing them. As I write this, I'm simultaneously running ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, each with custom commands and skills set up.
(I don't use them to write articles—hint: using AI to write is a terrible way to build a personal brand. Besides, writing itself is a mentally challenging and enjoyable activity; don't sacrifice the pleasure of thinking for the sake of speed.)
Some high-reward AI skills worth learning right now:
- AI Fundamentals: Best practices for large language models, prompt word engineering, project management, image/design generation, etc.
- Automation: Zapier/n8n is a good starting point for learning how to build workflows.
- Natural language programming: Building software by speaking.
Personal Branding
The reality is that everyone has a personal brand.
Some people's "brands" are only seen by their relatives and friends; others' brands are followed by millions of people online.
I'm not advising you to become an awkward "internet celebrity," but rather hoping you realize that you already have a brand.
Then, decide whether to make the brand public.
Building an account openly is the best way, and that's how my account grew. I started by simply sharing my thoughts and trading experiences, but it changed my life. I was just a 20-year-old kid in my Australian parents' house, and now I'm friends with billionaires, venture capitalists, and founders—all because I started tweeting.
Where should I direct my energy?
Focus most of your energy on things with a "high return on investment".
Obviously, in order to accumulate the necessary start-up capital (not just money, but also knowledge and resources), you may need to start with something with "limited upside potential" (for example, many SaaS founders started by doing agency or information products).
Final advice
First, don't blindly follow "passion".
I know this sounds a bit counterintuitive, but limiting yourself to a single "passion" might make you miss the opportunity to discover other passions.
For example, during my teenage years, I was incredibly passionate about music and dreamed of becoming a singer. Later, I started researching finance and cryptocurrency, which wasn't initially my "passion," but rather something I found somewhat interesting. However, small successes accumulated into big success, and I gradually became engrossed in it, eventually falling in love with the business. Looking back now, my initial musical dreams can't compare to the thrill of entrepreneurship. It wasn't initially my passion; it was gradually cultivated through maintaining curiosity and constantly trying new things.
So stay curious and try new things. You might stumble upon a career path you never imagined.
In this era of dramatic change we are about to enter, such an open mindset is crucial.
Finally, emotional intelligence is far more important than IQ.
Many people are actually incredibly stupid. I'm not referring to their book knowledge, but rather their emotional intelligence.
In the business world, try to put yourself in others' shoes. Think about the consequences before you act, and do more than expected.
If you make a mistake, face it honestly and reflect on it deeply. Stop shirking responsibility and stop complaining about the world.
Yes, life is full of unpleasant things, and there are many things we can't control. But what you can control is your own actions and reactions.
End
A gentle reminder: these articles are only valuable to you when you sit down and seriously consider them, and actually apply these principles to your own life.
One of the best ways to achieve this is to feed this article as background information to the AI (such as any large language model) and then ask it, "How can I begin to act based on these suggestions?"
