What do people most regret not doing in their 20s?

人們最后悔20多歲時沒做什么？

I am now 63 years old. I’m one of those people who did a lot of things that I should have in my 20s that others failed to do. There are a few things I wished I did and didn’t do. I have a son who is 24 and I make sure he is informed of my thoughts on this. Some of my recommendations:

我現在63歲，我也是做了很多別人在20多歲該做卻沒做的事的人。有幾件事是我希望曾經做了或沒做的。我兒子24歲了，我確定他會知道我對這件事的想法，下面就是我的幾條建議：

1.Get an education in a marketable skill! I can’t stress this enough! It will determine most aspects of the rest of your life. When you’re young and have few obligations is the time to do this.

1.學習社會需要的技能！我要特別強調這一點！這將決定你余生的眾多方面。年輕時沒有太多束縛，正是學習的時機。

2.Learn to save and invest your money. Learn all about mutual funds, bonds, stocks and everything else.

2.學會省錢和投資。學習所有關于互惠基金、債券、股票等的東西。

3.Don’t encumber yourself. Avoid buying high ticket items; cars, houses, furniture! Be free enough to move around to different jobs or financially free enough to not panic if you don’t have a job.

3.不要負債。避免買價格太高的東西：車、房子、家具！要能自由跳槽或財務自由，才能在失業時不慌亂。

4.Take time off, travel, enjoy life. I had a lot of old timers back then when I was in my 20s and 30s and traveling around telling me I was doing the right thing because they waited until they retired and now didn’t have the health or stamina to do many of the things they wanted to do.

4.抽出時間旅行、享受生活。我二三十歲四處旅行時有很多前輩說我做得對，因為他們一直等到退休都沒能出去，現在沒有那個身體條件和精力去做很多曾經想做的事了。

5.Don’t get married early. My thoughts are for a man, mid 30s is a good time to get married. You have had time to get an education, build a career and have some adventure.

5.不要早結婚。我的想法是說給男人的，30歲中期是結婚的好時候。你有時間去接受教育、成就事業、還能去冒險。

6.Be wise when choosing a mate. This person will have the most effect in your life. She should have the same level of skills, income and responsibility as you and has also worked hard to make achievements.

6.選擇另一半要明智。這個人對你的生活影響最大。她應該和你有相同水平的能力、收入和責任感，也要有上進心。

7.Be aware of the three ways to learn about dealing with challenges in your life: 1. Think about actions and the consequences. 2. Observe what other people have done and the consequences they face as a result. Learn from the mistakes of others. 3. Just go ahead and do something stupid. Pain is the great teacher! Try to lean by #1, if not then #2. Avoid #3!

7.知道你要學會的處理生活中挑戰的3種方法：1）考慮行為和后果。2）觀察別人做過什么以及他們所面對的后果，并以此為鑒。3）行動起來，做點蠢事。痛苦是最好的老師！努力從#1中學，不行就從#2中學，避免#3！

8.Avoid being idealistic. The world is not fair and there is evil in it. There are some people who are privileged and many who are not. Accept reality and learn to work with it.

8.避免理想化。世界并不公平，也有邪惡。有些人享有特權而很多人都沒有。接受現實，學會應對。

9.Something young men need to know about is the damage divorce can do to them. Divorce is one of the main causes of bankruptcy and midlife male suicide. Statistics show that the serious problems children are likely to develop in a fatherless household is many times greater than from a household with both parents or even just the father; suicide, homelessness, drugs, pregnancy, crime, school drop out, etc.

9.年輕人需要知道離婚會給他們帶來什么危害。離婚是導致破產和中年男性自殺的一個主要因素。數據顯示沒有父親的家庭里的孩子比父母都有或甚至只有父親的家庭的孩子問題多很多倍：自殺、流浪、吸毒、未婚先孕、犯罪、輟學等等。

10.Don’t stay in a job where you aren’t advancing in pay, position or knowledge. Every job should be a stepping stone to the next one.

10.不要停留在一份不能加薪、升職或學到東西的工作上。每份工作都應該是下一份工作的墊腳石。

11.Stay away from drugs and alcohol and people that use them to excess.

11.遠離毒品和酒，還有利用毒品和酒縱欲的人。

12.Stay away from “fringe” groups. Like radical religious or political groups.

12.遠離“邊緣”群體。像極端宗教組織或政治團體。

13.Take care of yourself - eat right and exercise!

13.照顧好自己——好好吃飯，還要鍛煉！

14.Don’t ignore the education advise in the first topic!

14.不要忽視第一條中的教育建議。

What do people most regret not doing in their 20s?

人們最后悔20多歲時沒做什么？

I am now 63 years old. I’m one of those people who did a lot of things that I should have in my 20s that others failed to do. There are a few things I wished I did and didn’t do. I have a son who is 24 and I make sure he is informed of my thoughts on this. Some of my recommendations:

我現在63歲，我也是做了很多別人在20多歲該做卻沒做的事的人。有幾件事是我希望曾經做了或沒做的。我兒子24歲了，我確定他會知道我對這件事的想法，下面就是我的幾條建議：

1.Get an education in a marketable skill! I can’t stress this enough! It will determine most aspects of the rest of your life. When you’re young and have few obligations is the time to do this.

1.學習社會需要的技能！我要特別強調這一點！這將決定你余生的眾多方面。年輕時沒有太多束縛，正是學習的時機。

2.Learn to save and invest your money. Learn all about mutual funds, bonds, stocks and everything else.

2.學會省錢和投資。學習所有關于互惠基金、債券、股票等的東西。

3.Don’t encumber yourself. Avoid buying high ticket items; cars, houses, furniture! Be free enough to move around to different jobs or financially free enough to not panic if you don’t have a job.

3.不要負債。避免買價格太高的東西：車、房子、家具！要能自由跳槽或財務自由，才能在失業時不慌亂。

4.Take time off, travel, enjoy life. I had a lot of old timers back then when I was in my 20s and 30s and traveling around telling me I was doing the right thing because they waited until they retired and now didn’t have the health or stamina to do many of the things they wanted to do.

4.抽出時間旅行、享受生活。我二三十歲四處旅行時有很多前輩說我做得對，因為他們一直等到退休都沒能出去，現在沒有那個身體條件和精力去做很多曾經想做的事了。

5.Don’t get married early. My thoughts are for a man, mid 30s is a good time to get married. You have had time to get an education, build a career and have some adventure.

5.不要早結婚。我的想法是說給男人的，30歲中期是結婚的好時候。你有時間去接受教育、成就事業、還能去冒險。

6.Be wise when choosing a mate. This person will have the most effect in your life. She should have the same level of skills, income and responsibility as you and has also worked hard to make achievements.

6.選擇另一半要明智。這個人對你的生活影響最大。她應該和你有相同水平的能力、收入和責任感，也要有上進心。

7.Be aware of the three ways to learn about dealing with challenges in your life: 1. Think about actions and the consequences. 2. Observe what other people have done and the consequences they face as a result. Learn from the mistakes of others. 3. Just go ahead and do something stupid. Pain is the great teacher! Try to lean by #1, if not then #2. Avoid #3!

7.知道你要學會的處理生活中挑戰的3種方法：1）考慮行為和后果。2）觀察別人做過什么以及他們所面對的后果，并以此為鑒。3）行動起來，做點蠢事。痛苦是最好的老師！努力從#1中學，不行就從#2中學，避免#3！

8.Avoid being idealistic. The world is not fair and there is evil in it. There are some people who are privileged and many who are not. Accept reality and learn to work with it.

8.避免理想化。世界并不公平，也有邪惡。有些人享有特權而很多人都沒有。接受現實，學會應對。

9.Something young men need to know about is the damage divorce can do to them. Divorce is one of the main causes of bankruptcy and midlife male suicide. Statistics show that the serious problems children are likely to develop in a fatherless household is many times greater than from a household with both parents or even just the father; suicide, homelessness, drugs, pregnancy, crime, school drop out, etc.

9.年輕人需要知道離婚會給他們帶來什么危害。離婚是導致破產和中年男性自殺的一個主要因素。數據顯示沒有父親的家庭里的孩子比父母都有或甚至只有父親的家庭的孩子問題多很多倍：自殺、流浪、吸毒、未婚先孕、犯罪、輟學等等。

10.Don’t stay in a job where you aren’t advancing in pay, position or knowledge. Every job should be a stepping stone to the next one.

10.不要停留在一份不能加薪、升職或學到東西的工作上。每份工作都應該是下一份工作的墊腳石。

11.Stay away from drugs and alcohol and people that use them to excess.

11.遠離毒品和酒，還有利用毒品和酒縱欲的人。

12.Stay away from “fringe” groups. Like radical religious or political groups.

12.遠離“邊緣”群體。像極端宗教組織或政治團體。

13.Take care of yourself - eat right and exercise!

13.照顧好自己——好好吃飯，還要鍛煉！

14.Don’t ignore the education advise in the first topic!

14.不要忽視第一條中的教育建議。