Acquire difficult to learn, useful, and easy to implement skills that people will pay good money for. Medicine and engineering are your best bet for a high floor. Unless you have a Bloomberg terminal and are a math whiz, don’t waste your time trying to make money as a day trader. You might get lucky, but chances are you won’t. Stay out of debt as best you can.

You didn’t ask, but I know any warm blooded 20 year old is going to be thinking about it. When it comes to women, no one is out of your league. Repeat that to yourself. No one is out of your league. The manifestation shit does work with the ladies. They respond to confidence. The more you get into the batters box and swing, the more confidence you will have the next time you get into the batters box. Eventually you will hit a home run. Hall of fame baseball players fail more than they succeed. Don’t be afraid of rejection and don’t take it personally. Just get back in the batters box and swing away.

I’m afraid the actual advice I’d give myself is something I think most people already know by that point.

Failing that, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”, since there’s the opposite idea around. If you have to choose between a network and actual basic competence, it really looks like the network gets you further, now that I’ve seen more of life. (Both is of course ideal)

On investments, yeah, a boring diversified portfolio will lead the pack. On the law of attraction, just what about this universe seems like it’s designed to give you want you want? That’s not how anything works; take whatever you do have, and build on it, one day at a time.

Just invest in mutual funds, max out your roth ira contributions every year. Don’t try and make a living by trading, set aside 10-15% of your income to mutual funds and leave it there until you’re old. Get a job and max out your contributions, or at least max out employer contributions.

Wear sunblock.

does manifestation actually work

Not unless your parents are rich.

Check out Mr. Money Mustache and related resources, like this one, https://livingafi.com/2014/01/21/how-to-live-in-corporate-prison/. That guy did go back to work, due to unexpected divorce and health issues that changed the math. Still lots of good posts on bad workplaces, how to deal with work in healthier ways, and navigating stages of his life was relatable.

With a do-over, I would have picked 100% growth fund in the 401k from the start. If you want some bond funds too, buy them separate, not the target-date or other mixed funds, so you decide which fund type to sell when you want to. Good luck!

| does manifestation actually work

only the part where you are doing shit to make things happen works. I guess if you have nothing left to do towards a goal then doing affirmations doesn’t hurt to use it to make yourself feel better, but it’s not going to make something happen for you.

If you’re asking about head space, that might be your first sign of burn out. Stop it. Pick a stable, well performing ETF and regularly invest in it. Forget about it for 40 years.

Actual advice: Go to the gym or be otherwise active. I’ve been overweight my whole life (am software engineer) and just recently started investing in MYSELF. The workout sucks, but the results in the morning shower and the mirror feel good. Remember, after ~32 it becomes harder and harder to build and maintain muscle mass.

had some bad losses in trading lately, took a short break and now trying to actually fix my risk management before going back in

Good for you getting out. Don’t get back in. No more day trading. Day trading is anti-social shithead behavior, anyway. If you don’t feel bad for doing it, take a closer look. It doesn’t pass any kind of pro-social test.

if you’re older and already been through your 20s, what do you wish someone told you back then?

Someone did tell me this, but I was a stupid kid. I followed it, but I started stupdily late.

Maybe you’re smarter than I was, but forgive yourself later if you’re not - you’re at least in good company.

Here is is:

"Time in the market always beats market timing. Buy conservative things with real value - ideally that routinely pay a dividend. Hold on to them.

However powerful you think you know compounding interest is, you’re wrong. It’s substantially more powerful than that.

Get it - compounding interest - on your side right now, and keep it there, anytime you can.

Don’t take out any debt that you can possibly avoid."

In my experience - manifestation kind of works by changing your focus, you notice opportunities that you might have missed. Though I once manifested a board for our bed by saying I need a board for the bed then opening the door and there was a big board propped up in an alley, and another time a big cardboard box for baby chicks sort of the same way, just looked around wherever I went and found one the same day.

I don’t think it works like that for money, you aren’t going to find it in the alley, but focusing on it can help you get a better job because you are telling people you need one (networking) and open to opportunities to make more money.

Same with wanting a boyfriend/girlfriend. Having that energy, the openness to experience attracts more people.

also anyone here into manifestation/law of attraction, does it actually work for you? not asking to like wish for money lol, more curious how you actually get into a good headspace and stay there day to day

I remember the random people I’ve interacted that I really liked.

Then I taught myself enough acting skills to pretend to be that person.

I get genrally better service than anyone else.

I also tip well, because I can. That probably helps, but that’s not why I do it.

As others said: Choose to fall in love with brushing and flossing your teeth.

Make that shit your “me” time.

Experiment with expensive or esoteric ways to make it feel great.

If it’s not the best part of your day, change things up until it is.

I would have suffered less if I had figured this out sooner.

Just work a real job and learn applicable and useful skills, stop trying to be a successful leach. You’re just gambling.

Manifestation is bullshit, there is no magical method for getting life to just hand you whatever you want outside of working for it or getting very lucky, which won’t ever happen twice, anyone telling you otherwise is grifting you. It’s stupid cosmic woo woo nonsense.

Nothing will ever be handed to you, you only get what you work for, which means you have valid reason to value and celebrate your achievements when you reach them. You don’t stay in a good headspace every day, that’s a naive expectation. Shit will suck and shit will be awesome, most of the time shit will be banal, you take it one day at a time and do the work to be the best version of yourself you can manage.

Nobody owes you a fucking thing.

Manifestation is bullshit.

Don’t trade your money away. Open a Traditional and Roth IRA, put some money in those accounts for retirement, and don’t touch it. You’ll literally be penalized if you do.

If you have parents, loved ones, or even for yourself: Prepare a trust. Don’t wait until you or anyone is on your deathbed to make those arrangements. It may seem insignificant now, but even the smallest item you possess will need to be disputed if you die, so don’t make that a hassle for any future children or your relatives. And don’t worry, trust are flexible, you have the final say, so make as many changes to it as you need to. As fractured as the relationship with my father was, him prepping a will, trust, advanced medical directive and a memorandum made inheriting his possessions much less of a hassle than it would’ve been otherwise.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to a career. Be flexible with your skillset and be willing to work the smaller jobs just to get experience and some money, even if they don’t align with your big career plans, because they’ll still offer experience that you can carry with you. I’m a year and a half out of work because I put all my eggs into IT and Data Analysis.

Make sure you’re in a good headspace before jumping into a relationship. Take it at your own pace. Most importantly, be upfront with your partner about what you want out of the relationship, whether it’s a one-night stand, or a long-term relationship. And make sure you both communicate what you want. I only had five months of dating experience back in high school, and my most recent relationship ended after a week because I was so desperately acting on signs that weren’t there, which led me to ignoring my own boundaries and hurting my ex because I was two-faced.

Make sure to set boundaries and protect yourself above all else. You’re no good to anyone if you’re no good to yourself. Take time to recharge. If you’re not feeling up to something physically, emotionally or mentally, it’s okay to cancel or step back. Just don’t make a habit of it. As a people pleaser, I would overload my plate with saying yes to nearly everyone and everything, trying to be the “nice guy” or “helpful steward” when I was really allowing myself to be strung along because I couldn’t say no. Learning to say “no” is so important for yourself and for those you love.

Stop with the trading. Get sensible investments like index funds in a 401k or something. You can’t simply manifest something. If it helps you to have mantras to repeat that’s awesome and can be helpful to some people, but you have to actually live those words. Manifest it through your actions.

Manifestation doesn’t work.

You set goals and work towards them. Discipline, work and the ability to learn from your mistakes will take you further than wishing on a star.