A few weeks ago I reached out to the GenTwenty community with a survey asking them to share the best advice they had ever been given. As always, they delivered.
Below, I’ve complied 19 of the submissions we received. From career advice, to finance, to self-development, these are all things we need to hear in our twenties.
The 19 Best Pieces of Advice You Need to Hear in Your 20s
“You can have anything you want if you are willing to give up the belief that you can’t have it all.” — Sofia
“I was having a very tough job search and struggling to figure who and what I wanted to be. One of the high school students I worked with told me, “Sometimes you have to advocate for yourself because no one else will.” — Kat Whitaker
“One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is to never hesitate to say something. Sometimes, people have a misconception, especially in the workplace, that since we’re young our opinions shouldn’t matter as much, causing many twenty-somethings to not speak up. You need to be open about your thoughts and opinions and feelings and what not — both personally and professionally. You don’t want to regret the things you never said, and your words may go farther than you may realize!” — Michelle Ioannou
“Back yourself. Self doubt is going to creep in but you’ve gotta keep going. Stick to your guns and follow your gut. Cliche but it’s true.” — Laura Platts
“Every job you’ve ever held is paid training to someday work for yourself. My entrepreneur self absolutely FLIPPED when I read this because it’s so true: every workplace will teach you something (whether life or professional skills) that will help you grow your own business.” — Tori Dunlap
“Always pay yourself first- set aside part of each paycheck for a “rainy day” no matter how small your paycheck is. Even if you give up a coffee once a week or if you go for a cheaper meal at a restaurant, those little savings can add up! That “rainy day” fund will greatly help when you have an unexpected expense.” — Ying
“No one knows what they’re doing. Everyone in this world is just faking it.” (Reference to the fake social mask we put on on social media/Facebook). — Lily
“Try and fail. Then try again.” — ForeverKarley
“It’s better to have tried and failed than to wonder what if. (This advice always gives me a kick if I’m not sure what path to take. If you have a dream or something you’d like to achieve, the worst thing you could do is nothing at all! Try and know you did what you could – you never know what will happen when you put yourself in the way of opportunities.) — Yaz at The Wallet Moth
“I once heard, ‘Fear is not productive.’ Now, every time I’m stuck in an anxiety spiral and putting off something because I’m afraid, I remember this and try to push through the fear. — Julie Winsel
“Nothing is constant but change so get comfortable with new surroundings, processes, and people. Embrace the changes.” — Antoinette Minor
“Let them tell you no.” (In other words, don’t count yourself out.) — Courtney Richardson, The Ivy Investor
“After graduating from my undergrad I was preparing to go straight into grad school. A stranger told me to wait, find a job and get real work experience; it will change what I want from grad school. She was so right!” — TheCareerFashionista
“Don’t ever run out of money.” (From Jeffrey Gitomer.) — Vince Skolny
“No one wants to be friends with a perfect person, so don’t spend your life trying to appear perfect. What you see as a vulnerability is what makes you relatable.” — Natalee Desotell
“Always ask for a raise. Because what seems like a ridiculously high number to you could be a ridiculously low number to someone else.” — @millennial_md
“As a filter for decision making, ask yourself: In three months, will this matter?” — Tess
“You must be your #1 advocate. No one will fight for you harder than you’ll fight for yourself.” — Danny Rubin
“You’ll make your best decisions when you focus on what makes sense for your talents, skills, goals, and finances and not just off of what you think you want. Also, it’s okay to change your mind.” — Nicole Booz
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What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Join the conversation and leave it in the comments below!