Three Life Lessons You Shouldn’t Wait Until You’re Old to Learn

Advice from a retiree that every teenager should hear

At 15, you’re probably not thinking about retirement. But what if waiting to figure life out is a mistake?

If someone who has been retired as long as you have been alive gave you life advice, would you listen?

I did. And I’m glad I did.

I asked them, “What advice would you give to someone newly retired?” Their answer was simple:

• Find something you love doing.

• Find people to do it with.

• Accept that one day, you’re going to die.

Purpose. Community. Mortality.

At first, it sounded like advice just for older folks. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized—it’s advice for everyone. Including you. Because the biggest mistake we make is waiting too long to learn how to actually live.

Purpose: Find Something to Do

You don’t need to know your dream job at 15. You don’t need your whole future figured out. But you do need something—anything—that makes you excited to get up in the morning.

Sports. Music. Gaming. Writing. Learning. Something that makes time disappear when you’re doing it. It doesn’t have to be “productive.” It just has to matter to you.

Old people figure this out fast—because when you have nowhere to be, you realize how important it is to have something worth doing.

Community: Find People to Do It With

Retired people get lonely. So do high schoolers. And the worst part? Most people won’t admit it.

You need real friendships, not just group chats. Real conversations, not just Snap streaks. You need people who actually know what’s going on in your life.

Even couples need other couples. Even families need other families. No one thrives alone.

Mortality: Accept That One Day, You’ll Die

Sounds dark, right? It’s not. It’s actually freeing.

Most people live like they have unlimited time. They push things off. They assume they’ll “get to it” later. But what if later never comes?

What would you do differently today if you really understood that?

Why Wait Until Retirement to Get This?

People used to call me an old man in high school. I wore Sperry boat shoes, and I would say things like, “now we’re flying!” In college, a mentor gave me the best advice I’ve ever received: “Slow down.” At the time, I didn’t fully get it. Now, I do.

We rush through life. We chase things that don’t matter. We assume we’ll figure it all out later. But what if we just started living the right way now?

What if we acted more like old people—not in a boring way, but in a wise way?

Your Move

If you had to focus on one of these three things—purpose, community, or mortality—starting today, which one would it be?

Hit reply and let me know. I read every message.