re: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to the 18 year old you?

quote:

---

Here is what I would say.

Cars - You are not as clever as you think. Bring your father with you when you are buying that first car.

Women - Before you decide on marriage, look at her mother. That is what you will be with in 25 years, physically and emotionally. If you think her family are whack jobs now, it will get worse over time.

Finance - Remember, it is not what you make but what you keep and save that is important.

---

Marry that girl you are going to go to the company Christmas party in 1988 with as soon as she will say yes instead of waiting 5 years. Knock her up as soon as possible and don't be an idiot thinking a career is a suitable replacement for a family. Have a houseful of kids with that girl instead of just 2. Hire professionals to do most of the work you are doing when you have a successful small business in a few years instead of working 7 days a week 18 hours a day 350 days a year and burning yourself out and selling that business because you are to cheap and too dumb to realize the value of a professional accountants and the like.

Outside of waiting too long to marry my wife and start a family, not having a houseful of kids and only having 2 and selling my business because I was working too much when I could have hired folks to do 90% of the work and concentrated on life instead of money are the only regrets I have in life. The whole business thing turned out for the best and allowed us to live and work abroad for a long time but we would have been better off financially had I not sold it when I did. Should have been enough to retire at 45 but I tried it and did not like it....