Assuming 16-26 is the best it gets for a man, here’s how to not waste those years
1. Focus on developing ONE specialized skill that aligns with your personality that you could potentially make a lot of money with. If it involves a higher education, great. If not (sales or marketing) disregard college completely.
2. Find the BEST people at that skill, ideally under 30. Do whatever it takes to get into close proximity with them (move to their city, join their community, discord, groups, clubs etc).
3. Once you get in proximity, be competent enough to provide value, either by a very specialized skillset or pure grit / attitude. Use that to work on something long term with those people.
That’s really about it. Your 20s should be focused on being in the right place, knowing the right people (business and romantic), and having the right skills. If you’ve got that, 30s should be a great decade.
Disregard all other advice like “don’t waste money, don’t get drunk”
That is advice that only works for NPCs.
High level people don’t give af about saving money they only care about making it. You’d never respect someone who chooses not to buy a Starbucks or something because their time isn’t valuable at all.
A lot of them also have vices for better or worse. It just is what it is. Ordinary personalities cannot accomplish above extraordinary things.
Now am I saying to develop vices? Obviously not. But if a high level person offers you a drink you might as well drink it.
In the same vein, if an ultra competitive marathon runner wants you to run a 5k with them you might as well give it a shot.
Normies won’t understand it but these are essentially both the same activity, they both test your will, like a frat initiation.