If you’re 18-24 years old, please watch this video…

Summary

In this reflective video, Amy, a Caltech chemical engineering graduate, shares her journey from feeling lost after college to building her dream life. She emphasizes the importance of starting with the end in mind, building human capital, and learning from others' experiences. Amy encourages viewers to push beyond their comfort zones, prioritize happiness and health, and treat their time as gold. She also highlights the value of self-study, communication skills, and learning from one's own experiences to find one's path in life.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Follow the traditional path: The speaker went to college at 18 without much thought about the future, highlighting the common but unexamined life path many take.
• 😢 Realize the reality of work: After college, the speaker faced the harsh reality of a job that didn't fulfill them, leading to the realization that hard work doesn't always equate to happiness.
• 🔮 Begin with the end in mind: The importance of having a clear goal in mind from the start is emphasized to avoid wasting time and effort on paths that don't align with one's ultimate aspirations.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 Value time with family: As time with loved ones decreases post-college, the speaker urges the audience to cherish and prioritize these relationships.
• 📚 Beyond the diploma: Education is more than a degree; it's about building human capital, including life skills and wisdom that can't be taken away.
• 📚 Read for wisdom: Reading self-development books is recommended as a source of valuable life lessons and wisdom.
• 🤖 Understand AI: With AI on the rise, it's crucial to understand its capabilities and how to leverage it effectively in one's career and personal life.
• 💬 Improve communication skills: Writing and communication are key skills that should be developed, as they are essential for sharing knowledge and ideas.
• 🌐 Expand your worldview: Travel and cultural immersion can provide enriching experiences that broaden one's perspective on life.
• 📈 Learn from others: Listening to and studying other people's journeys can provide insights and lessons that can guide one's own path.
• 🚀 Embrace fear as opportunity: Facing fears and stepping outside one's comfort zone can lead to personal growth and self-discovery.
• 🌟 Live authentically: The speaker encourages living life on one's own terms, valuing personal judgment over societal expectations or the desires of others.

Q & A

Why did the speaker go to college at the age of 18?

The speaker went to college at 18 because it was perceived as the next step in their predetermined life path without much thought about what happens at the end of the tunnel.

What was the speaker's first job after graduating from college?

The speaker's first job was as a Management Consultant.

How did the speaker feel about their first job?

The speaker felt unsatisfied and cried after two weeks into the job, questioning if this was what the rest of their life would be like.

What is the speaker's educational background?

The speaker graduated from Caltech with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 2021.

What is the speaker currently doing?

The speaker is currently engaged in more entrepreneurial and content creation activities.

What is the main message of the speaker about life decisions?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of beginning with the end in mind when making life decisions to avoid regret and wasted time.

Why is it important to consider the end goal when starting college or a new job?

Considering the end goal helps to align one's actions with their ultimate aspirations, potentially saving years of time and effort by avoiding unnecessary paths.

What does the speaker suggest about the value of a diploma?

The speaker suggests that the value of a diploma is less important than the internal value or human capital one develops, such as skills, experience, knowledge, and wisdom.

What role does reading self-development books play according to the speaker?

Reading self-development books can provide valuable insights and open one's eyes to new perspectives, contributing significantly to personal growth.

Why is it important to learn from the experiences of others according to the speaker?

Learning from others' experiences can provide insights into their struggles, mistakes, and successes, which can inspire one's own journey and help avoid learning things the hard way.

What advice does the speaker give regarding handling stress and a multitude of tasks?

The speaker advises taking one step at a time and starting with the first task to gradually tackle a large pile of tasks, emphasizing the importance of time management.

How does the speaker feel about the pressure of having life figured out?

The speaker acknowledges the pressure but encourages not to force productivity or achievement and to remember that life is not a race to be won.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of time management and organization skills?

The speaker views time management and organization skills as crucial for success and happiness, and suggests that these skills are something one should continually work on improving.

What does the speaker suggest as a way to expand one's worldview?

The speaker suggests traveling and immersing oneself in different cultures as a way to expand one's worldview and gain new experiences.

What is the speaker's perspective on the importance of authenticity in life?

The speaker values authenticity highly, advocating for dropping the act and striving for it rather than seeking applause or living out others' dreams.

How does the speaker describe the importance of prioritizing happiness, health, and fulfillment?

The speaker emphasizes prioritizing happiness, health, and fulfillment as essential aspects of life, suggesting that these should be the main focus when deciding how to spend one's time and energy.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Discovering Life's Path Post-College

The speaker, Amy, reflects on her journey from college to her first job and the emotional toll it took. She emphasizes the importance of planning with the end in mind, sharing her experience of working as a Management Consultant and realizing it wasn't her desired path. Amy highlights the value of understanding one's ultimate goals early on, as it can save years of unnecessary struggle. She also stresses the significance of building human capital, which includes life skills and wisdom, not just academic achievements.

05:01

📚 Prioritizing Personal Growth and Learning

Amy discusses the importance of self-education beyond formal education, advocating for the development of skills like communication and time management. She shares her own experience of learning through platforms like Skillshare and encourages viewers to take advantage of such resources. Amy also talks about the value of expanding one's worldview through experiences like travel, and the importance of learning from others' journeys to avoid common pitfalls.

10:04

🚀 Embracing Uncertainty and Authentic Living

In this paragraph, Amy addresses the pressure of having life figured out and the fear of making mistakes. She encourages viewers to embrace uncertainty and learn from their own experiences by stepping out of their comfort zones. Amy also emphasizes the importance of authenticity and trusting one's own judgment, rather than living up to others' expectations. She shares her personal struggles with balancing her parents' wishes and her own aspirations, advocating for a life lived on one's own terms.

Keywords

💡Predefined Life Path

The term 'Predefined Life Path' refers to a set of societal or cultural expectations that dictate the course of an individual's life, often without much personal input. In the video, the speaker reflects on attending college at 18 as part of this path, without much thought to the long-term implications or personal fulfillment, highlighting the theme of self-discovery and the importance of making conscious life choices.

💡Management Consulting

Management Consulting is a professional service that offers advice to organizations on improving their performance. The speaker mentions working as a Management Consultant as their first job after college, which led to feelings of dissatisfaction and questioning the purpose of their hard work, illustrating the disconnect between societal expectations and personal happiness.

💡Entrepreneurial

Entrepreneurial refers to the qualities of being innovative, taking on projects, and bearing risks to create something new. The speaker currently engages in entrepreneurial activities, which is a shift from their initial career path, showcasing the theme of personal growth and the pursuit of a fulfilling career beyond traditional expectations.

💡Human Capital

Human Capital encompasses the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual, contributing to their value in the workforce or society. The video emphasizes building one's human capital as a crucial aspect of personal development, rather than solely relying on formal education or degrees.

💡Self-Development

Self-development involves the process of improving one's life and well-being through learning, reflection, and personal growth. The speaker recommends reading self-development books as a way to gain wisdom and insights, which is a central theme in the video about taking control of one's life and making informed decisions.

💡AI (Artificial Intelligence)

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The video mentions the importance of understanding AI's capabilities and leveraging it, reflecting on the theme of adapting to technological advancements and staying relevant in a changing world.

💡Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes for creative and curious learners, taught by industry professionals. The speaker endorses Skillshare as a platform for self-study and skill enhancement, emphasizing the theme of continuous learning and personal improvement.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity is the state of being true to one's own personality, spirit, or character, without trying to impress others or conforming to societal pressures. The video encourages viewers to strive for authenticity in their lives, rather than seeking external validation or applause, which is a key message in the speaker's personal journey.

💡Comfort Zone

A comfort zone is a psychological state in which a person feels familiar, safe, at ease, and in control of their environment. The speaker talks about the importance of stepping outside one's comfort zone to discover new opportunities and personal growth, which is integral to the video's theme of embracing change and overcoming fear.

💡Sunk Cost Fallacy

The sunk cost fallacy is a cognitive bias that causes people to continue an action based on the principle of 'throwing good money after bad', rather than evaluating current and future consequences. The speaker mentions Ali Abdal's decision to leave medicine despite his investment in education, illustrating the importance of recognizing and overcoming this fallacy to make better life choices.

💡Time Management

Time management is the act or process of planning and controlling how much time is used for specific activities to increase efficiency or productivity. The video discusses the importance of developing time management skills, as part of building one's human capital and achieving a balanced and successful life.

Highlights

The speaker, Amy, discusses the importance of having a clear end goal in mind when making life decisions.

Amy shares her personal experience of feeling lost after graduating college and her journey to building her dream life.

The lesson of beginning with the end in mind is emphasized to save time and avoid unnecessary struggles.

Amy reflects on her choice of major and how it impacted her career trajectory.

The value of human capital over a diploma is highlighted, stressing the importance of personal skills and knowledge.

The speaker recommends reading self-development books as a form of education that can provide life-changing insights.

Amy discusses the importance of understanding AI and its capabilities for future-proofing one's career.

Communication skills are identified as crucial for personal and professional success.

Amy talks about the benefits of learning from others' experiences to avoid common pitfalls.

The concept of treating time as a precious resource and making intentional choices with it is introduced.

The speaker encourages embracing fear as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.

Amy emphasizes the importance of living authentically and not being swayed by others' expectations.

The idea of not having to have everything figured out in your 20s is presented as a relief from societal pressure.

Amy shares her personal strategies for dealing with stress and managing a busy schedule.

The transcript includes a candid discussion about the challenges of applying to graduate programs while managing other responsibilities.

Amy's decision to prioritize family time over professional opportunities is highlighted as an example of valuing personal relationships.

The importance of self-study and continuous learning is underscored through Amy's endorsement of Skillshare.

The transcript concludes with a reminder to prioritize happiness, health, and fulfillment in life.

Transcripts

at age 18 I went to college because well

that's what you do at 18 right this was

simply the next step in my predetermined

life path so I didn't think much about

what happens at the end of the tunnel

fast forward to my first job after

graduating college 2 weeks in after a

long day of management consulting I went

home and cried this can't be it I worked

so hard and for what is this what the

rest of my life will be like you only

get one shot at ages 18 through 24 which

are some of the best years of your life

but it's also where you can feel the

most lost now I'm right at the tail end

of this age range and built what I

currently consider my dream life today

I'd love to share with you what I would

have loved to know these are the five

most important lessons you should start

doing now if I didn't do these five

things I would probably still be crying

about my job instead of living the life

my younger self wanted I'm Amy I

graduated from Caltech with a degree in

chemical Engineering in 2021 so yes I

was a CO graduate sad very very sad

actually not just a fake sad I worked as

a Management Consultant as my first job

I'm currently doing more entrepreneurial

and content things let's go into the

things that I want you to know so much

that I put please in the title let's go

each week studying or working you wake

up on Mondays hating life you stay up to

finish that one task and it feels like a

drag until one day you look at at where

you're going in life and you don't know

because you realize that you've been

living on autopilot you should begin

with the end in mind I picked chemical

engineering because I liked chemistry

and math but I didn't begin my college

experience with the end in mind whenever

you're starting something new or before

you're making a decision think about

what your ultimate goal is with what

you're putting in right now I already

messed up choosing my college major by

not following this advice so when I

began recruiting for my first full-time

job I reflected about the end I want and

that was to make an impact through

leadership if I hadn't reflected about

my ultimate goal and instead done

engineering right out of undergrad then

it would have taken me five extra years

before I could switch into Consulting

and then only after trying Consulting I

would realize I don't want to do it and

by then it would be a lot harder and

riskier to do entrepreneurship like I am

now so I actually saved myself over 5

years getting myself to do what I enjoy

now you can also save yourself years and

years getting ahead more successful and

happier by simply beginning with the end

in mind when you input something right

now it's more optimal if you already

have a sense of where you want that to

take you the headline here to keep in

mind is think about what you won't

regret and that includes spending time

with the ones who matter I saw this

crazy graph the other day that shows the

time spent with your parents and

siblings it peaks in childhood and

declines dramatically after age 20

you're probably working on a degree

right now or have already finished a

degree or even if you're not in college

that's totally fine but I think what's

really important is to realize that

being educated is more than a piece of

paper I've seen people who go to Harvard

who go to Caltech and they don't have

many life skills or they don't know how

to handle things outside of the bubble

of college and not being smart in life

definitely includes myself because your

girl didn't know the first thing when it

came to how credit cards really work

finances

taxes knowing how to turn on a

stove just kidding I'm not that bad but

my fiance who went to a quote unquote

lesser ranked school is so good at

speaking with people he knows everything

about finances and helps me I'm looking

for a man in finance trust so number two

is build your human capital the diploma

doesn't mean as much as the person you

are this is the internal value you have

within yourself like skills experience

knowledge wisdom that no one can take

away from you where even if one day your

degree has no meaning at all because it

is arbitrary Society just gives a

definition to it even if that all goes

away you will be fine and you will know

that you're going to succeed in life no

matter what some of the most important

education can actually be forms such as

wisdom from reading books there's a

reason why all the millionaires out

there say to please read books I

definitely agree once I read my first

self-development book my eyes just

opened I was like where has this been my

whole life so I definitely recommend you

try one first you can self-study with AI

on the rise it's really important to at

least understand its capabilities how

you can leverage it and at the very

least learn how you can accurately

prompt AI work on writing and

communication I hated writing essays but

now I'm writing every single day way

more than I ever thought I would because

communication is so crucial for me to be

making this video to be putting my

knowledge and experiences into a format

that's digestible and helpful to anyone

on your own you can also work on

organization and time management skills

when I was younger I would look at

adults in their 30s and 40s and assume

they had their lives together and they

were just Miles Ahead in terms of

managing their schedules their calendars

multiple commitments but that's not

really true you realize that at every

age people are still just kids and the

more mature people are those who

actively try to improve continually in

these time management and organization

skills speaking of self-studying new

skills you can easily do this on

skillshare and they're conly sponsoring

this video practicing what I preach I'm

actually taking a class on how to

communicate more clearly and confidently

if you've been wanting to learn anything

from film to design to improving your

productivity you can choose from their

thousands of classes is which are led by

experts you might wonder why skillshare

when I could just watch some YouTube

videos two major reasons one you will be

with other dedicated Learners who help

you stay motivated and two you learn by

doing you get to create and share a

project at the end of each class plus

get feedback from the community you know

how we're so busy and always say I want

to learn how to paint or I love to learn

how to edit videos well summer is your

chance to be proactive and skillshare

can help make it happen for a while I've

been wanting to learn how to level up my

community ation skills in a more

structured way so this course is amazing

because he Alex lion is a communication

professor and he teaches me how to use

pauses more confidently and use less

fewer words fewer filler words ironic

you can try skillshare for free today

just use the link in my description

because the first 500 people will get a

free one Monon trial so don't miss out

finally some of the most important

education you can have comes from

expanding your worldview with

experiences you can travel and get

immersed in different cultures which is

some of the most fun and beautiful

things I think that you can do and you

can do the next two tips you only get

one chance at walking down this life

path you're on time moves linearly such

that after you get through college after

you get through your first job you can

look back and be like I wish I did that

differently you will make mistakes and

while mistakes are definitely great and

you should learn from them it's ideal to

not have to learn things the hard way so

the best way to do that is to learn from

others lives listen to and study other

people's Journeys purposefully find and

understand the years and years of

struggle their mistakes and their

failures that lie behind their current

successes let them Inspire your own

Journey For example Ali abdal he talks a

lot about his struggles and his failures

and about the sunk cost fallacy because

he's not a doctor anymore even though he

spent years and years studying to be one

so by learning the ups and downs of his

journey will not only encourage you

because you'll see it's not easy for

anyone but you'll also have a better

idea of how to build the life that you

want in fact good job doing this right

now learning from me as like your older

sister or kind of a mentor friend while

it's amazing to learn from others it's

super critical and valuable to grow from

your own experiences and you do that by

pushing yourself outside your comfort

zone if you don't know what to do with

your life well there's only one way to

find out every time you're scared to do

something whether it's to talk to

someone intimidating pick up a skill or

apply for a position that seems too

difficult Relish in that fear reframe

your mindset that fear means a huge

opportunity for growth right there in

front of you it's also a chance for you

to discover which doors you can close

and what things you can cross off the

list it was very daunting for me to

completely switch industries from

engineering to Consulting but I'm so

grateful I did that because I discovered

way more about myself than if I stayed

in engineering and at a quicker Pace to

too I'm no longer in Consulting but I'm

grateful I now know to cross that thing

off my list of things I don't want to do

in life see you don't know what to do

with your life yet but that's the beauty

of it I felt lost in my 20s and I felt

this pressure to have it all figured out

and I thought that because I didn't know

everything about myself I was somehow

doing something wrong but it turns out

that's what your life's for the fifth

thing is to remember that it's your life

I absolutely love this quote the life I

had been given is not a rehearsal for

some future life and I constantly remind

myself to drop the act and strive for

authenticity rather than Applause

believe in your own judgment if people

are pushing you in one way understand

that maybe they just want you to live

out their dreams but you are the one who

needs to live out your own growing up

and having values of really respecting

and valuing the opinions of my Asian

parents I struggled with becoming my own

person and forming my own view of things

I had to learn to put my own beliefs

above my parents and only think of them

as advisers not managers the world is

moving fast and that's why companies

love to hire young people because we are

the ones who have Innovative thoughts

and ideas so why not listen to that

Advantage all in all you're going to

feel so much pressure to have your life

figured out and people are going to ask

you what are you going to do with your

life heck you're going to ask yourself

the same thing every day but there's

nothing to do with it your life is not

something to be expended like what are

you going to do with that $100 bill I'm

telling myself this every day as an

achiever personality type don't put

pressure on yourself to win in some

arbitrary race don't feel the need to

force some productivity or achievement

rating on what you've done with your

life so far really if I could give you

one thing to take away from this is that

in this age of distraction and social

media treat your time like it's gold

it's your gold so you choose how to

spend it you choose what to give your

attention to you choose what kinds of

opinions to form don't put other

people's above yours don't put their

time and their livelihood above yours as

long as you continually reflect on how

you're spending your time in valuing it

you will find your way at the end of the

day remember that the old folks have a

few things right which is to prioritize

your happiness your health and

fulfillment what to do with your life

live thanks so much for spending this

time with me hope it was valuable and I

actually have a podcast tast where I go

deeper into discussions and my struggles

going through my 20s right now and how I

think about ways to motivate myself and

stay disciplined so that will be linked

in the description don't forget to build

your human capital and to try skillshare

for free with a link in my description

if you enjoy this please give me a like

so this can help reach more people and

help them thank you till next

time feeling a little stressed

overwhelmed because I still have so much

to do for the application and I've

barely started and I have so many other

things on my plate where it's like I

already had this amount of stuff to do

and now I add on applying and it I

shouldn't even be so stressed about this

because I'm only applying to one school

I also have to film right now and I'm

trying to get this anxious heavy feeling

in my chest out it's just this kind of

dull feeling that I have so many things

to do so I'm just trying to take one

step at a time where maybe I have this

giant pile of tasks but the only way to

get it done is to start on the first one

and then keep knocking them down one by

one today I had two calls one was a

coffee chat with a former student of the

program I'm applying to so that was very

helpful I have another coffee chat on

Friday I have gotten deeper into

brainstorming I realize with so many

other things on my plate that I'm not

giving myself enough time to work on

applications so starting today I'm

putting a Time Block in my calendar

every day where that time is dedicated

to work on the application so that's

where the application is going right

now as you can tell I'm in a kind of a

frantic mood right now I need some more

Zen anyway oh today is June 19th 2024

obviously it's 2024 cuz that would be

weird if it's not anyway okay thanks for

watching this update for the application

process it's hard to realize right now

now but your time with your family is so

limited I learn to prioritize and

cherish every moment such that even when

I got invited to participate in a

college documentary I turned them down

so I could go home to spend time with my

mom and dad