The Most Important Item You Could Have Learned in Your Twenties

I am close to 74 now but still learning about life every day. Here are the things I wish I had known about life better in my 20’s:

Focusing on value add

In everything we do, we should focus on adding value. Gear efforts to results rather than work. Begin with the question, “What results are expected of me?” rather than with the work to be done, let alone with its techniques and tools.

Develop a vision

Vision. I am always fascinated by this skill. And it is a great skill to have in our view. Does it mean you see everything? Certainly not. It does mean you have the ability to see what many cannot. And then act on these. Vision doesn’t count without action. And not without managing the needed action required to implement.

That idea of staying the course for the long term has been a key to success. Vision requires the long term. Be stubborn on vision and have flexibility on details.

Making and executing effective decisions

Results most often depend on making effective decisions. I learned that an effective decision is always a “judgment based on dissenting opinions rather than on a consensus of the facts.”

What is needed are few, but fundamental decisions. What is needed is the right strategy rather than razzle-dazzle tactics. Act on the strategy and pay attention to follow-through.