Ask HN: What would be your advice to a 20 year old?

Make plans all you like, and do your best to see them through, but don’t be surprised if God has other plans in store for you as you go through life. Keep an open mind, be willing to adapt under changing circumstances. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Do not carry grudges, but instead, forgive others for their wronging you; your load will be a little lighter this way. Remember that just as you will need help from someone someday, another somebody will need help from you. Pay it forward and give back.

Use every opportunity to travel, for it'd be harder when you get a full time job, or worse, small kids.

Find a good mentor; in general surround yourself with people more intelligent than you.

3 off the top of my 40 year old head:

Everyday you wake up healthy is a gift.

Time in the market beats timing the market.

Exercise regularly, eat well.

Apply for affordable housing lotteries while your income is still well below the area median.

Understand compound interest. Start investing young. Have a good relationship with money.

* Start investing as soon as possible - try to put away $100 a month until you retire.

* If you can invest, put some into various buckets including the stock market.

* For the first two points, putting $100 a month (as long as you're working), and not touching it until you retire means at 20, you have 45 years of work which is 540 months. Without any interest or any yields from the stock market, that is a base of $54,000 which is like a year of salary when you retire. With something that is interest bearing (stock market is better than a savings), you will probably turn that $54,000 into about $540,000 or more by investing in some good stocks.

* In addition to the investing, first job you get that offers you a 401k, make sure you contribute at least 6% or your employer's match.

* Go to college -- "study what you want to know more about, do what you love." Even if just for the experience -- it will cost money, but start off at a community college to save money and live at home. It'll give you some perspective and help you figure out what you want to do in your life.

* Don't be afraid to ask the person out -- if you see they are interesting and something is urging you on, do it. Until you know for sure otherwise, go for it. Rejection is life -- it is far better to know than to always wonder.

* Fast food is okay once in a while, but learn to cook for yourself and eat healthy

* Try to find time for some type of active lifestyle, even if it's walking for an hour a day.

* It is okay to play video games, but limit yourself.

* If you love doing something, try to think of ways that you can monetize it.

* Call your parents at least once or twice a week just to talk to them. They will not be around forever.

* Stay in touch and on good terms with siblings, they are the best link to your past and will be with you in your future.

* Try to network, make friends, and keep friends. They get busy with life and you aren't in contact as much as they age -- understand they will come and go, but if you can keep a precious few.. you're doing well in the friend department.

* Take up a primary cause in your life and fight for something. For me personally, I like to help people find their purpose in life. I started a website that focuses on jobs, careers, and the workplace (https://confessionsoftheprofessions.com) and I also run a Facebook group of 300,000 developers, which serves to educate people on how to become educated programmers and after learning programming, there are plenty of jobs available looking to hire you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/programmers.dev/jobs

* Travel when you can and as much as you can... it'll give you the most amazing perspectives of the world.

* Enjoy your successes but don't forget how you got there and never be so greedy that you can't donate your time or money to a good charity of your choice.