I read this Tweet last night:

umairh umair haque So, I wish there three things I knew about life when I was trying to figure out what the hell to do with mine (ie, around 25ish or so).

and remembered I'd asked my colleagues, friends and family a not too dissimilar question earlier this year (we were talking advice for your 18 year old self). This is the email I sent:

I’m helping a friend with some ideas for a coaching workshop he’s doing with some school/college leavers. I thought it might be interesting to share with them some thoughts from “us oldies”. So to you I am posing this question (albeit in a rather Yoda-esque style): If you could go back in time to impart one piece of advice to your 18 year old self, what would it be? Thanks

I simply texted most of my friends with the question: If you could go back in time to impart one piece of advice to your 18 year old self, what would it be? Some were suspicious of my intentions and questioned my motivation for asking the question, some didn't know how to respond and treated the question as one of the toughest they've ever been asked.

But we got there in the end and I put the responses into a graphic. Enjoy.

Rather excitingly the graphic made it into today's Guardian Society Daily!

Oh, and the #3lessons that came to my mind mind last night: 

As for the #3lessons from the originator of last night's conversation:

umairh umair haque My (shorter) #3lessons 1. Never settle for the trivial, tedious, or mediocre. 2. Dream laughably big. 3. Take an improbable journey.

umairh umair haque 4. (bonus lesson). a good life arcs towards significance. work and live stuff that matters. meaninglessness drains the biggest success.

umairh umair haque 3. the higher the stakes, the less you risk. so take big risks when you're young. bet the farm before it's a ranch. it'll be worth it :)

umairh umair haque 2. a good life isn't one where your personal life is a smoking wreck. invest in people. remember fromm's conclusion. bit.ly/t9HGX1

umairh umair haque 1. choose fulfillment and passion over "money" and "success". the latter follow the former. without the former, the latter are empty.

Check out, follow or join the whole conversation here: #3lessons