logo
Three Harsh Truths Every 20-Year-Old Needs to Face

Three Harsh Truths Every 20-Year-Old Needs to Face

Entrepreneur10-05-2025

Recently, I watched Steve Chen, founder of CALLTOLEAP, share some powerful insights that resonated deeply with me. As someone who helps thousands build wealth, Chen offered three brutal truths that...
This story originally appeared on Due
Recently, I watched Steve Chen, founder of CALLTOLEAP, share some powerful insights that resonated deeply with me. As someone who helps thousands build wealth, Chen offered three brutal truths that every young adult should hear, especially those feeling lost or comparing themselves to others on social media.
These aren't comfortable lessons, but they're necessary medicine for anyone wanting to build a meaningful life. Having worked with many young professionals, I've seen how these principles separate those who thrive from those who remain stuck.
Nobody Is Coming to Save You
The first truth Chen emphasized hit me hard: nobody is coming to save you. This might sound harsh, but it's incredibly liberating once you accept it. Too many of us waste precious years waiting for someone to fix our problems or create opportunities for us.
Chen bluntly said, 'It doesn't matter what your teachers taught you. It doesn't matter how your parents raised you. It doesn't matter how your friends mistreated or bullied you in school.' I've seen this pattern repeatedly. People who succeed stop blaming external circumstances and take complete ownership of their lives. They understand that while life isn't always fair, taking responsibility is the only path forward.
This doesn't mean your past doesn't matter or that systemic issues don't exist. But dwelling on them rarely produces results. What matters is what you do next.
'It's your responsibility to become the highest version of yourself and to always move forward because no one's going to do it for you.' Steve Chen
View this post on Instagram
Your Actions Define Your Character
The second truth focuses on the gap between intentions and actions. Many people I know talk about what they want but do very little to achieve it. Chen's message is clear: you are what you repeatedly do.
This principle applies to every aspect of life:
If you want financial freedom, you must save and invest consistently
If you want physical strength, daily exercise is non-negotiable
If you want to be known for kindness, serving others must become habitual
This is particularly relevant today, when we often confuse posting about values with living them. The truth is that character isn't what you claim to be—it's what you demonstrate through consistent action.
As Chen says, 'Do as many reps as you can so you can proudly wear that badge of character on your chest.' This reminds me that excellence isn't an event but a habit formed through daily choices.
Comparison Is the Thief of Joy
The final truth addresses something I struggle with: the tendency to compare our behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel. Social media has amplified this problem to unprecedented levels, creating unrealistic expectations about what life should look like.
Chen reminds us: 'Not everyone's always going on vacations. Not everyone lives in a mansion and drives nice cars. And not everyone has close friends and family.'
What appears perfect from the outside rarely is. I've worked with clients who seemed to 'have it all' yet were deeply unhappy. Conversely, I've met people with modest means who found profound fulfillment by appreciating what they already possessed.
The solution? Chen suggests: 'The grass always seems greener, but nothing grows without watering what's already yours.' This means:
Practicing gratitude for what you currently have
Investing energy into your existing relationships and opportunities
Defining success on your own terms rather than society's expectations
This final point is crucial. When we stop measuring our worth against others' curated lives, we free ourselves to build something authentic.
These three truths aren't easy to swallow but are transformative when applied. Taking full responsibility, building character through consistent action, and focusing on your own journey rather than comparing it to others—these principles create the foundation for a life of purpose and fulfillment.
The question isn't whether these truths apply to you—they apply to all of us. The real question is whether you'll have the courage to embrace them and let them guide your decisions.
The post Three Harsh Truths Every 20-Year-Old Needs to Face appeared first on Due.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Watch Messi for cheap at Club World Cup? FIFA offering discounted tickets to some students
Watch Messi for cheap at Club World Cup? FIFA offering discounted tickets to some students

New York Times

time26 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Watch Messi for cheap at Club World Cup? FIFA offering discounted tickets to some students

FIFA's latest attempts to fill Hard Rock Stadium for the Club World Cup opening match between Inter Miami and Egyptian team Al-Ahly involve offering students at an affiliated local college a single ticket for $20 — but with the promise of up to four complimentary tickets. The Athletic last week revealed the launch game, which takes place on Saturday night, still had tens of thousands of tickets unsold for a match likely to star Lionel Messi for MLS side Inter Miami. Hard Rock Stadium has a capacity of 65,326. FIFA denied that fewer than 20,000 tickets had been sold for the match — insisting the number was 'much higher' — but they did not specify the number. Advertisement Now, however, email promotions have been sent out to those connected to Miami Dade College, which announced a collaboration with FIFA in April 2024. This involves students being given the chance to intern at FIFA's Miami office, while FIFA's museum loans exhibits to the college. Miami Dade College has more than 100,000 students currently enrolled, according to the announcement made by FIFA of the partnership one year ago. An email promotion sent out says that FIFA, in collaboration with Miami Dade College, is 'providing up to four complimentary tickets to the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup with the purchase of one ticket at the reduced student price of $20.' Those who respond are asked to submit their Miami Dade College email when using their purchase. If they secure the five tickets, then they are essentially able to watch Messi for just $4 a seat, which is a bargain for the local community but a long way away from FIFA's original expectations when pitching this tournament as the most coveted trophy in world club football. As reported previously by The Athletic, FIFA has sold general sale tickets for the revamped 32-team Club World Cup under a dynamic pricing model, a system whereby prices fluctuate based on demand, and the slumping prices for certain games are indicative of FIFA's struggles to sell out stadiums. As of last Tuesday, Inter Miami's game against Al-Ahly had dropped to $55, according to prices on Ticketmaster, the portal FIFA is using to sell tickets for the tournament. This was half of what they were available for in May, while tickets were $230 for the cheapest seat in January and $349 after the draw in December. FIFA is now hoping that the reduced prices will draw people in during a publicity blitz in the final week before the tournament. Despite the $20 offer for the affiliated college, the cheapest seat available on Ticketmaster tonight was $69.15 for an 'obstructed view.' It is not known how many tickets have now been sold for the game, but it is clear that FIFA is now taking every possible step to avoid any perception on Saturday night that the tournament is not in demand. Advertisement FIFA sources, speaking anonymously as they were not authorized to talk publicly on the matter, said that the organization has a strong relationship with the college and see it as a positive to extend the offer to their students to see world-class soccer on their doorstep.

Longtime Wichita business to be auctioned, and it's harder than it looks
Longtime Wichita business to be auctioned, and it's harder than it looks

Yahoo

time31 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Longtime Wichita business to be auctioned, and it's harder than it looks

The first of a couple of auctions at the former Barney's Discount Drug store near Central and Zoo Boulevard will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. It's new territory for Scott Riffel and his family, who have had the business for four decades. Ask him how he's doing these days, and Riffel might stutter a reply. 'I'm OK . . . I think.' Riffel said he hesitates to compare it to a death, but 'it's very draining to go through.' He and his family decided to close the store because the pharmacy within it was closing. The Riffels owned that business with George Saghbene. Changes in the way prescriptions are reimbursed forced the closure, and without the pharmacy, Riffel said Barney's could not survive. A lot of over-the-counter medications will be part of the first auction as will various medical, home health and personal supplies along with a variety of other items, such as greeting cards and light bulbs. 'Mostly for this first one, it's leftover merchandise,' Riffel said. 'Just a little bit of everything we were unable to sell in the liquidation sale.' There also will be items such as open and closed signs, 'things that we found that we still had after 40 years of hoarding things in the warehouse.' Bud Palmer Auction is handling the auction and will sell a lot of the items in lots instead of individually. 'They've been impressive,' Riffel said. 'I mean, Bud knows what he's doing.' A second auction, at 9 a.m. on June 25, will be to sell fixtures in the store. Riffel said he's already learned a lot from Palmer that he wishes he'd learned earlier in business. Not that he recommends anyone go through this. After reading about so many businesses closing or being forced to close through the years and having their merchandise auctioned, Riffel said, 'I see it through a different light now.' He said he feels a lot more compassion for those businesses these days. 'When I read these in the future, I will think and pray for them more than cruising through the article.' Among the mixture of feelings he's experiencing, Riffel said gratitude — for his employees and customers, whom he's already missing — is a big one. 'I'm really grateful that Wichita gave us such a nice run.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store