I recently had a long conversation with a young man in his mid-20s who was unhappy with his standing in life—feeling behind, lost, without a clear vision for the future. We've all been there at different times.

The conversation caused me to reflect on the honest advice I'd give to that younger, lost version of myself to help expedite his journey to the other side.

This essay shares 11 pieces of brutally honest advice to my lost younger self.

Question: How wide is my Information-Action Gap?

Framework: The Yet Mindset

At a young age, I decided I wasn't smart. That story stuck with me for the first 30 years of my life—it created ripples into my actions, thoughts, and behaviors.

The Narrative Fallacy is the tendency to craft a story around data, events, and inputs. Basically, our brains like to "make sense" of the random chaos around us, so the stories provide that structure—they provide a sense of calm.

The stories you tell yourself are important. They can either hold you back or push you forward. There is no in between.

Question: What can you do today that wasn't possible for you six months ago?

Framework: Shinrin-yoku

The Chinese bamboo tree offers a powerful lesson on growth: It requires daily nurturing for several years before it ever breaks through the surface, but once it does, it can grow up to 100 feet in six weeks.

Your growth can be hard to see. It often occurs silently, under the surface. You make the daily investments in yourself, but are often completely unaware of their impact.

The challenge is that if you don't recognize your own growth in its most subtle, hidden forms, you may become discouraged on the journey, lose your motivation, and stop marching forward. This piece shares 9 hidden signs of personal growth.

Question: What are the boring, basic actions that you are avoiding right now?

Framework: The Fosbury Flop

The Ship of Theseus is a thought experiment proposed by the Greek philosopher Plutarch in relation to a story about the Greek hero Theseus. If every single piece of Theseus' ship has been replaced gradually over time, is it still the original ship?

You are your own Ship of Theseus, constantly replacing your parts over the years (metaphorically and literally). But concerning yourself with the question of "who you are" at any point in time is inviting an identity struggle that is unnecessary.

The reality: There is no original version. You simply exist. You never become, you are in a constant state of becoming. This means that you simply need to embrace all change and not worry about clinging to some old version that may have existed.

Question: What is one tiny action that would create momentum?

Framework: The 2 Types of Knowledge

John Wooden was the legendary UCLA men's basketball coach who led the team to 10 national championships over a 12 year period. He is most well known for his life wisdom that extended well beyond the court.

Keeping the promises you make to yourself is the highest order purpose in life. Every single time you keep that promise, you are stacking evidence in favor of the type of person that you want to become.

This piece explores John Wooden's 9 Promises for a Life Well-Lived.

Question: What if your path is a spiral?

Framework: Shu Ha Ri: The 3 Stages of Mastery