A man’s twenties are a pivotal decade. As you transition from studying to a career to the start of the rest of your life, a lot is going to change in a relatively short amount of time.
For some, this will be the best period of their life, socially and dating-wise. Others, however, struggle, as they may have moved to a new city, started working a new job, and had to “start from scratch” in their social and dating lives.
But that’s all part of the excitement of being a man in your twenties, isn’t it? You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, and you can start off with a clean slate that’s just waiting to be filled with fun times, fond memories, and the foundation for your future. So how can you ensure that you live out your twenties to the fullest?
20 life hacks for the twentysomething guy
Below are some tips on life, love, and your career that can help you truly enjoy and make the most out of this exciting decade.
#1 Focus on being social and making friends, first and foremost. Having a good social circle of men and women is the most important thing you need to be happy in your social life, and it’s also the easiest way to meet women. Whether from within your circle, friends of the women in your circle, or friends of the ladies your male friends are dating, a big social circle is the easiest way to come across new women in your life. [Read: 18 insightful reasons you don’t have any friends]
#2 Don’t let your career define who you are. Just because you’ve become an accountant doesn’t mean you have to be the stuffy, boring guy who is middle aged ahead of his time simply because your colleagues are and “that’s just how you will get ahead in the company.”
Be you. Maintain your professional persona, but do not let it overtake your entire life. Maintain your friendships and hobbies outside of the office.
#3 Maintain hobbies and interests with your friends. Your twenties is a time when you may lose touch with a lot of friends and can’t find the time for hobbies you used to enjoy. Friends will drop off as they move to different cities, get into relationships, and more or less drop off the face of the earth.
It might be that you have to make new friends, but either way, ensure you maintain a good social life, and continue with the hobbies that you enjoy. Make the time. Killing yourself in the office and then being a slob in front of the TV will not lead to a happy life or to you being an interesting guy that women want to date. [Read: How to be an interesting guy who can make girls like him instantly]
#4 Get in great shape. You will feel better, have more energy, and garner more respect professionally and socially. Women will look at you more and generally find you more attractive. Internally, you will be building strength and self-belief that will carry you far with women, with your friends, with your career, and with your life. Your body will never be as responsive as it is now, so make the most of it. [Read: 25 inspirational tips to motivate you to work out]
#5 Constantly grow. Read books, challenge yourself, and try new things. This is especially relevant for those who were popular in school – it is easy to rest on your laurels. As people grow older, situations change, and you might find yourself in a completely new environment, it is important that you are growing as a person to ensure you are an attractive prospect that people would want to get to know today.
#6 Try things out. You have little or no commitments or responsibilities. If you want to try a business, do it now. If you want to travel, do it now. It will be much harder when you have a wife, kids, and mortgage payments. Don’t be scared to become the person you want to be. Women will love you for it. [Read: How to find your calling when you don’t know what to do in life]
#7 Don’t get into a serious relationship just yet. Certainly not too early, anyway. Play the field a little bit, and find out what you want from a relationship. Jumping straight into something serious is not a good idea. You are going to grow and change a lot over the coming years, and what feels right in your early twenties might be completely different when you hit your mid and late twenties.
#8 Do what YOU want to do. It is time you take your own path in the world. What your parents, friends, etc. want for you may not be what you really want for yourself. Now is the time to go your own way and figure life out. The better you know yourself, the better equipped you are to meet the right woman. Don’t settle for less than what you truly want. [Read: Do you have to justify the choices you make in life?]
#9 Travel. Traveling will expand your mind like nothing else. It is a great way to meet people from different cultures, see different parts of the world, and grow as a person. Your social skills will improve. You will meet different people and have a greater understanding of people from different places and cultures. And it may open your eyes up to what you truly want out of life. And who knows, you might also fulfill that travel fling fantasy of yours. [Read: 10 easy ways to find a travel fling and hook up with her]
#10 Push your comfort zone. Do something that scares you on a regular basis. If it feels scary, it is usually exactly what you need to do. Approach that girl, ask your friend out, or take the leap with that business. If it goes wrong, will it be an issue in a year’s time? Of course, it won’t!
#11 Learn to sell. If you can sell, you will never be short of work. More importantly for your dating life, sales teaches a lot about the human condition and why we act the way we do. Sales and dating are very similar, and if you know how to sell your product and understand the customer’s “buy buttons,” you will probably know how to sell yourself in the dating world and understand your prospect’s “buy buttons.” [Read: 15 reasons why overly nice guys always end up losing the girl]
#12 Build your lifestyle. “Starving artist” is cool when you’re 21, but not so much when you’re 31. When the time comes to settle down, you want to be a guy with means that can attract a good woman, and look after your family. Put the work in now while you’re young to get ahead, and it will pay off for the rest of your life.
#13 Approach lots of women. The more you try, the more you will succeed. You will learn what works and what doesn’t. You will learn what women like. And you will become immune to rejection. There is no excuse for people scared of saying hello or needing to use alcohol as a crutch to speak to women as an adult. [Read: 20 ingeniously crazy ways to ask a girl out on a date]
#14 Don’t be scared to “fail.” Sometimes, you get rejected, and sometimes, relationships fail. So what? Every failure takes you a step closer to success. The more things you try, the more things will work out for you.
#15 Start over if you need to. New career? New city? New friends? New girlfriend? When you’re young, you really do not have much to lose. If something is not working out, do not be scared to start over again. Use your twenties as the time to “figure things out,” so that everything else runs smoothly in the future. [Read: 12 steps to change your life today and find your happiness]
#16 Build your self-esteem. Being a teenager is pretty brutal, and it leaves many guys with low self-esteem. Work on yourself and build it up, learn to love yourself, and you will radiate that happiness and comfort outwards. Nothing will draw people to you more than the happiness and confidence you exude from within.
#17 Maintain options to not be needy. If you have a phone book full of women’s numbers and are confident that you can go out and meet more when you want to, you won’t have that nagging need to cling onto the select few women who give you attention. A guy with options is clearly attractive to women, and he has the ability to choose the right woman for him – not just settle for the one who will take him.
#18 Network. Meet people, and build relationships. It is important for personal growth, career growth, and your social life. If you are moving in progressively higher circles, you will likely be meeting progressively better people to spend time with. [Read: 12 quick tips to add more people to your social circle]
#19 Follow your own path. Do whatever you want to do. Nobody can tell you to do things a certain way unless you let them. You will inevitably have some failures, but so what? It is very attractive when a guy knows what he wants and how to get it.
#20 Quit porn. One of the best things you will ever do for your dating life is to quit watching porn. Challenge yourself to go outside and meet real women instead. It will be painful at first, but more than worth it in the long run. The computer screen will never compare with reality.
