Ask HN: What were some of the biggest mistakes you made when you were young?

Advice from people whose formative experiences were in the 1970s and 1980s should be considered against present circumstances. Things are a lot more challenging 2025 and onwards.

Of all the things I f**ed up, the worst was spending money I didn't yet have on things that I didn't really need to impress people I didn't really care for.

Spending far less than you earn and investing in tangible, durable assets (not shares, crypto, NFTs, etc). Real Estate is good if you can make it positively geared. Houses are good when they provide you with a home and can generate some income. But not so good when they drain your surplus funds on repairs and overheads (insurance, property taxes, etc.

My biggest mistake I made was accidentally getting pregnant at 20 years old, with no job, house or income. Let's just say, it sets you back quite a lot. However, I do actually love my kids a lot, so as hard as it was, there was a silver lining.

And the other silver lining is i'm not even 40 and my kids are almost grown up, I have a lot of freedom, whereas some of my friends are just starting their families, or struggling with infertility etc and I sort of see that and think what a drag at this age, having to change nappies and do night feeds etc. I'm so glad thats not my life.

Software is not lifelike. It’s okay to use a framework. I mean, be decisive. Don’t fall with the trends, you know. The React generation has committed terrors to our community. But One to follow is tried and true in spite of contemporary critiques.

I say this to say, avoid mistakes. But don’t look to reinvent the wheel, roll your own crypto, all that. I’m sure deep down you rather screw up and be able to have someone help you troubleshoot your issue with you, or for there to be up-to-date and standard documentation accessible to you.

If you’re going to mess everything up, the one thing that I can think of that would obliterate your determination to rectify and ostracize you from otherwise helpful people is to do it in a way that has never been done before.

As someone (presumably) older than you, please, no surprises.

Not starting to learn programming earlier.