If I Could Ride That Bike Back to My 20s… Here’s What I’d Do Differently

Looking at this picture — a younger version of myself, pretending to be a rebel on a vintage machine — I can’t help but ask:

What if I could ride this bike straight into the past? Back to my 20s?

Would I still take the same turns?
Still fall into the same ditches?
Still smile at the same illusions?

No.
Hell no.

Let’s rewind the reel. And let me expose the raw, uncomfortable truth I’ve learned from my years of living, failing, fixing, and facing it all.

🧠 1. I Would Learn How to Learn, Not Just Earn

In my 20s, I chased certificates, jobs, and designations.
I thought knowledge lived in textbooks and promotions.
But real power?
It lives in curiosity, not credentials.

If I could go back, I’d spend my time mastering how to think, how to question, and how to unlearn.
Because the world is not run by the most qualified — it’s run by the most adaptable.

💸 2. I Would Invest in Myself Before Investing in Others

I spent money like I had 10 lifetimes.
Loans, gadgets, parties, unnecessary EMIs — all because I was “building a lifestyle.”

In truth, I was building a debt trap.

If I could go back, I’d invest in:

• Learning about money.
• Creating income streams.
• Saying NO to anything that doesn’t make me stronger — mentally or financially.

🚬 3. I Would Tell My Addictions: “You’re Not My Friends”

Smoking? Social proof.
Late-night junk? Comfort.
Addiction to approval? Deadly.

If I could go back, I’d recognize the temporary escape for what it really is — permanent damage.

I’d cleanse my lungs, cleanse my mind, and learn to sit with discomfort without lighting a cigarette or a screen.

❤️ 4. I Would Choose People Based on Vibes, Not Labels

From friends to partners to business associates — I trusted the wrong people because they looked “right.”
Nice clothes. Nice talk. Fake loyalty.

If I could go back, I’d listen to the energy, not the words.
I’d prioritize loyalty over convenience.
I’d walk away at the first red flag, not wait for a full-blown disaster.

🛠️ 5. I Would Build. Not Just Consume

In my 20s, I was a consumer.
Of news. Of trends. Of products. Of opinions.
But creation is what separates leaders from the lost.

If I could go back, I’d build a blog. A brand. A product. A movement.
Anything.
Just not be a bystander in my own life.

🧍‍♂️ 6. I Wouldn’t Wait for “The Right Time” — That Bastard Never Shows Up

Too many dreams died because I waited.
Waited to be ready.
Waited for approval.
Waited for signs.

The truth? Life only rewards action.
Not perfection. Not hesitation. Just movement.

If I could go back, I’d fail faster.
Launch earlier.
Take stupid chances.

🌏 7. I Would Travel More Than I Talk

While I sat in my 9–9 job chasing KRAs, the world moved.
People grew. Cultures evolved.
And I was stuck in a cubicle convincing myself it was “career.”

If I could go back, I’d book the ticket, not just save the Pinterest pin.

🤖 8. I Would Study Technology Like My Life Depended On It (Because It Did)

Back then, tech felt optional.
Now, it’s the bloodstream of the world.
AI, blockchain, digital business — I should have been riding the wave, not watching it from shore.

If I could go back, I’d:

• Learn to code.
• Understand digital marketing.
• Build an online identity before influencers were even a thing.

📉 9. I Would Stop Seeking Validation and Start Valuing Myself

My 20s were spent proving — to bosses, relatives, society.
Now I know: validation is a drug with a deadly side effect — self-neglect.

If I could go back, I’d speak up more.
Say no louder.
Take credit where it’s due.
And never again shrink to make others feel tall.

⏳ Final Thought:

If I could ride that time machine bike back to my 20s, I wouldn’t aim for a perfect life.
I’d aim for a conscious one.
One where I choose — not drift.
Create — not copy.
Live — not just survive.

But here’s the kicker:

I may not get my 20s back.
But someone reading this still has time.

Make the U-turn now.
Before the bike runs out of fuel.

🖤 Written by
Nishanth (Nishani)
A man who’s been there, done that — and finally understood why.

Want to fuel this bike with chai instead of regrets?
☕ Buy me a chai — and let’s rewrite more lives, together.

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