13/10/2026
Things I wish someone had told me at 20 ⬇️
1. Burnout isn’t something to be proud of.
When I was younger, I thought working every hour I possibly could meant I was more committed than everyone else.
Most of the time, it just meant I was exhausted.
You can be ambitious and still rest. In fact, if you want to do this for a long time, you probably have to.
2. Find a great mentor early.
I was lucky to have one from day one.
When I chose my first job as a new graduate, I chose it because of the opportunity to learn from one of the best.
That experience shaped a huge part of my career and showed me just how valuable the right mentor can be early on.
3. Confidence usually comes after you do the thing.
Not before.
I used to think I’d eventually get to a point where I felt completely ready. You don’t.
You do it nervous. Then you do it again. And eventually the thing that used to scare you just becomes normal.
4. Look after your health before you’re forced to.
At 20, you think you’re basically indestructible.
But sleep, training, food and stress all add up.
It’s much easier to maintain your health than it is to try and get it back later.
5. Failure is just information.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes.
Some of the things I’ve learned the most from have also been the things I got completely wrong.
Make the mistake. Work out why it happened. Adjust. Keep moving.
6. You don’t need to have your whole life mapped out.
I’m 37 and I’m still changing my mind, learning, adjusting and figuring things out.
You don’t need the perfect 10-year plan at 20.
You just need to be moving in roughly the right direction.
7. Prevention is nearly always easier than the fix.
I see this every day in dentistry, but it applies to almost everything.
Your teeth. Your health. Your finances. Your relationships.
Small amounts of consistent maintenance are almost always easier than dealing with a massive problem later.