The advice we wish we’d all had when we were younger

When I’m out and about doing my speaking work, I hear the same question from CEOs and senior leaders again and again:

"Would you spend some time with my son or daughter? They’re feeling lost, overwhelmed, and unsure what’s next."

As a parent of teenagers and someone who spends a lot of time with young adults, I see this struggle firsthand. There’s a growing longing among young people to find a sense of purpose in their lives. But it’s not just them. I run a course designed to help people discover a deeper sense of personal purpose, and I’ve just written a book to reach even more people practically, helping them find purpose in everyday life.

This week’s podcast episode was inspired by both you and me. I asked my community to share what they’ve learned about finding purpose and what they would tell their younger selves if they could. You didn’t disappoint.

I took your best wisdom and advice, added my own reflections, and created a special episode exploring what we’ve collectively learned about purpose - lessons that are useful not just for younger versions of ourselves, but for all of us today.

I’m not going to spoil the episode - it’s worth hearing for yourself - but here are three pieces of wisdom from you and me that you can start your day with right now:

We often let fear of judgment hold us back. But most people are too busy worrying about themselves to scrutinise your every move. When you focus on what matters to you, rather than what others expect, your choices become clearer and your confidence grows.

It’s easy to be defined by personality types, a single career path, role, or identity. But growth often comes from exploring new possibilities, taking detours, and embracing the unknown. Allow yourself to evolve - your potential is far bigger than any label you or others give yourself.

We underestimate our abilities and overestimate the difficulty of new challenges. By leaning into your strengths and experimenting with curiosity, you’ll often surprise yourself. Progress comes not from perfection, but from showing up and learning as you go.

One thing you could do - write ‘younger you’ a letter, full of all you’ve learned so far. Sometimes we give the best advice, but we don’t always listen to it ourselves. So, get a cuppa, a pen and a paper, and write your younger you the letter you needed to receive. You might be surprised how much clarity and comfort comes from giving your younger self the guidance you needed. I share this on the podcast, but here’s my attempt at writing to my younger self.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and remember - it’s never too late to take your own advice. 

With love,

Hannah x