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5 Non-Business Related Things Entrepreneurs Should Do Before Age 30

Here are five non-business related things every twenty-something should do ... ideally before you turn thirty.

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1. Learn to host and entertain guests.

  • Step 1: Put some effort into your home. You don’t live in a frat house anymore, so why does your refrigerator only stock ketchup and beer? You’ve signed that new lease, and possibly live in a major city, so it’s about time to stop living in a hovel. There’s nothing wrong with Ikea furniture, but there is something wrong with not completely unpacking. Go to a vintage market and buy some accent pieces. Paint your walls– make a party out of it. This is your home, not just your house.
  • Step 2: Make grown-up friends. Make friends you can talk to, not just party or hangout buddies. If you’re only throwing back shots so you won’t have to make awkward small talk, then there’s something wrong with that friendship. Be open-minded about the kinds of friends you can make. The couple down the hall, the ones you think are really boring because they play trivia at night, might just have some great travel stories. That friend of a friend who is a vegan probably has a wealth of delicious recipes. Just because they’re not like you doesn’t mean you can’t be friends with them. In fact, that’s even more reason to be friends with them! Most importantly, start hanging out with other entrepreneurs.
  • Step 3: Facilitate conversation. Now that you have invited interesting people into your well-decorated home, keep them occupied and show them a good time. Read current events, watch TED talks, and ask questions about their background. You really never know what you might learn from them, especially if they work in different industries. Cross-pollination of ideas always leads to creativity. Learning to entertain within your home, where you’re comfortable is only the first step. At some point, you’ll have to network at the next gallery opening.

2. Have your heart broken.

While heartbreak (i.e. breaking up with your significant other) hurts, in reality it can be healthy in the long run. That is, if you learn how to deal with it appropriately. Heartbreak done correctly allows you a lot time to reflect, grow and learn how to overcome stress. It jolts you awake and teaches you how to let go. This may be one of the most valuable lessons in life, and the only way to learn is through experience.

Either way — heartbreak creates more time for you to get back into some of your favorite pastimes and activities, because doing anything enjoyable can help increase your brain’s dopamine system — associated with reward mechanisms in the brain. In fact, you may find some incredibly powerful and positive routes to recovery that can later be applied to less severe circumstances.

 

3. Develop a healthy relationship with your parents.

Get over yourself. Get over all the grudges you’ve held against your parents since your teenage years. As a selfish and dramatic child, everything your parents did was wrong in your eyes. You’re in your twenties now and it’s time to get over it.

The first step in mending parental relationships is to replace expectation with appreciation. Your parents don’t owe you anything. They brought you into the world, so it’s time you start acting like you care about them. Any time you start getting frustrated and impatient with your parents, just remember that you would likely be worse off without them.

When you make your first million, or even first hundred thousand, don’t spend it on yourself. Treat your parents. They have spent an unthinkable number of hours, energy and money on you. It’s the least you could do.

Why is it important to make peace with your parents? Because your time with them is limited. While society suggests that it’s best to pretend you don’t care about what they think of you, in actuality — you do care. Your parents are an incredible influence in your life. Coming to terms with unresolved issues frees everyone, mentally and emotionally, to become better people.

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