You're 17. You think you know a lot. You don't — and that's completely fine. Neither did I.
But if I could sit right in front of you and talk to you properly, the first thing I'd say is — start now. Whatever you're thinking about, whatever feels like "one day I'll do that" — do it now. Stop waiting. The people who get ahead aren't smarter than you. They just started earlier.
And please, don't fall in love too quickly. I know how that sounds. But trust me on this one. Love is real — I'm not going to lie to you about that. It's genuinely beautiful. But it's also a drug. And as a young man who hasn't even figured himself out yet, love can come in and completely rearrange your whole life before you even see it happening. It doesn't mean avoid people. It just means — know who you are first. Build yourself first. Love can wait.
"Know who you are first. Build yourself first. Love can wait."
Don't take things for granted. The people around you, the time you have, the little opportunities that show up quietly — none of that is permanent. Most people only realize what they had after it's gone. Don't be that person.
Take care of your body. Don't get fat. I'm saying this with love.
And take life seriously. Not in a way that stresses you out — but in a way that makes you pay attention. Every decision you make matters. Every habit you build or break matters. You might not see it now but it all adds up.
My grandma used to say something to my mum that I didn't really get back then. She said — life is war. At 17 that probably sounds extra. But the older I get the more I understand it. It doesn't mean life is terrible. It just means nothing worth having comes easy. You have to show up and fight for it every single day — even on the days you really don't want to.
You won't be proud of much right now. That's okay. Keep going anyway. One day you will be.
— Kevin.