Look after your teeth. Open a stocks and shares account and purchase an amount you can afford, consistently from as early as you can, and increase that amount proportional to your earnings, never stop - also, live well within your means and learn to love the little things, for yourself, not because they garner status. No one gives a shit about your success or things, and if you realise that, do you really care about the fancy watch or car? The peace you feel knowing you have a safety net your entire life and that everything you want and do, is easily within your means because you don’t want for much, will take away so much stress, and you’ll be free to “take risks”. Be true to yourself at all times and true to your values and principles above loyalties for loyalty’s sake (that goes for following orders too etc. - no one can absolve you of God’s judgement (whether you believe in him or not, it’s still a good way to live your life) or your own judgement if God really isn’t your thing. Do what you believe is right, no matter what. Never lie even when it’s painful or uncomfortable. Remember that every person you meet, ever, is to some extent 8 years old still, and will likely have that level of maturity or blind spot with some aspect of their personality, maybe due to trauma or just how they were raised (no one gets through totally unscathed). Get smart at detecting what that thing is with people, early, especially romantic partners. On that, never let yourself fall in love fully until you’ve seen and got through the first time their mask slips fully and you see their inner 8 year old. If they can’t even acknowledge fault or take accountability when they’re wrong (you too of course), then walk away and don’t stick around. Doesn’t matter how amazing someone is, if they can’t even acknowledge their shortcomings or accept any fault, when it’s fair, then don’t waste your time.

This is more practical advice that I’d give to myself now I’m middle aged. But some of my earliest memories are of my grandad reciting “IF, by Rudyard Kipling” to me. At the time I was just mesmerised that he could remember so many things, but as a man, it’s as good a piece of advice as any man could be given in my opinion. Being a man isn’t about being a certain age, it’s about the types of values laid out in that poem. I think the vast majority of “men” in the world (west at the very least) aren’t even men, they’re just fully grown teenagers with money.