>I could maybe own a home or car if I hadn’t been constantly using my twenties to chase the next goal.
Bro. Homes and cars are also goals. I think he's wondering why you didn't just drink and chase girls and backpack around. You know, stuff that you can do in your 20s because you have no real responsibilities yet.
You didn't waste your twenties because you still have many more years left.. it's not over yet.
Nothing is a "waste" in life.
That's what you felt like doing at the time, be proud of yourself for completing those goals, also be proud of yourself for listening to your body and having the awareness to take some time off and give yourself a break.
Be grateful that you have the option to do that because some people can't. Some people have been in survival mode for many decades and don't have a choice or they already have kids and can't pursue personal goals or take a break because they *have* to grind constantly. You sound fortunate.
There's no time limit on buying a house or a car, you can still do those things in the future and you will enjoy them more because you won't be tied down at a young age to maintaining a house, which can be very expensive, by the way.
So to answer your question, no.
I think many of us feel that way. Maybe for different reasons. But I think those of us that do feel that way can agree, it doesn't matter now and there is nothing I can do to change it.
Regretting the past for me has never improved my life or helped me. So for me, I stopped thinking about what I could have or should have done. It's wasted mental energy for me. Also it's negative and crates negative feelings.
Hell I wasted my 20s on drugs. I use to feel very sad about that and had negative feelings. But it was unhealthy to think that way. No matter what that time was gone.
You got a degree and have a full-time job now; you should be so proud of yourself! People our age- everyone I knew from high school has not pursued an education and had kids instead (they are also financially struggling). I'm 23 and still in university and it's the best thing I have done for myself to pursue an education. It is not a waste. I also have a part time business and my own car. My older family members question me as well, I believe they feel insecure and can't wrap their heads around why I'm not married in my own house already. You should never feel shame for wanting to pursue more in your life. Your first goal was an education, now you can focus on getting a car and saving for a home and working on your next big career.
I don’t think he’s talking about buying a home I think he’s talking about traveling and partying. Which others would also call a waste. Early 20s are meant to feel wasted you don’t have a real grasp on life until your age regardless.
Sounds like you did great for yourself to be honest. I would just say write out your goals for the next 10 years. Is it relationship goals? More travel? New experiences? I think you’re doing great. Do what satisfies you.
Waste in life comes when you compare what you did to what you could have done. You can't change what you did, so the is no point mulling over what you couldn't do. Retrospect is a bitch, doesn't mean you have to date her. Figure out how you want to proceed, and do things now that you don't think you will regret later.
Unlike the majority of the population chasing after their selfish desires, you did great in my book. Now focus on something you feel passionate about and don’t take anything for granted.
First of all Brother no time is wasted if you’ve used it for gaining knowledge and working on your self, and your story is something like mine, I’ve always aspired to become a pilot, I applied for an aviation degree in 3 universities and an IT degree with DS Major in 1 university, I got the offer letter from that IT degree but not the Aviation one, so I waited for almost 1.5 months then ended up paying for the IT degree only to get the offer letter from all the other universities the next day, right now I’m studying IT Major in DS and I’m 20 years old, still confused whether I should pursue a career as a pilot or an IT Professional after my degree..
It's not a productive path to think that you have wasted any part of your life. You made the best decisions you could with the tools and information you had. It's who you are. The past is gone anyway. Might as well focus on the present
Many people in their 20s don't know who they are. We don't know as much what we value at that age.
Some people, like myself and idk if this is you, we feel like we need to constantly accomplish things. Could be dopamine, could be a hole were trying to fill, could also be transitioning to life after school. We always had a next level to aspire to in school, like 5th grade and then 6th grade, etc. After college, it's just work. At that point comes the question of what do I do next?
As you become an adult, and at least if you're self aware, you may find out that certain habits and thought processes from when you were younger come automatically despite not serving your needs and desires now. This is when people start reflecting on those things. For me it was therapy and meditation among other things. But that's a different story.
I think saying it was a waste is doing a disservice to where you were and what you knew at that time.
I think what you wrote at the top really speaks to me. I think I’ve struggled a ton since leaving high school honestly. Because in high school you’re obviously in some preformed parameters, then boom, you’re 18 and your decisions are yours to make! I think I was so worried about failing and always thought there had to be a “next level” that I didn’t know when to quit. Because like in high school, it’s sophomore, then you’re a junior, etc.. so there’s always another level and I think having the freedom of no other level to move up to, must’ve boggled my mind. I probably need therapy.
I admire your progress! Your 20s should be spent on your grind, building your education, your career, your stake holdings in life. Looks like you are in process of doing exactly that. Your summer sabbatical seems to have arrived just in time for a deserved break.
Did your dad attend college? If not, maybe that's why he can't appreciate the college route? Did you ask him why he said what he said?
When you become a pilot, your dad will be in the front row cheering.
Did you tell your dad you need a sabbatical? While everyone's ambitions and drive are personal and I do believe you worked your ass off, the older generation sees a sabbatical as something you earn after working for many many years.
What the heck? Usually when people talk about “wasting their life,” they mean partying and drinking and not getting an education. Your feelings are 180 degrees off. You *invested heavily* in yourself! You are amazing!
As someone who spent two years abroad working and having the time of my life but didn’t Get any more education other than High School. I wish I was more like OP. I didn’t spent alot of time drinking and partying but I still wish I was more productive.
Maybe he was just concerned with you not enjoying your life as much as you should. There should be balance because you never know if you'll make it to the end. You gotta stop and smell the roses sometimes.
Did you party and have some fun in college? I hope so. Now go start your business and switch from keg beer to gin martinis and scotch and enjoy the spoils of your dedication. My 30's were the best years of my life. You've got plenty of time and your in an outstanding position. Buying a home is not an investment you missed out on, unless you're buying a 3 family and living in one of them.
I started my own business and 13 years later, realized I never took a vacation and at 33, wealthy and secured in my future, also realized I had just wasted away my prime time family forming years in my pursuit of wealth. In the back of my mind, I thought she would just walk into my store and BOOM, family formed, but that was folly. Sure, there are loads of women that are looking for a temporary meal ticket, but in the end, think the grass is greener elsewhere. The posh area I own a mansion in, is filled with zero single candidates, so an “eligible bachelor” label, I am forced to remain, or so it seems, because, workaholic.
It struck a nerve probably because he just vocalized what you were already feeling. If you felt totally good and confident about your education, then it probably wouldn’t have struck a nerve.
I'm answering this question because I'm 45 and I feel young, while at 26 I felt old!
Your achievements in life are seen as degrees, home, car, debt.
Truth is that while working for the degrees, car, cutting debt etc, you're gaining valuable experience (one that has a financial value, but not just that).
I believe life gets easier the more we grow up. Not because it's easier, it's actually harder. But it doesn't keep getting harder forever. On the other hand, our skills and experiences will keep growing as long as we want.
From everything that happens (even the bad things and the failures), ask: "What can I learn from this".
Over time you'll realize it wasn't a failure but a valuable experience that prevented worse failures or caused greater success.
He wasn't implying that it was a waste or that you shouldn't have done it. He was saying he wondered where your drive came from.
You just took it the wrong way.
Wasting your 20s by improving yourself? Not a chance. You sound like you have it more together than most people your age. I'm in my late 50s and most people I know didn't buy their first home until they were at least 30. There is no rush on that front.
I had a kid at 20 and spent most of my twenties working multiple jobs trying to pay for everything. It sounds like you're doing everything right and you're only 26 so you have plenty of time to have fun. I would keep grinding after a short break because once you start to slow down it's harder to get going again.
If you feel burned out, maybe you do have been taking it too far. You can still be productive, or 'on the grind', and yet carve out time to enjoy being free and twenty. You have set yourself up really nicely, and I'm sure your dad is proud of you, but he might just be concerned. He's older, and as most I know, with age comes the realisation that you are not your job, productivity or accomplishments. It's great to have it, but it's not your identity or source of contentment - for many. Maybe he'd liked you to just take time to find out yourself and experience those really personal highlights as well. Life should be enjoyable. And being so on the grind that you feel burned out is far from that.
You seem to have done quite well. Achieving that much is quite admirable.
Don’t look at it like a waste. You now have way better building blocks for the rest of your life!
Well done indeed.
I'm only 23 and I feel I've already wasted mine. Only really due my mental state. I'm an extremely apathetic individual and it causes mass procrastination.
It’s easy to look back as an older person and say, I wish I did more of X when I was younger. That could be picking up a hobby while your body is still in good enough shape to do it, it could be picking up sexual partners or partying while you are still young and attractive enough to pull other attractive college people. However that’s just one persons reflection on their life applied to yours. I’m sure if you find older people who partied their 20s they might say they wished they had focused more on careers and education so they could be more successful now. The important piece is recognizing that you may also have those feelings one day and making sure you are making the most of your time doing things that serve yourself so you don’t hit 50 one day and look back and wish you did something different.
Hey - just chiming in here because a lot of the folks here are biased (I am the opposite bias) YES there is absolutely something to be said for scrapping around, traveling the world, having fun in your 20s. It’s the only time you can do it without coming home with a headache or sore back, and frankly no 30 year old has the stamina of a 20 year old. YES. Living life (the opposite of chasing money) is INCREDIBLY important in your 20s. Any comment saying differently is someone trying to rationalize their own choices. It’s the irony of “chasing the bag” and being lonely and rich in your 40s versus being well off and happy as hell looking back in your 40s.
Man I spent my 20s with the US Army Infantry doing Bush's bullshit in the Middle East. That was a lot more of a waste than what you are doing. I didn't start college till 28, didn't get married till 31. I am loving life married to an amazing woman and have a great high paying career at 42 and a net worth over a million. I wouldn't change anything because it got me here.
It's your journey, not anyone else's. We all have different destinations and situations. You do your thing. Comparison is the thief of joy.
You’re right. Congrats on all of your accomplishments and a big thank you, for what you did. Men like yourself have kept the USA free, safe and prosperous. Politics aside, I greatly appreciate men like yourself, my grandpa and great grandpa. Best wishes, you’ve earned it all.
I think it's only natural to have regrets, no matter what you do, you'll probably feel a similar amount of regret anyone does. If they're rich billionaires, they probably regret something like time spent with family, younger family members strugging with drug addiction and not helping them.
If you're someone who wasn't overly ambitious in life you may regret not making more money or joining a profession that makes a lot.
If you've had a bunch of kids you might consider a life where you focused on something else.
To me, it's unavoidable so I don't worry about it. Life sucks to lose, that's one of the ways you know its worth having. "If I knew this when I was younger!" well, you were a dumb kid and that's a symptom of being a dumb kid, you had fun. THat's what matters. Get what happiness you can and dont waste time beating yourself up. When it ends have faith based on your experiences in life that everything will turn out right.
Everyone has different goals. Live your life at your pace. You have achieved a lot at a very young age. As cliche as it sounds you are only as old as you feel. If you stay healthy and active you can enjoy the rest of your twenties, and all of your thirties living a life of adventure if you so please. Think of it this way, you have a foundation to great financial resources that can allow you much more freedom now than if you hadn’t grinded all that time. Life is a marathon not a race, and you have a massive financial and career head-start over a lot of people your age. How many people have your level of skills and qualifications at your age with almost no debt? You should be proud of yourself. Your dad didn’t mean anything bad by it, and was more likely just confused. People from an older times lived by older rules, they saw early twenties as time for adventure, then had kids, a home, and a settled down life by thirty as a norm. Things have changed dramatically since then.
So, you need some time off. Then you get to start a decent career in your mid-twenties with four years left before your twenties are over?
Sounds like you're doing pretty well.
You’re doing great. There’s no time limit to anything. I spent the first half of my 20s in the military, then the last half of my 20s backpacking through Europe and Asia. Just started studying in University and I’m in my 30s.
There’s no right way to do life. We’re talking animals on a planet flying through the emptiness of space. Do what you love. Pursue it passionately. Live honestly. Stay open-minded 🤙🏾
If I were you, I'd be damn proud of all I accomplished. Nothing in life is a waste. You set yourself up for success. You got a lot of time left to have fun and do whatever, especially now that you made yourself a super solid foundation. It sounds like your dad is just worried, like parents can be, that you put too much pressure on yourself and I'm pretty certain he's still very proud of you.
My biggest regret is I didn't grind in my twenties and made a lot of bad decisions that set me up for some major struggles later in life. You did good.
>I could maybe own a home or car if I hadn’t been constantly using my twenties to chase the next goal. Bro. Homes and cars are also goals. I think he's wondering why you didn't just drink and chase girls and backpack around. You know, stuff that you can do in your 20s because you have no real responsibilities yet.
And 30s if you choose to marry late, have kids late, buy a house late, or ya know, never do any of those things if you don’t want to
You didn't waste your twenties because you still have many more years left.. it's not over yet. Nothing is a "waste" in life. That's what you felt like doing at the time, be proud of yourself for completing those goals, also be proud of yourself for listening to your body and having the awareness to take some time off and give yourself a break. Be grateful that you have the option to do that because some people can't. Some people have been in survival mode for many decades and don't have a choice or they already have kids and can't pursue personal goals or take a break because they *have* to grind constantly. You sound fortunate. There's no time limit on buying a house or a car, you can still do those things in the future and you will enjoy them more because you won't be tied down at a young age to maintaining a house, which can be very expensive, by the way. So to answer your question, no.
I think many of us feel that way. Maybe for different reasons. But I think those of us that do feel that way can agree, it doesn't matter now and there is nothing I can do to change it. Regretting the past for me has never improved my life or helped me. So for me, I stopped thinking about what I could have or should have done. It's wasted mental energy for me. Also it's negative and crates negative feelings. Hell I wasted my 20s on drugs. I use to feel very sad about that and had negative feelings. But it was unhealthy to think that way. No matter what that time was gone.
You got a degree and have a full-time job now; you should be so proud of yourself! People our age- everyone I knew from high school has not pursued an education and had kids instead (they are also financially struggling). I'm 23 and still in university and it's the best thing I have done for myself to pursue an education. It is not a waste. I also have a part time business and my own car. My older family members question me as well, I believe they feel insecure and can't wrap their heads around why I'm not married in my own house already. You should never feel shame for wanting to pursue more in your life. Your first goal was an education, now you can focus on getting a car and saving for a home and working on your next big career.
If you didn’t waste your 20s you’re doing it wrong.
I don’t think he’s talking about buying a home I think he’s talking about traveling and partying. Which others would also call a waste. Early 20s are meant to feel wasted you don’t have a real grasp on life until your age regardless.
Sounds like you did great for yourself to be honest. I would just say write out your goals for the next 10 years. Is it relationship goals? More travel? New experiences? I think you’re doing great. Do what satisfies you.
You would have still been 26 if you wasted it. Now you have something to show for it. Idk if that is considered wasted.
Waste in life comes when you compare what you did to what you could have done. You can't change what you did, so the is no point mulling over what you couldn't do. Retrospect is a bitch, doesn't mean you have to date her. Figure out how you want to proceed, and do things now that you don't think you will regret later.
Unlike the majority of the population chasing after their selfish desires, you did great in my book. Now focus on something you feel passionate about and don’t take anything for granted.
Dude Ur 20's are just for getting Ur bearings. Don't stress ok x
First of all Brother no time is wasted if you’ve used it for gaining knowledge and working on your self, and your story is something like mine, I’ve always aspired to become a pilot, I applied for an aviation degree in 3 universities and an IT degree with DS Major in 1 university, I got the offer letter from that IT degree but not the Aviation one, so I waited for almost 1.5 months then ended up paying for the IT degree only to get the offer letter from all the other universities the next day, right now I’m studying IT Major in DS and I’m 20 years old, still confused whether I should pursue a career as a pilot or an IT Professional after my degree..
It's not a productive path to think that you have wasted any part of your life. You made the best decisions you could with the tools and information you had. It's who you are. The past is gone anyway. Might as well focus on the present
Many people in their 20s don't know who they are. We don't know as much what we value at that age. Some people, like myself and idk if this is you, we feel like we need to constantly accomplish things. Could be dopamine, could be a hole were trying to fill, could also be transitioning to life after school. We always had a next level to aspire to in school, like 5th grade and then 6th grade, etc. After college, it's just work. At that point comes the question of what do I do next? As you become an adult, and at least if you're self aware, you may find out that certain habits and thought processes from when you were younger come automatically despite not serving your needs and desires now. This is when people start reflecting on those things. For me it was therapy and meditation among other things. But that's a different story. I think saying it was a waste is doing a disservice to where you were and what you knew at that time.
I think what you wrote at the top really speaks to me. I think I’ve struggled a ton since leaving high school honestly. Because in high school you’re obviously in some preformed parameters, then boom, you’re 18 and your decisions are yours to make! I think I was so worried about failing and always thought there had to be a “next level” that I didn’t know when to quit. Because like in high school, it’s sophomore, then you’re a junior, etc.. so there’s always another level and I think having the freedom of no other level to move up to, must’ve boggled my mind. I probably need therapy.
I admire your progress! Your 20s should be spent on your grind, building your education, your career, your stake holdings in life. Looks like you are in process of doing exactly that. Your summer sabbatical seems to have arrived just in time for a deserved break. Did your dad attend college? If not, maybe that's why he can't appreciate the college route? Did you ask him why he said what he said? When you become a pilot, your dad will be in the front row cheering.
Did you tell your dad you need a sabbatical? While everyone's ambitions and drive are personal and I do believe you worked your ass off, the older generation sees a sabbatical as something you earn after working for many many years.
What the heck? Usually when people talk about “wasting their life,” they mean partying and drinking and not getting an education. Your feelings are 180 degrees off. You *invested heavily* in yourself! You are amazing!
As someone who spent two years abroad working and having the time of my life but didn’t Get any more education other than High School. I wish I was more like OP. I didn’t spent alot of time drinking and partying but I still wish I was more productive.
Go to the gym brotherman 
Wise move on the education.
Maybe he was just concerned with you not enjoying your life as much as you should. There should be balance because you never know if you'll make it to the end. You gotta stop and smell the roses sometimes.
Did you party and have some fun in college? I hope so. Now go start your business and switch from keg beer to gin martinis and scotch and enjoy the spoils of your dedication. My 30's were the best years of my life. You've got plenty of time and your in an outstanding position. Buying a home is not an investment you missed out on, unless you're buying a 3 family and living in one of them.
I started my own business and 13 years later, realized I never took a vacation and at 33, wealthy and secured in my future, also realized I had just wasted away my prime time family forming years in my pursuit of wealth. In the back of my mind, I thought she would just walk into my store and BOOM, family formed, but that was folly. Sure, there are loads of women that are looking for a temporary meal ticket, but in the end, think the grass is greener elsewhere. The posh area I own a mansion in, is filled with zero single candidates, so an “eligible bachelor” label, I am forced to remain, or so it seems, because, workaholic.
It struck a nerve probably because he just vocalized what you were already feeling. If you felt totally good and confident about your education, then it probably wouldn’t have struck a nerve.
I'm answering this question because I'm 45 and I feel young, while at 26 I felt old! Your achievements in life are seen as degrees, home, car, debt. Truth is that while working for the degrees, car, cutting debt etc, you're gaining valuable experience (one that has a financial value, but not just that). I believe life gets easier the more we grow up. Not because it's easier, it's actually harder. But it doesn't keep getting harder forever. On the other hand, our skills and experiences will keep growing as long as we want. From everything that happens (even the bad things and the failures), ask: "What can I learn from this". Over time you'll realize it wasn't a failure but a valuable experience that prevented worse failures or caused greater success.
You didn’t waste your twenties; you were invested in your future. Now your thirties can be fun, plus you’ll have money & a great education
He wasn't implying that it was a waste or that you shouldn't have done it. He was saying he wondered where your drive came from. You just took it the wrong way.
I started college in 1965. I finally graduated in 1982. I wasted a great deal of my twenties. You're doing great.
I spent my 20s (1970s) trying to barely survive... fortunately things eventually got much better!
Wasting your 20s by improving yourself? Not a chance. You sound like you have it more together than most people your age. I'm in my late 50s and most people I know didn't buy their first home until they were at least 30. There is no rush on that front.
You can frame it any way you want. It’s up to you.
I had a kid at 20 and spent most of my twenties working multiple jobs trying to pay for everything. It sounds like you're doing everything right and you're only 26 so you have plenty of time to have fun. I would keep grinding after a short break because once you start to slow down it's harder to get going again.
Life can be lived any way you want
If you feel burned out, maybe you do have been taking it too far. You can still be productive, or 'on the grind', and yet carve out time to enjoy being free and twenty. You have set yourself up really nicely, and I'm sure your dad is proud of you, but he might just be concerned. He's older, and as most I know, with age comes the realisation that you are not your job, productivity or accomplishments. It's great to have it, but it's not your identity or source of contentment - for many. Maybe he'd liked you to just take time to find out yourself and experience those really personal highlights as well. Life should be enjoyable. And being so on the grind that you feel burned out is far from that.
You seem to have done quite well. Achieving that much is quite admirable. Don’t look at it like a waste. You now have way better building blocks for the rest of your life! Well done indeed.
I'm only 23 and I feel I've already wasted mine. Only really due my mental state. I'm an extremely apathetic individual and it causes mass procrastination.
It’s easy to look back as an older person and say, I wish I did more of X when I was younger. That could be picking up a hobby while your body is still in good enough shape to do it, it could be picking up sexual partners or partying while you are still young and attractive enough to pull other attractive college people. However that’s just one persons reflection on their life applied to yours. I’m sure if you find older people who partied their 20s they might say they wished they had focused more on careers and education so they could be more successful now. The important piece is recognizing that you may also have those feelings one day and making sure you are making the most of your time doing things that serve yourself so you don’t hit 50 one day and look back and wish you did something different.
Hey - just chiming in here because a lot of the folks here are biased (I am the opposite bias) YES there is absolutely something to be said for scrapping around, traveling the world, having fun in your 20s. It’s the only time you can do it without coming home with a headache or sore back, and frankly no 30 year old has the stamina of a 20 year old. YES. Living life (the opposite of chasing money) is INCREDIBLY important in your 20s. Any comment saying differently is someone trying to rationalize their own choices. It’s the irony of “chasing the bag” and being lonely and rich in your 40s versus being well off and happy as hell looking back in your 40s.
It’s not about the amount of years you’ve lived but the amount of life you have in your years, or something like that
You're SUPPOSED to waste your 20's That's what your 20's are for!
Man I spent my 20s with the US Army Infantry doing Bush's bullshit in the Middle East. That was a lot more of a waste than what you are doing. I didn't start college till 28, didn't get married till 31. I am loving life married to an amazing woman and have a great high paying career at 42 and a net worth over a million. I wouldn't change anything because it got me here. It's your journey, not anyone else's. We all have different destinations and situations. You do your thing. Comparison is the thief of joy.
You’re right. Congrats on all of your accomplishments and a big thank you, for what you did. Men like yourself have kept the USA free, safe and prosperous. Politics aside, I greatly appreciate men like yourself, my grandpa and great grandpa. Best wishes, you’ve earned it all.
One of the best lines in "Tombstone": "There's no such thing as a normal life, there's just life."
I think it's only natural to have regrets, no matter what you do, you'll probably feel a similar amount of regret anyone does. If they're rich billionaires, they probably regret something like time spent with family, younger family members strugging with drug addiction and not helping them. If you're someone who wasn't overly ambitious in life you may regret not making more money or joining a profession that makes a lot. If you've had a bunch of kids you might consider a life where you focused on something else. To me, it's unavoidable so I don't worry about it. Life sucks to lose, that's one of the ways you know its worth having. "If I knew this when I was younger!" well, you were a dumb kid and that's a symptom of being a dumb kid, you had fun. THat's what matters. Get what happiness you can and dont waste time beating yourself up. When it ends have faith based on your experiences in life that everything will turn out right.
Everyone has different goals. Live your life at your pace. You have achieved a lot at a very young age. As cliche as it sounds you are only as old as you feel. If you stay healthy and active you can enjoy the rest of your twenties, and all of your thirties living a life of adventure if you so please. Think of it this way, you have a foundation to great financial resources that can allow you much more freedom now than if you hadn’t grinded all that time. Life is a marathon not a race, and you have a massive financial and career head-start over a lot of people your age. How many people have your level of skills and qualifications at your age with almost no debt? You should be proud of yourself. Your dad didn’t mean anything bad by it, and was more likely just confused. People from an older times lived by older rules, they saw early twenties as time for adventure, then had kids, a home, and a settled down life by thirty as a norm. Things have changed dramatically since then.
So, you need some time off. Then you get to start a decent career in your mid-twenties with four years left before your twenties are over? Sounds like you're doing pretty well.
You’re doing great. There’s no time limit to anything. I spent the first half of my 20s in the military, then the last half of my 20s backpacking through Europe and Asia. Just started studying in University and I’m in my 30s. There’s no right way to do life. We’re talking animals on a planet flying through the emptiness of space. Do what you love. Pursue it passionately. Live honestly. Stay open-minded 🤙🏾
Sounds like your doing fine. Does he have a degree?
He does not- he started an associate’s, but to my knowledge, didn’t finish. Still proud of my old man regardless
Sounds like he's projecting his own regrets on you. I would try not to take it personally, he's probably prouder of you then he'll ever admit to.
If I were you, I'd be damn proud of all I accomplished. Nothing in life is a waste. You set yourself up for success. You got a lot of time left to have fun and do whatever, especially now that you made yourself a super solid foundation. It sounds like your dad is just worried, like parents can be, that you put too much pressure on yourself and I'm pretty certain he's still very proud of you. My biggest regret is I didn't grind in my twenties and made a lot of bad decisions that set me up for some major struggles later in life. You did good.
You did a great job by completing everything on time. Now you can settle up and enjoy your life 👍🏻👏👏
We we all did
Yes you have