I'm really trying to not make this a way to mess up with my mental state, but instead a search on how to achieve the best of myself. I just want to know how these people are waking up in the morning and do the stuff they do.

Honestly nothing can be more dangerous than the OG coke. The amount of sugar in that can is incomprehensible

I know this might be dangerous to think about but I don't feel good about what I have done myself without any guidance in the past. Like, not at all. I want to take advantage of many opportunities around me and be the best of myself. I've been taking some steps especially since last year but I think I'm still missing the main idea.
I could say I haven't really defined a "purpose" in my life, but I can see these kind of people are definitely somewhere close to what I might want to head towards.

Relatable in everything you mentioned

Like how the fuck do you run a startup? I have a goddamn master’s degree and I can’t figure out how to register a business let alone run one

Yes, I really feel like this is not something that is gained by conventional wisdom. And it's sad because when you ask people to explain, literally "tell me", they give some useless answer all the time

Just pre-registered. Boost for Lemmy would be awesome

If you want your app used so much, just make it snappy damn

In reddit, not blurring the person can lead to the comment section being angry at the person for some reason and in that case the person will get death threats in the best case scenario. There are many past examples of this. So all names remotely related to the real discussion (like here) better be removed.
Maybe Lemmy would be cooler than that but I'm not sure.

I'd like to see the logistic version as well!

omfg

Sorry I don't understand. How does this relate to the post?

I really feel like the older I get, the less control I have around me. The older people around me seem like they don't want to move an inch from their comfort zone.

I'm actually applying to colleges as an international student (a really out-of-box thing to do, I'm proud of that sure) which is how I kind of found these people exist (you know, "extracurriculars" stuff) and this kind of stuff are doable. I'm thinking of who I was 365 days ago and I improved myself so much. But I also missed so many opportunities in these 365 days.

There is a lot in front of me and I'm anxious I'll waste my opportunities again, like I did. Perhaps I'm still not really doing as much as I should be and closer to what I've been in the past but I just can't see it yet, only future me could know.

now, why is this phrase so common on lemmy all of a sudden?

I'm pretty harsh on my past, I just don't see why I shouldn't. I can find all the things I shouldn't be doing there, all the mistakes I did and some still do. I'd try to be as far away as possible and never come back.
I actually do feel pressurized. Time flows so fast. My birthdays come and go in a blink, as if, they don't even feel that special anymore. And when I go to sleep, I miss a gold. It's so fast I can't make the right steps all the time and accidentally step on sht so often. And there is no map either, except the wrongly written guides that just make you step more on sht for some reason.

Would you ever have arrived at these conclusions yourself if you had never seen these “successful” people around you?

I wasn't really content with my life in general when I didn't start to hear about the successful people either. I mean, it's pretty rare to see I am content with myself in general. But if I didn't hear about them I'd assume that's just what it is I guess

You’re seeing what is theoretically possible if your life was set up in another way i.e. you were a different person. But you’re not. All these people you’re seeing around you had very specific upbringing, opportunities, genetics etc etc all of which you’re not privy to.

Honestly it was perfectly possible I could go back in time and just not mess up some things and be perfectly close to whatever people I envy on. I could count not-so-hard-to-miss mistakes and it'd take forever to finish. I didn't really miss anything that others had, perhaps some guidance. But I think it is up to me to guide myself. Like, it's not like my parents are supposed to guide me for everything, nor teachers or friends etc. So I consider being unguided as a "me problem" as well

As perspective, 99% of people never do anything like the stuff you mentioned in their life. And many of these people live a very content and happy life. Are 99% of people wasting their life? Only the ones that aren’t content?

I think it's kind of a perspective thing. I just feel like I need these for myself because of personality or traits etc. Others might not.

I'm not history-level obsessed on fame/glory/prestige (yet, lol) but I just want to prove myself or get validation etc. tbh
I just don't feel like I'm on the right track for the life I want.

Besides, you don't know how many people out there are looking at you right now and going, "damn, wish I was OP, having the maturity to question their place in the universe at only xx years old!"

And I'm saying the same for 14 year olds 😭 They're so mature and have some understanding of the life lmao, something I definitely didn't have. I was so dumb at the time.

They had resources, usually from high school, or yes their family led them a bit as well. But the thing is I could have the same resources as well, if I didn't sleep around while choosing my high school. Or even then, I could just go ask around, I'd definitely get something if I woke up and asked everyone around "I want to invent something". Ask on internet literally. I didn't.
It's not "media" in the conventional sense. I just casually asked someone from a good high school what do best students look like.

I just want to. And I believe I can, can't I? I don't think I lack anything they have. This is more of "I'm sad because of these people doing better than me" but "Oh, I can't believe I missed this. How can I do it myself as well?" approach.

Let's not even think about these as "accomplishments". I really don't think they're as unpleased about what they're doing as much as I do, hence the title. Of course everyone have their regrets, that's not my point really. I need to do better because I feel the lack of it, isn't this valid enough?

Yes, I wish I could surround myself around such people more and more, it just helps you see things so much clearer. I'm still "looked up on" by most people around me and it actually pisses me up. Why are you telling me I'm doing very good, I'm the best etc.? It doesn't help me grow at all!

Maybe the title is kind of making you say what you're saying, but I really don't like how I've been using my time in the past. And I'm not using that to feel bad about myself. I just don't think I'm seeing through my mistakes enough. I can still change, like a lot.

What you're saying really doesn't satisfy whatever it is inside me. In fact, I could sacrifice these at least partially to achieve whatever it is that will satisfy me

I know some of those people so at least they're not lying. I told myself this all the time: "Oh they're lying for no reason on internet" "It's just being too privileged that makes you do these" etc. but there are really many people that are just genuinely good at using their time and opportunities efficiently. Lately I managed to at least partially do some the stuff I envied of other people, and it just makes me say "I want ALL of it". I want to know what they're doing when they wake up. I want to know how they think. Just whatever it is.

I was going to study abroad or settle somewhere else sooner or later, I just don't see anything relevant to this country anymore. I don't really feel attached to anywhere to be honest: family, friends, country, anything that comes to mind. And I love travel, and I feel sick when I stay in some place for too long. Studying abroad is the best option for me.

I'm just too late, and despite my tremendous effort (including but not limited to completely messing up my sleep schedule for work) since last year, I see people are much better in their position because they just started things earlier. Did the right things. Had a network of people that guided them well. And as I'm typing this here perhaps someone else started something I'd love to do.

I'll take your advice though, thanks for suggestions

Now that I’m much older it grieves deeply me all the things I took for granted. All the missed opportunities. All because of some mix of laziness, lack of a long term perspective, lack of focus, lack of self discipline, and cowardice. Looking back, I realize many of my peers were more mature and focused.

I really feel this comment, especially the quote. I made so many mistakes that I regret now. And I'm just 17. I'm not sure how I came to this point. I want to avoid having my future self feeling similar to how I'm feeling.

I hope you're right. I don't think I'm doing enough to get into the state where I'm satisfied for the moment.
Of course I'm doing a lot in general (and definitely outlast my past by far) but everyone does, especially at my age. It feels more like the rate of growth that is important here.
And I want to "undo" mistakes. I want to work harder and do something so I can "catch up", perhaps not even a real person but the person I'd be if I spent my time productively. That's why comparing with myself doesn't feel satisfying

I think my life goal is getting myself satisfied. Just getting more achievements to boost ego, and feeling pride etc.
Idk that's just how life looks like to me. I don't even seem to care about much else

Sorry for the short reply, I think what you're pointing out is very well described but I'm not equipped to deal with it

I hinted in the post I was 17
What I achieved doesn't satisfy me (nor my actions), and I want to change that

I honestly didn't really enjoy my past years. It's not like I was partying in the time I'd be doing new projects.
That number is definitely not anywhere near 10 or 15. And I'm not comparing myself to "average" because I was never average. Median income globally is 12k$ per year, and half of the people are earn lower than that. I only compare myself with people from similar background as me, and I see numerous examples they just did better choices with their time and opportunities.

I don't like how I spent my time myself. I could do better

Also many with a similar or worse background than me though

if you don’t do them all before you’re 30 then you’re old and wasted your life and that could not be further from the truth.

I think they're actually right. I just look around, older people don't want to move an inch from their comfort zone. It's almost always what they do in their youth that defined who they are. If they are still doing good things in their life still, they were usually not sleeping around in their youth either. I think there is something about getting old that makes you less flexible in general, psychologically.

I'm definitely not where I want to be. I look at my last year, last 2 years, last 4 years, last 6 years etc. and it's as if I never done anything right with exceptions (something something broken clock). And when I try to do something today, many times I struggle because I didn't start early, or I just straight up can't. I can give so many examples to this today. Me sleeping around only hurts me in the future.

Yes, like I could give their beloved role model Instagram as an example. They very rarely prompt users to download their app in a small box on their website. And I still use the app because it's so snappy.
And they even have a Lite version (~2mb) in case their phone can't handle the original app.
This is such an interesting idea actually, spez please make a lite app. Look, Wall Street people have that as well!

Yes I have no claim that they're special people. I can see myself being close that or just be that if I actually changed some (I mean, a lot of) stuff in the past
I'm worried because I end up like some of those people. And time is passing really fast. Even years don't feel as long now. I think college will start and end before I realize it

And that entire time I could think about anything but how little I’ve done with my life. How boring I must sound talking to anyone because I have zero experiences. But about 8 years ago, I got diagnosed and medicated.

I'm suffering from a similarly-caused "unexperiencedness" of but thankfully I could get out it before it in just two years - which is really still long enough to make you feel missing out. I have far fewer to tell people about but thankfully I still manage to be somewhat interesting most of the time, especially recently. On unrelated note, tips on how to build experiences and things to talk about post-recovery, or mitigate the effect of effectively doing nothing in the last years?
I definitely think of what would happen if I just, you know, didn't get depressed at all and worked on myself.

If I don't compare myself I think I'll miss out from seeing some fundamental perspective. I benefitted so much from comparing myself with people after that unlucky period. But the unhealthy comparisons I made during that period made me go all the way downhill. It probably depends a lot on how you view it.

I do the reverse. If there was something else I could do that day, it's lost. And goddamn so often I do mistakes and feel bad about it.

You seem to have figured it out at least. Happy for you!

I'm aware of this effect. And I can say I'm pretty better positioned than many people I know irl. But I can still find people to envy to.
I'm also really materialistic in my world view recently. I think I'd want prestige and money and validation over anything else. Not sure how correct this thinking is but I don't think I really have anything else to look up to^___^

money hungry ladder climber

I think this is pretty close to my life outlook right now. I really don't have any dream like that tbh 😭

I don't mean "sleeping around" literally, I just didn't know what phrase to use to describe just kind of not doing any out-of-box activity and missing opportunities around you in general.
I did this too much it kind of affects some of my personal life negatively atm.
Context: I'm hope-to-be international student
I'm whining I have so little time to prepare for college admissions but... I could literally start preparing 2 years ago but I didn't know I could study abroad at the time. Which is, kind of the dumbest assumption I made in my life. Have I never seen a single international student? Why would they not let you enroll? Why I decided I couldn't study abroad for some reason? Why I took the words of the principal or family for a topic like that, they literally can't speak English? Worse, I got really upset for not being able to study abroad for two years bc it was like my dream - this combined with some others factors made a few years of high school a mental hell for me
I could attend an international high school that would help with the process but I (literally this time) slept around instead of researching high schools.
I didn't learn German even though I set that myself as a goal before, now I can't apply to German universities, which would be free so I wouldn't be stressed for getting scholarships right now
My examples are academic only but similar stuff exist in my social life as well, or like any other area
And time passes so fast I feel the pressure on my shoulders to not sleep around at least because I know I'll regret that later on

One thing that helps is trying to avoid that kind of information, whenever possible. The less you know about something that bothers you, the less it ends up bothering you

I feel like I won't be able to improve unless I see people better than me