Scott Adam’s new one ‘How To Fail At Almost Everything But Still Win Big’ is a really good grounding in putting systems into place to make your life work well, too.
I’ve read the Autobiography of Ben Franklin, whom I believe was the most intelligent of all the Founders. His description of his trip from Boston to Philadelphia made a big impression on me, and was one of the reasons why I chose to move to Philadelphia when I was in my twenties.
As I was reading this thread I thought of this book and how it might be a good fit for the young man here. Really excellent book and it would be perfect for someone finding their way.
I would never want to be that age again. It is a hard age and if there's a message I would give him, it's that it gets better. It really does. I think the 20s are pretty sucky, the 30s are a bit better, and the 40s rock.
My mother, a very wise woman, once told me that your job, as the parent of an adult child becomes very simple. All you do is love them.
The way I got through all that angst at that age was I worked. I worked two, three jobs. I kept so busy I didn't have a lot of time to wallow. But there were days, weeks, months, when it was hard. I called it "the blacks," when it felt like life was bleak and hollow. I couldn't even verbalize what was wrong. When I would find myself at the bookstore perusing the self-help section was about the time it began to pass. And it does pass.