Here are three things I wish I had done, known and adhered to that I believe would have made my journey more rewarding.
I wish I would have focused on the fundamentals of building software for the web. HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, SQL. I realized later on that mastering those skills grant the developer the power to create anything for any device. While some of the deeper programming concepts are missed early on, the developer would have gained the ability to build and manage, through automation even, a network of niche sites that generate additional income streams while also adding to a portfolio or content.
I wish I would have focused on getting to know myself and exploring why I have the interest I have and how those interests intersect with my natural talents. I believe we all came here for a reason. There is something we came here to accomplish. Typically we have this interest in this thing we find rather difficult, yet we find this strange enjoyment in it. Then there is something that we shine at doing. It could be gardening, baking, speaking, writing, etc. I believe our purpose is at the intersection of those two things.
I wish I would have Produced and released more unpolished real content about my interest, thoughts, beliefs, what I was learning, why I was learning it, and how I was going to use it. I have learned that the fastest way to learning anything and becoming good at it is to learn a part, practice that part, then teach that part to yourself or someone else.
If I had coupled this an entrepreneurial mindset and developed a filing system, I would have had enough content for all kinds of books, audiobooks, and online courses way before now. A library of intellectual property based on my own experiences and insights that others could learn from. By the time I finished learning a subject, I would have a series of sellable products. For the "time" lost in applying the technique of learning, doing, and teaching, I would have gained ten times more understanding in a tenth of the time and, I would have a large body of work I could point to and eventually become known for.
Most people don't get what they want because not enough people know who they are. We don't need a network of contacts. If we can build a following of 1000 true fans, we can have anything we want in life. Every business and organization ever conceived operates, and employees people bases on this principle.
The truly successful people are the ones that figure out who they are, why they are here, and who they are meant to serve.
I run a daily live show on youtube for Aspiring Coders, Creators, Artists, and Entrepreneurs, where I talk about stuff like this. You can find me @TheRealCasadaro