--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Advice to your 20-year-old self? “I would…" description: "\"“Advice to your 20-year-old self? “I would say, ‘Write everything down because it’s all very fleeting.’ I would say, ‘Keep a journal,’ which I have but..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cb/timothy-ferriss-973_advice_advice-to-your-20-year-old-self-i-would_3144035.jpg" --- # Advice to your 20-year-old self? “I would say, ‘Write… ![“Advice to your 20-year-old self? “I would say, ‘Write everything down because it’s all very fleeting.’ I would say, ‘Keep a journal,’ which I have but I would have been more meticulous. Then I would say, ‘Don’t bow to the gatekeepers at the head of, in my case, show business, but at the gate of…” quote by Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cb/timothy-ferriss-973_advice_advice-to-your-20-year-old-self-i-would_3144035.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cb/timothy-ferriss-973_advice_advice-to-your-20-year-old-self-i-would_3144035.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cb/timothy-ferriss-973_advice_advice-to-your-20-year-old-self-i-would_3144035.jpg) > ““Advice to your 20-year-old self? “I would say, ‘Write everything down because it’s all very fleeting.’ I would say, ‘Keep a journal,’ which I have but I would have been more meticulous. Then I would say, ‘Don’t bow to the gatekeepers at the head of, in my case, show business, but at the gate of any business or any endeavor.’ Don’t bow to the gatekeepers because I think, in essence, there are no gatekeepers. You are the gatekeeper. . . . “Don’t waste your time on marketing, just try to get better. . . . “And also, it’s not about being good; it’s about being great. Because what I find, the older I get, is that a lot of people are good, and a lot of people are smart, and a lot of people are clever. But not a lot of people give you their soul when they perform.”” [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes meticulous record‑keeping, self‑reliance, and striving for greatness beyond mere competence. **In simple terms:** Write, journal, be great, ignore gatekeepers. Key Takeaway Document life, focus on mastery, reject external validation. Themes self‑improvement authenticity mastery creativity independence Mood determined inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - skill development - personal journaling Key Concepts journaling gatekeeping excellence personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How can you become your own gatekeeper? - What does giving your soul to a performance mean? A Different Perspective Greatness requires risk and vulnerability, not just effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Advice 20](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice-20-2688403/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Gatekeepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gatekeepers/) [Gatekeepers Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gatekeepers-head-5614953/) [Gatekeepers Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gatekeepers-think-2341194/) [Show business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show-business/) ## Related quotes > [One of the amazing things about the Internet is that the content creators are the gatekeepers. We can think of an idea and execute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-william-johnson/one-of-the-amazing-things-about-the-internet-is-that-the-content/) [Ray William Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-william-johnson/) > [“Follow Your Passion” Is Terrible Advice “I think it misconstrues the nature of finding a satisfying career and satisfying job, where the biggest predictor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/follow-your-passion-is-terrible-advice-i-think-it-misconstrues-the/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [After I die, I shall return to earth as a gatekeeper of a bordello and I won't let any of you enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-toscanini/after-i-die-i-shall-return-to-earth-as-a-gatekeeper-of-a-bordello-and/) [Arturo Toscanini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-toscanini/) > [With social media, the gatekeepers are our followers. It has opened so many doors for me not only musically, but fashion-wise as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/with-social-media-the-gatekeepers-are-our-followers-it-has-opened-so/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The publicists are the gatekeepers, and they wield a lot of power. They're the ones giving you access to their clients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-danza/the-publicists-are-the-gatekeepers-and-they-wield-a-lot-of-power-they/) [Tony Danza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-danza/) > [Librarians are not just gatekeepers to knowledge, they are what the American Indians used to call their special sages who preserved the oral legends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-h-billington/librarians-are-not-just-gatekeepers-to-knowledge-they-are-what-the/) [James H. Billington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-h-billington/) > [Because I'm a special gatekeeper. I'm the head gatekeeper. 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That's my favorite thing about Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-like-the-way-you-can-circumvent-the-media-gatekeepers-and-go-right/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [O Logic: born gatekeeper to the Temple of Science, victim of capricious destiny: doomed hitherto to be the drudge of pedants: come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/o-logic-born-gatekeeper-to-the-temple-of-science-victim-of-capricious/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. 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I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. 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