--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What advice would you give to a smart…" description: "\"“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? I thought about this a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/timothy-ferriss-973_closest-friends_what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-dr_450767.jpg" --- # What advice would you give to a smart, driven college… ![“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? I thought about this a lot when I gave the commencement address at MIT back in 2013. I said that if I had a cheat sheet I could give myself at 22, it would have three…” quote by Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/timothy-ferriss-973_closest-friends_what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-dr_450767.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/timothy-ferriss-973_closest-friends_what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-dr_450767.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/timothy-ferriss-973_closest-friends_what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-dr_450767.jpg) > ““What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? I thought about this a lot when I gave the commencement address at MIT back in 2013. I said that if I had a cheat sheet I could give myself at 22, it would have three things on it: a tennis ball, a circle, and the number 30,000. The tennis ball is about finding something that you can become obsessed with, like my childhood dog who would go crazy whenever anyone threw a ball for her. The most successful people I know are all obsessed with solving a problem that really matters to them. The circle refers to the idea that you’re the average of your five closest friends. Make sure to put yourself in an environment that pulls the best out of you. And the last is the number 30,000. When I was 24, I came across a website that says most people live for about 30,000 days—and I was shocked to find that I was already 8,000 days down. So you have to make every day count. I’d give the same advice today, but I would clarify that it’s not just about passion or following your dreams. Make sure the problem you become obsessed with is one that needs solving and is one where your contribution can make a difference. As Y Combinator says, “Make something people want.”” [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. Three simple principles: obsessive focus on a meaningful problem, surrounding yourself with high‑impact peers, and valuing each day as part of a finite lifespan. **In simple terms:** Focus, community, and daily urgency drive success. Key Takeaway Apply these three principles daily. Themes success focus community time management Mood inspirational pragmatic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - goal setting Key Concepts obsession social circles finite lifespan Questions to Reflect On - What problem could you become obsessed with? - Who are your five most influential peers? A Different Perspective Advice may oversimplify complex life circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Closest friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closest-friends/) [College student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-student/) [Following your dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-your-dreams/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Solving A Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solving-a-problem/) [Successful people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-people/) ## Related quotes > [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? I’m probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to-8/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? 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Save the world with some advice from the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/tell-the-world-what-scares-you-most-save-the-world-with-some-advice/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“The great correspondent of the seventeenth century Madame de Sevigne counseled, "Take chocolate in order that even the most tireome company seem acceptable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barrie-kerper/the-great-correspondent-of-the-seventeenth-century-madame-de-sevigne/) Barrie Kerper > [My advice today, to established acts and new-coming acts, is the same advice I'd give to myself: pause for a minute, and really think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/my-advice-today-to-established-acts-and-new-coming-acts-is-the-same/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Advice ... is a habit-forming drug. 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I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-think-it-would-collapse-my-heart-if-i-was-super-famous-i-don-t-have/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Where story comes from, I don't know. I know that I become obsessed with something. An idea, an image, a person, the way a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/where-story-comes-from-i-don-t-know-i-know-that-i-become-obsessed/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Whenever I really want a part, I'm not sure what to do. How do I let the director know how obsessed I am and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/whenever-i-really-want-a-part-i-m-not-sure-what-to-do-how-do-i-let/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [What can I say? I'm obsessed. And as we all know obsessed girls can't be held responsible for our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/what-can-i-say-i-m-obsessed-and-as-we-all-know-obsessed-girls-can-t/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [There is a spiritual realm that encompasses all beings. Make friends with the angels, who will always be with you, although invisible. Make good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/there-is-a-spiritual-realm-that-encompasses-all-beings-make-friends/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) ## More by Timothy Ferriss > [“First of all, if we’re serious all the time, we’ll wear out before we get the truly serious stuff done. Second, if this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/first-of-all-if-we-re-serious-all-the-time-we-ll-wear-out-before-we/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that have greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-is-the-book-or-books-you-ve-given-most-as-a-gift-and-why-or-what/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? Nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center. 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Please,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-bullshit-excuses-do-you-have-for-not-going-after-whatever-it-is/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“The fishing is best where the fewest go,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-fishing-is-best-where-the-fewest-go/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“Using people to leverage a refined process multiplies production; using people as a solution to a poor process multiplies problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/using-people-to-leverage-a-refined-process-multiplies-production/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“Being financially rich and having the ability to live like a millionaire are fundamentally two very different things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/being-financially-rich-and-having-the-ability-to-live-like-a/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“What are the top-three activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I’ve been productive? These are usually used to postpone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-are-the-top-three-activities-that-i-use-to-fill-time-to-feel-as/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-factory-of-the-future-will-have-only-two-employees-a-man-and-a/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) [Explore all 310 Timothy Ferriss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) ## More Closest friends quotes > [“And the influence of their peers can be utterly overwhelming. As their closest friends succumb to the trend of G.O.Y., many children feel pressured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-emery-white/and-the-influence-of-their-peers-can-be-utterly-overwhelming-as-their/) [James Emery White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-emery-white/) > [One my closest friends doesn't care about sharing her clothes or jewelry, but she never shares her fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/one-my-closest-friends-doesn-t-care-about-sharing-her-clothes-or/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [“It’s been said that you make as much money as the average income of your five closest friends. Well, I have no friends, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-been-said-that-you-make-as-much-money-as-the-average-income-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [One of my closest friends is a trans man who is incredible. And a lot of my clients are trans women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/one-of-my-closest-friends-is-a-trans-man-who-is-incredible-and-a-lot/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [I am not somebody who likes to give advice, or anything like that, unless it's my closest friends or family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-am-not-somebody-who-likes-to-give-advice-or-anything-like-that/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [You never know really what anyone thinks about you - that's why all my closest friends are ones I've had since my schooling days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cooper/you-never-know-really-what-anyone-thinks-about-you-that-s-why-all-my/) [Dominic Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cooper/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. 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What advice should they ignore? I thought about this a lot when I gave the commencement address at MIT back in 2013. I said that if I had a cheat sheet I could give myself at 22, it would have three things on it: a tennis ball, a circle, and the number 30,000. The tennis ball is about finding something that you can become obsessed with, like my childhood dog who would go crazy whenever anyone threw a ball for her. The most successful people I know are all obsessed with solving a problem that really matters to them. The circle refers to the idea that you’re the average of your five closest friends. Make sure to put yourself in an environment that pulls the best out of you. And the last is the number 30,000. When I was 24, I came across a website that says most people live for about 30,000 days—and I was shocked to find that I was already 8,000 days down. So you have to make every day count. I’d give the same advice today, but I would clarify that it’s not just about passion or following your dreams. Make sure the problem you become obsessed with is one that needs solving and is one where your contribution can make a difference. 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