 I discovered the most interesting thing recently and I actually found it really surprising. I know that nearly 60% of you who watch this channel are in your 20s. YouTube analytics tells me that. I just found that really interesting because I'm not your age, but I'm not so old that I don't remember my 20s. I know exactly how you guys think, you think you're invincible, you think you'll never get old, and you think that there are things that you just don't have to think about. Well, take it from me as someone who's been there, done that, that's not the case. There are plenty of things now looking back that I wish I knew when I was in my 20s and I'm gonna share five of those things with you today. So hopefully, hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes. I'm Brian Sakawa and you're watching He Spoke Style where we give you the information and inspiration you need to dress well, have more confidence, and unlock your potential. So I wanna start off talking about style because this is a style-focused channel. Now, I know a lot of you probably assume that I've always known how to dress well and that it came easy to me, but let me tell you, that is not the case. And the first thing I wish I knew in my 20s was to have a better understanding of how to build a versatile wardrobe that I could actually do something with. So I know this sounds crazy if you look at what it is that I do now, and I always knew what I wanted, but I didn't know how to get there. I was focused more on individual pieces rather than stepping back and looking at the big picture. So what would happen was I'd think I need some pants. So I'd go to the mall and buy a pair of pants or two pairs of pants. I'd think I need a shirt, so I'd go buy a shirt. And eventually I had all these individual things that just didn't go together. So when that happens to you, that's when you're like, I don't have anything to wear and you go out and buy something else and the cycle just continues. I'm ashamed to admit that it took me way too long to get to the point where I really understood the value of starting with the basics, making a plan, making a budget, and then gradually, gradually, because it does take time adding those pieces and then feeling like, yes, this actually isn't that hard and I can do this. If you've watched the channel for a long time, you already know these things because it's something I talk about all the time. But if you happen to be new to the channel and you do want to know where to get started, I highly recommend clicking on that video right up there where I take you through the 25 essential items I think every guy should start with. All right, next. You see these lines? Yeah, take a close look at them. They're inevitable as you age, but for me, they would probably be a little less pronounced if I had taken better care of my skin more consistently, which is the second thing I wish I knew or had done in my 20s. The reason I was never really able to commit to a good skincare routine is just because it seemed so complicated, like there are so many aspects to it that it was just hard to know exactly what I was supposed to do, but more importantly, like what I needed to do. My wife takes incredible care of her skin. She has all these products and she knows exactly how to use them and what order to use them, but I'm not that advanced. But if someone said, this is exactly what you need to do, I'm the type of person that can follow instructions like that, which is one of the reasons I'm really excited to partner with our sponsor for today's video, Teege Hanley. I feel like this whole system that they have was made exactly for someone like me. I've been using the level three advanced, advanced because I'm old kit, which includes a facial cleanser, a face scrub, a morning moisturizer, an evening moisturizer, an eye cream and a serum, which is designed to slow down the appearance of aging. The best part about it from my perspective, other than that, it smells and feels amazing and that it actually works, is that they tell you exactly when to use it and how much to use, which makes that routine aspect of it really easy to get into. I love having a checklist like that. You know, I've had a problem recently with I guess it's because it's been cold and dry where this part of my face between my eyebrows was actually getting really dry and splotchy. And since I've been using the Teege Hanley products, I have not had any issues with that at all, which is super awesome. I've had really great success with this and if my story sounds kind of like yours and you've been looking for a way to get started with a good skincare routine, Teege Hanley is offering you guys a free Dopp kit with your first order and all you have to do is to click the link down below in the description to get started for just $25. I didn't mention before, but the price for this stuff is really amazing as well and they have some great membership benefits including always saving 25% off the retail price. Free US shipping all the time, again, link down below to get started. My wife, Robin loves to tell a certain story about me. We weren't married yet and she was still living in New York City and I was up visiting. We were out and about and then she just wanted to sit on a bench and do nothing. And that type of stasis, which some might call relaxation, has never been something that resonated with me. I recognize that now and the benefits of that now and I'm better about it, but in my 20s that was something I never even thought about. I was constantly pushing, constantly working, like just very focused on whatever it was that I was doing or learning or practicing to the point where I felt that if I let up and didn't focus and didn't work so hard that I would fall behind and possibly never even achieve what I wanted to. I think it's okay to be super focused like that, but what I've learned is that you have to build in time to take a break. Burnout is real and it's the worst thing ever. It could even put you in a position where you actually start hating the thing that you love to do in the first place. I experienced this to varying degrees, but luckily I never got to the point where I just wanted to completely quit. It's a dangerous and kind of scary situation to find yourself in and it's really something I wish I had a better understanding of back in my 20s. The next thing I wish I knew in my 20s kind of goes hand in hand with what I was just talking about, being like super focused, head down, seriously consumed with what I was striving to achieve. At that time for me that was music. The saxophone, music history, musicology, learning all the crazy music that I used to play back then. Going to that place mentally is really important I think to becoming an expert or getting close to mastery of a particular field or any kind of pursuit. But what I wish I could have done better back then was to see the bigger picture and to be able to articulate and really understand why I was doing this. I knew that I loved music. I love playing for people. I love pushing boundaries and really kind of trying to innovate, but by not looking outside and doing things more or less in a vacuum, eventually it became like, I don't understand. Like what is this all about? What I know now and can articulate now is that I love connecting with people. I love bringing people together around shared beliefs and that what I do has the power to change people's lives. I understand that with music. I understand that with what I do here on the channel. And once I found out the why of what I was doing, it really gave me a sense of purpose, a sense of grounding and the feeling that I was doing something that was bigger than myself. So I would encourage you to think about not what you do or how you do it, but to really dig into the why because if you do that and you can get to the bottom of it, I guarantee you will have a very powerful moment of transformation. One of the things I always wanted to do in my 20s and I kind of regret not doing was to move to New York City to do the musician thing up there. I mean, that was the hub of all the activity. There were just so many creative people there, so many opportunities. It just seems so exciting, but it was a risk. I never took that risk, but I did take a different risk. So I was really lucky to win a job as a saxophonist with the Army Field Band in 1999, but you know, at the time I was 21 years old, didn't really want to settle into a career at that age. There was still so much I wanted to do, I thought. So after three years, I decided to leave the secure job that I had to go to graduate school, study the saxophone more, and possibly get a teaching job at a university. So that was a risk that I took. Wasn't moving to New York, but it was a risk and it was scary to do. I don't regret it at all. It all worked out fine, but looking back on it, what I would share with you is that you'll probably have these opportunities to take risks. Don't be afraid to take a risk, but I think it's very important to weigh the factors associated with that risk. So although you'll be taking a leap and doing something that scares you and is uncomfortable, try, just try. To see a way forward before you make the decision so you can have some kind of plan before you jump in. Be open to things as they happen, but I think you'll feel better about your decision like I did if you take the time to kind of map it out a little bit. I wanna thank Teach Hanley for sponsoring this video once again and to remind you to click the link down below in the description to get a free Dopp Kit with your first order. I was really blown away by this stuff and I think if you have struggled to commit to a skincare routine that this could really be a great option for you. So click the link down below to check it out.