What politicians and media moguls wish they knew when they were 22

Value the people around you

“It’s never too early to start living your life now. As much as being in your 20s is about planning for the future and preparing for the future, don’t always be so tied up with that that you forget that this is your life. When you get to your death bed you’re not going to stop and wish you had just taken one more credit hour or worked one more billable hour. You’re going to think about your spouse and your children. So even if you are in your early 20s and haven’t found your spouse or had kids yet, start thinking about them, start praying for them and preparing for them, because that’s the best part of life.”

Sen. Mike Lee, Utah

Be disciplined with your money

“Save 10% of your money. It seems hard because you don’t really earn a lot coming out (of college). The truth is we are going to have to reform social security and Medicare, so getting in that habit now will set you up not just for long-term success, but for retirement. It’s not a difficult thing, it’s a discipline thing.”

U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, Florida

Don’t worry so much

“I wish I knew that all the work I was doing in high school and college and was getting ready to do in grad school was definitely going to pay off. At the time, I worried, I really questioned – is all this ever going to pay off? Am I ever going to get a job? Where am I going to live? What am I going to do for a living? Because I didn’t even really know. If I could go back and do anything differently it would be to worry a heck of a lot less about long-term future stuff that I couldn’t control and focus on what I could control – the here-and-now. Try to plan ahead, but don’t worry about all the other stuff. And try to enjoy the ride a little bit more.”

Jimmy Stewart, President of Ohio Gas Association, former Ohio State Senator

Know what you want

“Build a wide range of experience – know who you are, know what you’re about, and stand on your principles.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee

For aspiring journalists:

Don’t worry about what others think

“I think you have to overcome your fear. I think you have to be comfortable with people not liking you. The toughest thing to accept psychologically is to not be liked by the people you want to be liked by. You have to ask yourself the question – ‘what do I really want? Do I want to expose the truth, or do I want to be accepted?’ That’s the toughest thing to accept psychologically, and most people can’t do it.”

James O’Keefe, Investigative Journalist, Founder of Project Veritas