What I Wish I Knew When I was 20 Review

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 by Tina Seelig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: 

Major life transitions such as leaving the protected environment of school or starting a new career can be daunting. It is scary to face a wall of choices, knowing that no one is going to tell us whether or not we are making the right decision. There is no clearly delineated path or recipe for success. Even figuring out how and where to start can be a challenge. That is, until now.

As executive director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Tina Seelig guides her students as they make the difficult transition from the academic environment to the professional world, providing tangible skills and insights that will last a lifetime. Seelig is an entrepreneur, neuroscientist, and popular teacher, and in What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 she shares with us what she offers her students—provocative stories, inspiring advice, and a big dose of humility and humor.

These pages are filled with fascinating examples, from the classroom to the boardroom, of individuals defying expectations, challenging assumptions, and achieving amazing success. Seelig throws out the old rules and provides a new model for reaching our highest potential. We discover how to have a healthy disregard for the impossible, how to recover from failure, and how most problems are remarkable opportunities in disguise.

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 is a much-needed book for everyone looking to make their mark on the world.

MY THOUGHTS: 

Being 20 right now, I picked up this book on a whim at the library and I am glad that I did, because it was very inspiring! The author, Tina Seelig, is a professor at Stanford University, and writes about many inspirational experiences that she has had with her students and vice vera. Her whole book is pretty much about thinking outside of the norm to find creative ways to solve everyday problems. Each chapter had a theme that was accompanied by multiple examples of successful people in the corporate world. This book challenges people to make a difference, to follow their dreams and to be different.
To be honest I didn't read the whole book, I read the first 3 chapters and then skimmed the first and last paragraph of all other chapters, because I didn't want to read a bunch of examples. But, from what I did read, I felt as though I was able to take a lot away from it. After reading this book, all I wanted to do was volunteer for EVERYTHING! Over all I thought it was a terrific book, that opened my eyes to many new possibilities. This book pushed me to do more than I could have ever imagined (I know, I sound so cheesy, but it's true!).

Great quote from the book:

"Never miss an opportunity to be fabulous."

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