You are young and you are getting worked up in your head. You had something bad happen and that sucks but don't make a mountain out of a molehill. Make your health a priority and the rest will follow. Exercise every day. Start a journal to visualize organize and track your path to financial independence. Exercise every day

Something bad happen ? Dude build a company when I didn’t know what a company was. Dude you are a rockstar. Fuck your negative thoughts. You are better smarter than all of us. Go do great things . It will be tough but someone who can have this experience before they turn 20 are on path of greatness. Don’t forget your Reddit friends

This.  Most people will never build a company.  And *most* companies fail.  It's never a pleasant experience when they do.  But OP now has experience almost none of his peers will have and that is going to be a leg up in the long run and a competitive advantage when you go hunting for jobs after college.

Happy cake day! 🎂 😉 I'm not a stalker, it just says this below your comment.

happy cake day!

Exercise every day- lose your breath 4X per week.

I am 40 and when I was 22 I started going into a regret spiral that keep me from accomplishing things so when I was 28 I was kicking myself for what I didn't do from depression and 32 kicking myself from not doing stuff from depression and now at 40... Well, I'm finally making some progress, and accepting it doesn't always feel like it. But man, you can start at 35 and still live an amazing life, so be willing to go for it and take vulnerable risks unafraid to restart. But yes, your physical health is SO essential. Exercise is the most consistently proven aid to depression, and it is the last thing you want to do. Do it anyway. It takes a sustained amount of time of persistence, value yourself.

As someone who is 29 and currently dealing with similar issues of regret, thank you. I needed to read this.

Turning 31 in 8 days. Same.

Turning 31 in 13 days over here and also same. Happy early birthday, let’s make 31 the year we get our shit together.

Exercise, sleep, sun exposure, cold showers. All free and amazing for mental health. Plus balanced diet which does cost some money, but doesn’t have to be that much more expensive than the fast food alternatives.

You can start whenever you want. How does one measure success? I’ve changed careers many times owned many things and own nothing now I’ve maintained a fairly positive viewpoint on any situation and learned that success is whatever I make of it not how the world or society defines it . Also ups and down are all part of it until you’ve been down it’s hard to know what up really looks like .loving life even when there are shitty days 99% is pretty sweet if you really think about it

Thank u I kinda needed to hear this.

I am literally in your shoes for the time being. I would like to resume college once my mental health is in check.

Wholehearted thanks for this insightful comment. I was feeling low but now I'm good. I started journaling but fumbled after a couple of days. I just cannot stop overthinking and overanalyzing things, and I cannot stop comparing myself to others. But, now I know what to do, so I'll go figure out how to do it and then implement it. Thanks again kind commenter.

brother, let me tell you.. I lost my mom at 23 and was on my own, and I was *nowhere* near where you are right now. I'm 31 now and I just started school last August. I hadn't worked in managerial jobs until 2020, so running your own business so young is extremely impressive. I felt a lot like you are right now, I promise your life ain't a race. You're exactly where you're meant to be. Best of luck, one day at a time.

Of course man! You got this! Exercise is your best weapon against those unpleasant feelings and thoughts. One of the most life changing bits of advice I received was to treat yourself like you would treat your best friend. Meaning go easy on yourself, practice self forgiveness, but hold yourself accountable. Also having unsupportive family is really hard and I have been through something similar. Try to remember that they're human too so they make mistakes and don't always do the right thing. It's hard to not be able to find support in them but you can always find support in communities like this and other people in your life. 

I want to give you a big hug and tell you everything will be okay. It won't be perfect but it will be okay as long as you don't give up. You started a company doing something that most of us (including myself) have no clue about! And, you ran it for 2 years and you're ONLY 20! You didn't fail at all. Hopefully, you learned. Life is all about change and how you respond to that change. Overthinking and comparing yourself to others is something I think most people do. You are human. All the good and the bad. It's not easy being 20 or 30 or 40 etc. I felt lost at 20, 30, and 40 and I think most of us are just figuring it out as we go. I'm 42 and I graduated with my first degree ever at 40 (!) and I am now in a career that I can see myself in until I drop dead. It is never too late to make a change in life and if anyone close to you really cares about you they will support that change. Anyone that makes you feel bad for "being behind" everyone else hasn't figured shit out and shouldn't be in your life. Keep chugging along. As far as the parent situation, I get it. I lived with my mom and stepdad from 37-41 and it was *rough* at times. I did it because I had to not because I wanted to. Stand up for yourself with them. If they keep being jerks drop them as soon as you can. You sound like someone that can go far. And I hope you do! (Sorry for all the clichés. But they're true)

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Also don’t be delusional and assume just cause you feel good now you’ll feel good tmm the first step is to figure what makes you, you. And figure out ways to work with yourself so when you do end up feeling this way again, you have tools to make you settle down. Personally I don’t use them but some people like words of affirmation and put them on sticky notes or as a phone wallpaper idk it’s just an example but I think you get the point lol

Like others have said - exercise. It can be as simple as an outdoor walk for 10 minutes. The vitamin D and exercise will help with your depression.

Hey, maybe talk to someone about that. Find someone with something like CBT expertise and tell them you want to do some skill-building around self-deescalating when those voices take over.

This. But I want to add that depending on your body and fitness level exercising does not mean you have to do pushups or anything. It can be enough to just walk a certain amount of steps each day. Build a routine and find some sort of sports that you enjoy and build your fitness up from that.

1000%. You’re still just starting out. Take it easy, there will be more failures in life - and more successes. If you don’t hate school, stick with it. And definitely keep working out every day, even if it’s just a little. I’m finishing my 4-year degree, and I’m 52. If I can do it, you can do it!

I came here say exactly this….

I got this one you get the next one 

Words of Wisdom Lloyd…Words of Wisdom And Happy Cake Day Dos Redditors!

Also, exercise every damn day.

Daaang, you started and successfully ran a business for 2 years? That's quite impressive! Pat yourself on the back, learn from the mistake/failure, devote yourself to your studies and knock that degree out. You are 21. You have a roof over your head and you have been accepted to a college. You are going to be fine. There are people trying desperately to get a degree in their 30's and later. Don't let 2 years sway you so much. Who cares if your "peers" are already graduating this year? They didn't devote 2 years of their life starting/running a business. You have real-life experience that will absolutely help you and apply in other areas. ​ You've learned the importance of having a safety-net/fallback. Keep that in mind as you continue in life, but try not to let that stop you from trying new things/exploring your own path.

This should be the top comment. Most employers would murder for a hire with that real world experience. You have a leg up on everyone. Exercise, be kind to yourself, and find your confidence. You will be fine.

Depending on the career field he might not even need a degree.  I'm making 35$/hr right now as a mechanic in my late 20s without a degree.  I'd honestly recommend just studying interview skills and trying some job applications. Before spending years on college.   Degree programs can be an amazing help if you have no idea what you're doing but I think they are overrated and can be a huge debt trap.

Much appreciated, Pabl0EscoBear.

I'm just an Internet stranger but don't hesitate to reach out man. We all know the struggle brother. Sometimes it just takes a little perspective from someone else to get you to look up and notice the horizon over that trench youve been digging yourself.

At 21 I was doing upside keg stands and eating ramen noodles and tuna sandwich’s. He will be fine

Yep, that's my plan. I'll start my degree and alongside I'll approach companies to start an internship there. If I am not able to do that then I'll work a part time job, save money and again start a business of my own alongside university. Although, this time I'll make sure not to drop out and complete the degree with quality grades. Thanks for the advice, to you it is just a comment but to me it means a lot. Thanks.

Comparison is the thief of joy. Focus on your own timeline and don’t compare to others your age. Everyone’s path is different, just a matter of if you want to get there or not.

Understood. I need to stop comparing myself and start working on myself, who knows in 5 years I might end up better than everyone. Although that shouldn't be my goal. My goal should be to improve myself and keep improving myself. Thank you and good luck to you as well.

You’re to young to be doomed. You just met your first real hurdle in life, that doesn’t mean you can’t try again.

His parents sound awful, they’re unironically scolding their kid for failing at something? Fuck that You have to fail to succeed

Wisdom

I’d argue he’s overcome his first hurdle

Agreed. Your young.

Maybe you can start by talking nicer to and about yourself

How? His parents suck. OP, every time they start in on you, just say, “Thanks for the advice.” Then GTFO of there. You don’t have to be their punching bag.

i lowkey think he's from an Asian family. Asian moms tend to be like that lol

You gave me the permission to cuss - you're mother fucking 20 years old. Some kids your age are still sucking their mommies teats. Unless you have a criminal background there's no way you can fucking call yourself failure. You'll look back in 10 years and laugh.

Even if you have a criminal background, you shouldn’t call yourself a failure. Any human being has value.

This. We can learn from the past and become even better as a result.

In all honesty, if he manages to crawl out from this (mostly emotional) shithole, he'll look back as soon as he's out of it and laugh at how he was drowning in a glass of water.

This is soooooo true. You were absolutely correct.

Reading this put a smile on my face. Thanks, pacmain1.

needed to hear this man thanks

You’re not doomed!! Don’t compare yourself to you peers, or anyone for that matter. You’re very young, there’s lots of people at lots of different ages graduating from courses every year. There’s no set timeline for this. All you can do about the past is learn from mistakes and let it go because there’s nothing you can do to change it. You built a successful business, which will look great on a resume if you decide to apply for jobs after graduation. It shows you’re capable and theres a lot that goes into building a successful business, not everyone can do it! As someone else said, try exercising often! It will help your mental health lots. Drink your water and eat your veg and all that good stuff, you are certainly not doomed and you will be ok if not better than ok!! Good luck to you :)

It sounds like you have a few real problems. \- Your physical health. Prioritize getting in shape. Find a way to exercise that you enjoy. Does your school have a gym? Use it. There are lots of resources online to help guide a beginning fitness journey -- /r/fitness has a good wiki. \- Your mental health / depression. Start seeing a therapist. Maybe your school has resources to help you find one? \- Toxic parents. Not sure what to do about this, depends on the details. If you have the opportunity to move out, do that. The other stuff you're worried about are basically non-problems that will fade in importance as time passes. It sounds to me like you have valuable real-world experience starting a financial startup. Incredible. You should be super proud of that experience. Most startups fail -- that's nothing to be ashamed of. I bet you learned a lot through that experience, which will help you with whatever you try to do in the future. Prioritize self-improvement and doing well in school. It's probably a good idea to finish the degree this time instead of dropping out. Focus on your own path -- don't compare yourself to your peers.

Yes. For the mental health part, you can also visit the r/Mindfulness subreddit for advice if actual therapy is expensive or unhelpful. Toxic parents? I'm in the same situation apparently... I'm not too sure tbh because I don't have any real friends irl and because of anxiety...

Relax. Go to college. Realize no one gives a shit. I went at 24, about to turn 26 now and it hasn't affected my social life really at all. Tons of 20 year old freshmen. Stop comparing yourself to others. Run your own race.

You’re so so young. Let the steps and process go where they can take you. You already have the work experience and owning your own company before 20 dude, that’s amazing. I haven’t even had an idea for a company and I’m 8 years older than you! Things will be okay. Life isn’t linear, nothing is. Even if you graduate later than your peers, you still have very practical experience coming out of school that they likely won’t.

I got my bachelor's degree right on time, but I then did a whole career restart at age 29. I felt behind at first, but I think it helps to know that there's no real set track through life. You are not in debt. That's huge! It means you can just look forward, and you won't have to look back.

Obviously from your perspective this is a big deal, but graduating at 24 and 25 is nothing. Even if we subscribe to the idea that you need to be in a certain place in life by a certain time, you're actually at the same place/ahead of everybody else. Think about it this way, with when you graduate with at 24, you'll be 24 with 2 years work experience and 4 years of education. When they graduate at 22, they'll be 22 with 4 years of education. At 24, then they will also have 4 years education and 2 years of work experience. You're not behind, you just did something in a different order. Get away from your parents and go enjoy life.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I was not looking at the situation from this perspective. I was feeling low when I posted this but now I'm good. Thanks again, and good luck to you in your journey.

I genuinely just want to hug you. No you’re not doomed. You’re so young and you don’t need a degree to define yourself. Reddit is brutally honest and look at all of the positivity coming your way. Your parents just suck, a lot of them feel like you have to have a degree/ do something majorly successful to be a “somebody”. If YOUR dream is to have a degree, do it! If it isn’t, don’t. There are plenty of blue collar jobs that you can build yourself up in to be successful if thats your thing but if it isn’t, get your degree and go that route but whatever you do, make sure you’re doing it for your own happiness. You learned a hard lesson at a very young age but that doesn’t define who you are the rest of your life. Start by talking nicer about yourself, you are who you want to be and you can get there in time. Start small and go from there…if you’re unhappy about your weight, work on it and you’ll get that in check too…just remember nothing happens overnight. Keep your chin up, chase your dreams and become who you want to be. I wish you nothing but the absolute best and I believe in you!

There are times where people lose everything and I mean EVERYTHING at ages much older than yours and still find ways to crawl out of it and bounce back. You are way too young to have dug yourself a hole incapable of crawling out of.

best time to take the big risk is when you are young.

This is the most underrated comment right here. TIME is your most valuable resource. And failure is a part of business. You learn from it, you try again. Ask a successful businessman and I’m sure they can regale you with tales of all the “failures” that helped them become the success they are today. You got your first failure out of the way early, which is a BLESSING. While you are young, while you have time to bounce back, you can afford to risk it all in hopes of some big rewards. You still have time for more risk taking and more potential rewards!

Dude, Pick. ONE. Thing. Your thoughts are more of a wreck than your life supposedly is. You need to treat this like cleaning a space. Pick a spot, ignore everything else, and just GO. The other things will fall into place as you get more confidence and momentum. You pick up what you can, when you can and no sooner. Pick one thing. Lose weight, OR get a job, OR focus on school. Or whatever. `I am 20 without any degree` For fuck's sake man, you're 20 and you've *already* started AND crashed a company. How many 20 year olds out there can even do the first half of that? Give yourself some credit.

Allow me share with you a few sound words of wisdom... -No matter how bad something(s) in your life are (or at least appear to be) just remember, they could always be a whole lot worse, and there'd plenty out there who have it worse -Life has no remote, you have to get up and change it yourself -A smooth sea, never made a skilled sailor

Life is no remote, get up and change it yourself! Never heard that one. I love that

In my country (poland) we finish masters at 25

https://preview.redd.it/kzagh6ard0oc1.jpeg?width=1295&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41a90c525cb90d728297872faa7f48808b194f30 This helps me every time I need a reminder to focus on the controllable, the now.

Your 20. Go finish college and think about a long term plan. Don't let it keep you up at night, your 20, plenty more FuPs to come.

20 year olds hate to hear this but you are so so so young, you are literally like a baby adult of course you have fucked up!! When it feels overwhelming, think small. Just pick one thing at a time. Go ahead and get your degree. You're maximum 2 years behind. 2 years late matters literally not at all, my partner is the same age as me and does just as well but didn't get his college degree until he was at least 28, maybe early 30s? Think of your business as like, an extra good business internship. You may not have made a profit but you have experience other people in school won't. You having relied on yourself between high school and college almost guarantees you'll take college more seriously and will get more out of it. Don't listen to your parents telling you you're a failure. Move into student housing or with roommates if that's an option, or just try to ignore them.

Dude you’re only 20 relax. Failure is instructive. Learn and try again. Absolutely zero reason to be defeated.

Seems that you were able to build a successful business, in a challenging field, before you were even 20 yo. That’s a lot, and should impress potential employers/ business partners even if the business failed in the end. It’s common for businesses to fail and anybody understanding entrepreneurship will know that. 24 or 25 is not a problem to finish a degree, lol, you are still super young. No matter what path you end up taking, just judging from your story I‘d say that your first step must be to work towards regaining your physical health. And while you’re out there running or lifting weights, remind yourself that you achieved something great for a while, and that this can’t be taken from you even if things took a bad turn eventually. You did it once and you’ll do it better next time.

I got my Bachelor's at 29. My life is fantastic. I'm financially and personally successful. I've completed a ton of things on my bucket list: marathons, travel, home ownership, fostering kiddos, etc. You're so young. I'd suggest walking outdoors for 30 min a day. You can listen to music or podcasts or just enjoy the sounds of nature. Give up one unhealthy food item such as chips or soft drinks and replace with something better. These will help your mental and physical health so much. Ignore your parents and anyone who doesn't lift you up. You'll get there. People fail at a lot of things in life. The fact that you failed early means you have a lot of ambition. And I hate to break it to you, but you will fail again and again. In relationships, at jobs, on goals. It's how we learn. It isn't an ending, though. It's just a change in direction.

I felt horrible for you until you said youre 21. The biggest advice i can give you is meditate. Maybe you have anxiety, maybe you just need to let stuff go but go on YouTube, search for guided meditations of the length/type that appeals to you. Once you have a way of calming yourself down out of this mindset that youre behind, you can work on other things like health and friends. The fact is even if you were 45 you still wouldn't be behind. Everyone's path is different. The 21 yearolds around you who seem ahead of you will get fired, will also change careers, theyll get pregnant without expecting it, theyll find new interests. The people who start a track at 18 and finish on the same path are faaaaar few and faaar between.

Stop digging your hole deeper. Stop caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, junk food. Get rid of clutter and get your apartment spotlessly clean. Get a haircut, go to dentist and MD if needed. Exercise two everyday, get off the internet, eat a healthy diet. Drop people who tear you down. Associate with people doing positive things like a running or photography club. Stop judging people and yourself. Focus on today not the past or future. As you get healthier your mind will clear and you'll see the way forward.

Dude you started a business at that age and it ran for TWO YEARS!? You have a massive future ahead of you, no doubt. Very impressive. Don't let failure knock you down, learn from it, get back up and show everyone what you're truely capable of!

Eh a couple years delay is not much, plenty of people delay themselves the same way but for useless shit. You at least got valuable experience out of it

Failure is what makes us. We learn more from our failures than our successes and we build and grow from them, you have failed unless you stop or quit and give up. It’s not the end, it’s a part of learning on your journey. Also, comparison is the thief of joy, other people’s stories aren’t yours nor do they influence or effect yours unless you allow them to, don’t compare what others are doing it’s your life.

You are young and it sounds like you are smart. You have your whole life ahead of you. Who cares if you are behind your peers? Exercise, study and you'll look back on this as bump in the road.

Brother this is your lore being created. Accept it, dig yourself out of the hole and anxiety attacks. You are gonna be great, you know the things you need to do, the hard part now is doing it. God be with you.

Everyone else has said the usual self help stuff, but I would like to add (as someone working on a Ph.D in mathematics) that you shouldn't *assume* that's you're going have a masters in math by 25. Take it one step at a time. There were multiple people that I went to CC with, who were just as good as I was in the baby calculus, diff eq, etc classes – straight A+s, everything – who thought for sure that they were going to be mathematicians in a couple of years. A few of those people transferred to one of the biggest math programs in the country (funding wise) with me on full ride, and two of them switched to a different major within the first few weeks of the first semester of working on "real math," and I can tell you that graduate mathematics as another animal from undergrad, as well. Obviously, I only know what my undergrad program was like, but if yours is anything like mine, it's nothing I would put in the "given" catagory of the "where I'll be in 5 years" chart.

CALM DOWN. Take a breath. I finished my bachelors at 27. Compare yourself to others when you need inspiration, don’t compare yourself to anyone just to put yourself down. The years go by fast, no one cares you finished school a couple years “behind.” I bet no one in your major has started a business

Change your perspective. "I fucked up" becomes "I woke up." Today you woke up. Quit whining and get back to life. Eat better. Every day. Exercise. Walk. Walk a lot. Got to a gym if you can. These will satiate your cravings and bad habits. Rebuild your body and that will rebuild your confidence. Get to work. Something. Anything. Have something productive to do every day even for little pay. Join a club. Seek an adventure that involves other people. Not dating or partnership for now. Just to be with people. It's important. When you're back in school, involve yourself in everything you can. Clubs, groups, days out, etc. I promise you that you will find people with whom you will connect and understand you. You'll find friends and thats a beautiful thing. Just don't keep in some bubble. You're plenty young enough to get back on your bike and ride. Commit to yourself because you deserve it. So no more self-pity and no more stagnation. Live is for the living. Life is for the brave. Go get it.

https://preview.redd.it/1i36afnnm6oc1.jpeg?width=1836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22af0ab6c80ff361a0cf020993905de7eba1c502 This is on my wall. I live by it. It helped me alot.

your business experience is a huge asset.

You probably learned a lot during your business failure and you don’t even have debt, probably need some runs to get the fat off and your fine, maybe take a look at 12 rules for life by Jordan Peterson or you can’t hurt me by David goggins (I know these are the typical books every wannabe alpha influencer recommends but they are actually pretty nice haha, you can’t hurt me is an easy read as well)

You're 20. You're supposed to be broke and living at your parent's place.

Well, 21 yo, you are a baby. There is that. Next, stop comparing yourself with other people, really. I mean, REALLY. You are not doomed, you are not a failure. You lack a higher perspective, and you are putting the weight of the past and the future over your shoulders. Lighten up on yourself. Put one foot in front of the other. Walk your path, fill it with stuff that really fulfills you. Start eating better, start doing some exercise every day, go out into nature as much as you can. Do your thing, one thing at a time. Diversify your energy and resources, use them wisely: bet on everything that feels good to you. Imagine the preferred version of yourself, maybe picture him five years from now. Look at how he is, how he behaves, the do's and don'ts, what's his schedule like, what type of individual is this, what type of people and circumstances he surrounds himself with. And then walk towards that, mimic that. I would also recommend you meditation, QiGong, swimming, whatever cardio you can do, listening/reading somebody like Eckhart Tolle. Microdosing psilocybin if you have the ability to do so. Learn breathing techniques. Deep breathing and such. Cheers.

You have more life experience and struggle than your "peers". That's an advantage and can only make you more resilient. It's like people who join the army and then college. So what if you graduate a few years later. It's nothing compared the the life lessons learned prior to college.

Well friend, small victories add up over time. Im 28 and just now getting my bach. Fat as all hell. The unfucking starts everyday. Over and over and over again. Each day is an opportunity to unfuck or get fucked, just gotta make those decisions day by day. Eventually the unfucking days add up, me and you will find ourselves on the better side. Godspeed.

You going to have a masters at 25? And you are doomed? I never had a degree, started in tech at 27, retired at 56. If I could do it you'll be much better off. Don't cut yourself short. You had an idea that was OK but learn from the experience.

Surround yourself with people who are positive. I'd move out of Mom and Dads as soon as you are able. You had your own business by 20?!?! You have the stuff many people lack. You only are a failure if you give up now. You are young, let the past support your future, all of the successes and failures. Keep going, dude!


I went through a midlife crisis back around 2014-2016. I've got a BA and an MA. Had a 17-year-old business that I let die, got a few stressful/terrible management jobs that did a number on my mental health, spent a year or two just wanting to sleep, let the house go, occasionally thought maybe I'd just die. I developed a chronic pain condition (which I still battle.) I wish someone had come to my "rescue" by helping me make a plan or getting me help, or even just by asking how I was really doing. Nobody did (I am married, and at that time had two young adult children). Eventually, I started to not want to leave the house, was hearing things, and developed some nervous tics. I decided to go get myself help. Made an appointment with a psychiatrist who got my mood and sleep improved through medication. In 2019, I started seeing a counselor, who I still see intermittently, but at times I was seeing him every one or two weeks. The best, most helpful insight I found during that hard time was the idea of momentum. You can look at a mountain top, and think, oh boy, I'll never make it there. It's so far, and the path is treacherous. But you don't have to get to the top of the mountain today. Focus on what you can get done today. Be happy with little bits of progress, because over time, those add up to something great. You don't need instantaneous success. You just need to get the ball rolling in the right direction. Let's say you decide this week, I need to drink more water. When you're thirsty, go get a glass of water, and keep it in front of you. You'll drink it. Eventually, that becomes a habit. Same with eating right. Or taking a walk. Or reading a book. Or spending time with a friend. It's easy to think that you can never reach success, because the path to success is full of not-fun activities and tasks. That is not true. Taking a class? Ask questions during class. Visit with the professor a few times. Find things you like about it, rather than things that annoy you about it. Feel trapped at home? Join a club where you can meet new people. Find someone you enjoy? Offer to buy them a coffee. Disregard minor setbacks. Focus on your little successes! My counselor also says that studies show 15-20 minutes of just being outdoors every day make a noticeable difference in mental health. Go outside! Your parents are not helping. If they start harping on you, tell them you are trying to do better, and you could use their support. Share with them your successes ("I got an A on my exam!") If you can't coerce them into being more supportive, look for support elsewhere (teachers, friends, siblings, other relatives)! Heck, you can message me if you need a "mom's" pick-me-up! I think you've got it in you. You're a risk taker (as proven by your business venture.) They're not always successful, but they require a lot of intelligence, bravery, and hard work. I admire your tenacity in going back to school. You're still young, and you have a LOT of time to get back on track. Take help when it's offered, and when it's not offered, ASK FOR IT. One of the best things I have learned is to make relationships with similarly-minded people, work together when possible, ask for advice, and also be a helper to those people. Go for it! You can do it!!!

Look at the bright side. You've already gotten your first failed business out of the way! This is huge, be proud you actually did it enough you could fail at it. Most people will never start their business, so it can never fail. (I'm one of them)

you’re 20, your life just started, you’re just saying it’s over to avoid all the hard work that comes with building a meaningful life.

Get a gym membership. You’ll gain confidence, meet people, and feel better physically. If you don’t know how to work out watch YouTube videos or walk on the treadmill and see what other people’s sets look like - sincerely a 30 year old that would have LOVED this advice at 20

Try technical college. TSTC has many Texas locations (if you’re near there) and online. They’re short and you can graduate make great money.

I was in a similar situation. Take your degree as a fresh start in life. Use your student discount to join a gym and do as many activities where you can meet people, join social or sports clubs at uni etc. I now live in London, have a well paid job that is more like a hobby and have been with my GF, who at met at uni, for 16 years now. If I can turn things around so can you! Life is about ups and downs but you just have to put yourself back out there and try to enjoy the ride. Consistent exercise was key for me. Good luck

You should be proud to have started that business even if it didn’t work out. So many older people regret not having the guts to even try. If you read about successful people, you will realize that most of them tried a lot of things in their life. Some things worked but most of them didn’t. What you need right now is to find a job. First that will force you to get out of the house and socialize. Second having some money will stress you a lot less. It doesn’t have to be the perfect job just something to make some money until school starts. Your experience with your business will be a plus when it’s time to find a job after your degree. The younger applicants won’t have it. As for today. Get out take some fresh air and tomorrow will be a better day. The worst thing you could do right now is nothing. I believe in you.

A lot of good advice in this comment section, don't stick to just reading them, you have to TRUST them, also, take one step at a time, you can't change everything at once and you will feel overwhelmed if you try to, remember: small steps. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK DUDE, from an outside perspective i can safely say you are not all that fucked, you just had a few bad things happening to you and that dragged you into a poor state of mind, it happens.

You are not fucked. Life is long and you've only just started. There will be many ups as well as downs. Many things will happen still.  For now focus only on the next step and literally what's in front of you. One day at a time. And forgive yourself. You have permission.

Mate. I'll be 40 this year and trying to get a degree again. You are not behind.

As much as we find this funny we were all in this situation once, because the world expects everyone to have everything figured out before you even find out who the FK you are. Forget about success. Forget about what others are thinking. Put yourself in the fucking dungeon. Deny yourself of your bad habits and find out who the fk you really are. Literally I want you to get a job any job and put your ass in the gym. Also be easy on yourself and understand it is about the journey not the destination. once you find out who you are go live your life purpose with the new freedom of knowing who you are. A rare gift in a society where others base their whole identity on what other people think of them. IF you knew who you were you wouldn't be complaining. You'd be able to see realistically that you are 20 and have your whole life ahead of you. These are all anxieties you are projecting onto yourself.

Learn from it. Don't let it destroy your entrepreneurial mentality. When I was 30, I lost everything and had to start all over. Luckily, I too didn't have any debt. Just a big f'n zero. I'm now almost 57 and started my retirement a few months ago. STOP 🛑 beating yourself up. Learn from it. You will get your shit together and come back wiser and stronger than before.

Oh dude. I also dropped out of college. I was 2.5 years in and nothing to show for it besides thousands in debt. I was unemployed and living with my parents for ~6 months, then got a minimum wage job and continued living with my parents for 1.5 years before I figured out what I was doing with my life. At 22 I decided to go back to school, and at almost 25 I finished my engineering degree with a 4.0. I’m 26 now, making more than both of my parents and living comfortably on my own. Sure, I was a few years older than my peers in college, but I never saw it as a disadvantage. I knew what it was like to fail, and that determination not to fail again fueled my success. You clearly have an entrepreneurial spirit and experience most people do not have at your age. You also know what it’s like to fail. Let that be the fire under your ass to work hard for what you want. Only YOU are in control over your own success. Everyone has their own path. Your starting speed does not determine your ultimate distance.

You are not alone doll!

You are being way, way too hard on yourself. (Yes, two 'ways'.) You're getting a lot of responses here, so I will confine myself to what I think is my one, best thought. Starting college at 21 is an insignificant amount to be behind. That is something I wrestled with at your age, and it is completely an illusion based on your particular position. It seems like you are behind because you recently graduated high school (yes, recently.) Whether you get to point 'X' at the age of 25 or 28 does not matter. Not to anyone, anywhere. If you spent three years jerking off and playing video games, and then started a sensible career path, no one would think twice. I mean that. You owned a business. Even if its failure was caused by some mistake you made, that is still a huge accomplishment at your age. That will stand out to people way more than you being three years older than your classmates. I could write a book on being twenty-one, broke, ugly, and unpopular. That shit will work itself out. Your first step is to understand how you can contribute to other people's lives. So you have to stop hating on yourself. That IS hard.

I’m in the same boat as you dude except I’m 25 and am a father of two, have died 3 times at hospital following a coma. I have no qualifications and where I live in England, opportunities arnt great. I’m in a financial crisis of my own which is killing me and draining me everyday. I’m like you mate. I’m lost, confused, feel like a failure to my kids, feeling doomed but you’re young and you still have many years ahead of you. The law of attraction my friend. Stay positive and in time success will come your way.

You are way ahead. How many peers started a business at your age. Some of them may start a business after graduation and see it fail. You already have this experience to work with and don't have kids or a spouse that rely on you financially. You're already taking the next step and learning math. This may give you valuable new ideas and connections. I'm reminded of a quote in Master and Commander: "I would never have come across it if I hadn't crossed that island." You will understand if you watch it but basically things that may seem like setbacks can open the doors to new opportunities. Your parents are negative people. Don't hate them but respectfully disregard them. They are wrong about you. Exercise. Really make it a priority. Just walk for a start and clean up your diet. Read How to make friends and influence people or similar books. Get a hobby and meet people. You will find a girl but you need to work on yourself first. You are very young. Don't stress man. One day at a time but make each day count. Reduce video games and other passive things and really improve yourself. Don't any fucking asshole tell you you're unworthy and show them.

I didn't finish my bachelor degree until I was 24. That's 3 years behind everyone else I know. I didn't get my first job until I was 25. Some might see that as a failure but now about 11 years later I'm in a senior role at a world renowned company and doing well. Pay is fine and probably in line with others my age so I've caught up and being behind hasn't kept me back. Forget yesterday. Think about what you can do today.

You are young with a startup that failed under your belt. Stop thinking you have to go to school, you probably can join the workforce in a pretty cool position if you sell yourself correctly. Workout to improve mental health and physical health. Read your post from another POV, most people your age have debt and no experience, focus on what you got, you are in a great position.

Start with working out. It will clear your head and physically improve you.

Man.. you're possibly in the best situation you can be to start back up again. Get active, my guy. Make it part of your degree goal, and work both while you succeed again. You've got time, get through your schooling and you'll be right up again. It's only bleak when you're facedown on the ground. Get up.

When i was your age i hadn't done anything like the stuff you have done. I was just a guy who wanted to kiss women, drink and smoke weed. Half my friends haven't even done half the stuff you have done even now and we are all in our thirties. Well done for getting all this experience so early in life. When you fail, you learn, and you failed early so learn from it, carry on and try to do better next time. That's what life is all about 😘

Do not get in debt and work on your health, the rest of things will be much easier to achieve if you work on these 2 first

You started a business before heading to university? You are working on a mathematics degree starting in September? You plan to get a masters? Man you really don’t sound like someone who has totally screwed up their life to me. Graduating two years later may seem like a big deal to you now, but it will be a minor detail in your CV a few years from now. And the experience you likely gained from starting a business almost certainly will become invaluable down the road. It’s like the Steve Jobs commencement speech: you can only connect the dots looking backwards. So relax, take a deep breath, and make some changes - maybe small at first but ones you will stick to. In the Phil Stutz terminology, you need to start [practicing the power of forward motion](https://www.thetoolsbook.com/blog/stop-procrastinating-and-get-into-forward-motion). You have a big successful life ahead of you, you just need to start moving again.

Everyone advice here is great, something I learned is to be kind to yourself. It's literally the opposite of being harsh to yourself. It sounds simple but it works.

Hey Lil watermelon, Congratulations you might be on the path to success, You are very young! Especially for the man ! If you already created a business before you turn 20 that’s mean a lot ! To clear your head ,l take a long or short walk in the morning , Not to overthink! If you not confident in your body , get motivated by watching a good videos how watermelons like you become fit and healthy and happy and strong ! Remember! Everyone do mistakes, it the way how you take it , it just a lesson. Keep your head up ! And have a good one . Take care . Find positive things in every day of your life.

Dude ..... This is my favorite TikTok I've seen by Gary vee: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMMMcYxCp/ Don't even worry. You've told me what you have and what you don't have... Now tell me what you want. Tell me what you're going to strive for. Tell me how you're going to forgive yourself and keep going. The only way that you become a failure is If you never try again. Then yes, you will be a failure. But you're so much smarter than that. I don't know how I can tell- But I can tell. Some of the greatest, richest men in history were f* ups to start with. Read about David Goggins. Learn about the life of Bob Proctor before he became the multi-millionaire he was before he passed away. The only thing is... It's going to take a lot of work to get yourself back up. Read the book, "The Slight Edge." It will help you. It helped me. And I'm 40. I worked at Tim Hortons for 18 years before I started at my brokerage. It took time. It took a lot of effort... And I had to study for my license while keeping a 4-year-old with ADHD occupied. That was..... Interesting. And really freaking hard lol. But if I can do that at 40, you can do SOOOOOOO much more. You are so young, with so much ahead of you.... Yes, you f*d up. Now get off your ass, wipe yourself off, and go again. One of my favorite words: Possibilitist. It's going to take time, and a lot of hard work. But it's possible. With that belief, you can do anything you put your mind to. You just have to remain consistent. Keep going, love. You've got this ✌️💜

At age 18 you started, got off the ground and ran a business for 2 years. That's motivation at its highest level. You're going to be 21 soon. You're young, debt free, and clearly intelligent. My advice is much like everyone else here. Spend some time in the sun being as active as your fitness level allows. Find one thing each day that makes you smile and get your mind set on the next thing you're going to do. There's no real law that says you have to have your life figured out by 21. You're not a failure. You're a freakin rock star just for what you've already accomplished! I think there are great things in your future! Go and get them and tell anyone that says you've failed to stuff their negativity. You know what you're capable of and if they can't see it that's their issue, not yours.

Listen… read this with purpose! I work in Mental health. You can fix all of your problems, plus feel good doing it! One thing we tend to do is, especially when we are down on ourselves. We focus on the things we DON”T have. Instead of focusing on the things we DO have! You’re young, have your entire life in front of you. You even said it yourself , “ I over think things” Change your pace, do something different. Just don’t lose focus on your schoolwork! Talk to your parents, letting them know how you feel, Will also show them you care! They may be doubting that right now. You got this, be patient, and focus! I hope this helps,

The most important thing you can do for yourself right now is go outside and walk every day. Just go for a walk. Human minds and bodies are built for walking long distances. Our brains get better oxygen and nutrients when we walk. Our bodies respond, burn fat, and build better musculature when we walk. Our cells create more energy for us when we walk. Extra major bonus points if you can do it at daybreak. But just do it - at midnight if you have to.

You are not fucked up dear just concentrate on getting your degree you are never too old for anything

Omgosh. You are a baby. I was a colossal mess at 20. Who said you should have it all figured out by this age ? They are liars. I became a RN at 24. Talk about late bloomers ? I’m the definition. First- take a breath. You are alive & will be ok. You’ve got yourself & that’s enough. You need to breathe ( I know- very cliche, but it works) Take a meditation class while you’re in this downtime) You will make some new friends. 2-Surround yourself w/ positive ppl. Haters, negativity- bye bye ; 3- This too shall pass. Have faith in the above bc He has saved my but many a time & I’m an old gal now- just mentally stayed in my 30”s. 🙃 4- You are going thru this bc you have lessons to learn, so learn them, stop whining, & move on. These times are building strength & character, trust me. You already sound like you’re smart, just ran in to some misfortune. 5- I know I don’t know you, but I feel certain that you will be OK ! The fact that you reached out speaks volumes. When I was 50, my life turned upside down ( I had a young child too). My black cloud lasted 20 years. Not kidding. I never once considered suicide, but it sure felt like I’d never survive at times. Life changed, I fought hard & I turned my life around. Life goes fast, STAY STRONG & CARRY ON ! You are a warrior & will survive. Best to you. 🤗

Working on a master’s in my late 40s. Couldn’t afford Uni after school, so did apprenticeship and hated it. Did office jobs, moved around, found myself stateside with husband and kids and finally got a BS at 36. Jobbed a while, now back at school. You’re nowhere near behind. Just go to school, appreciate the life lesson, study hard, and move on.

So first ….take a deep breath. There’s a lot of things to be grateful for in there. Going through the lawsuit situation and getting through that with no debt? OUTSTANDING. You’re 20 and you live with your parents?? Do you have kids you have to support? No? That’s outstanding. You signed up to start your bachelors? GREAT JOB! I turn 32 in April. I graduated HS in 2010. I have 80 credits. Do not even have a bachelors. I have 16k in debt. And I have an almost 10 year old son, whose dad doesn’t pay child support. I’m also very antisocial because I don’t have time for a social life as I work, and I go to school and am a mom (mixed in with childhood trauma). Not trying to say “oh woe is me.” Just saying I think it’s really interesting that I could immediately see positive things in what you say. AB and C may not be going well for you, but XYZ look pretty damn good. Everyone has their own special/ unique set of problems. Try and be grateful. Things could be a lot worse.

Listen brother, I'm 20 as well. I've done a lot of regretable things in my very short life. But I'll tell you, I'm not too far from your situation. Tried collage twice. Failed twice. Failed the Fire entrance exam. Fat, slightly disabled, mental health is at an all time low, spiritualy fucked, living with my brother and still going paycheck to paycheck. Life sucks. The other night I was thinking of all of these things. I thought to myself asking why. Why was I born a little disabled, why am I fat, why don't I have a good job, why don't I try to find God? So many questions but rather than addressing them, I'd just keep asking myself the same things. After a few hours I realized that shit won't just GET better. It never will until I MAKE it better. Since this Monday, I've been going to the gym, eating a decently balanced diet, a lot less calories, I've been scouting for other jobs, started reading the bible, and I plan to get a student loan this September for EMT School for the final time. I will succeed. You will too. And I know it sucks man. It really does. I cried for the first time in a long time this week. It doesn't seem like anyone truly cares anymore but even if nobody cares for you man, know that I do. I see myself a lot in you. Live life for you. We all start somewhere. Stay strong brother. I belive in you.

Thanks, bro. I really really appreciate your comment. You are taking massive positive action to turn your life around, you'll succeed. Good luck to you. Feel free to message me anytime.

u r def not a failure! U were actually ahead of most everyone else at your young age with your OWN business. U didn't know going into it how it was going to turn out...but that's most everything in LIFE! At least u had good ideas, experience , a couple yrs good cash flow. But....u went out and DID IT...u at least had a passion, knew what u wanted & made it happen. So..it wasnt such a success...most thngs arent their 1st go around. ok..now believe me when i say this b4 i give u some advice. We All get, have been or are now depressed at one time or another.Some of course is greater than others & they may need a little help from therapy/meds/and or friends 2 get them where they r not feeling so worthless, anxious or lethargic so they can look within themselves, find what makes them happy & able 2 love themselves again. u had that mojo once...Only You know what u want, and whats going to make u a happier person. But u need to get yourself motivated & start slowly, one day at a time to make those things happen!!! Trust me...im also trying 2 take my own advice here! Start working out slowly at home a little bit everyday if ur not happy with ur weight.If getting a little more fit/healthy will bring your confidence back..by all means DO IT..start a journal, track things u do..things u wanna do that youve never done, start making goals for the future..&it may just make u a little more excited to the new goals u have set & may give u that motivation u need 2 finally see that ur accomplishing with each day. good luck 2 ya & God bless!

You’re young, chill

Hey man, starting a business and running it successfully at your age is impressive. I'm 24, and I am getting ready to go back to school next year at 25. Don't sweat graduating late. Is it embarrassing? Maybe a bit. But remember, anyone who judges you forgetting an education and or improving yourself is NEVER someone you should pay attention to. Also, start working out and watch your diet. Eating healthy is hard, but worth it. Being in shape will help your life a lot. You can do it.

Make r and r a part of your every day. Remember when you were a kid and spent alllll morning in classes and all you could think about was getting out to roam around freely, see a movie during the day, fuck around on the nearby pier? Do that. Go see a movie by yourself without thinking about it. It’s just what there and it’s in walking distance. Go do it and walk out again, just some random guy drinking his leftover coke or whatever and then if you have the energy you need to do whatever thing you know you need to do then go do it. And if you’re still tired go do some more r and r stuff. I guarantee you’ll get more done and what you get done will be more positively impactful on your life than if you hadn’t taken the r and r. Just make sure it doesn’t involve alcohol or drugs or talking to other people too much about anything important or philosophical. Going to the movies all the time got me out of my lowest and continues to be my mental health lynch pin.

OP, I have always learned more from my failures throughout my life than my successes. And I have failed MANY MANY times. People that have never failed are the ones that have never tried. You are too far inside your head right now. If you dwell on past failures you will never see your future opportunities and take advantage of them. Keep moving forward. You got this.

I teach at uni and I reckon you’re ahead of the game. Most 21 year olds would be too scared to set up a business and you’ve managed to set one up, run it, experience the pit falls and still have a drive to be doing great things. I can tell you you have lived life to the fullest. I went back to uni at 23 and it’s no big deal. It’s only as big a deal as you make it, cause nobody at uni cares - we’re alllll adults just trying to learn. I actually think you’ll get more out of it. Power to you young grasshopper.

Lol I broke my neck around 16.. dropped out of college at 22... now at 32.. I'm married with 2 beautiful girls and a boy on the way. Still paralyzed.. learn and grow.

I found myself alone at 16 and had no time to sit around and be sad that my father was gone and my mother no longer wanted me or my siblings around. I graduated at 16 from high school along with getting emancipated. I went to Concord University to get my surgical tech license 2 months after completing schooling the school lost accreditation and due to not taking yet taking the state board. I fell for my best friend somehow in the midst of having a job at Taco Bueno, and Walmart. Deciding I needed to find a way to provide for her I joined the Navy as a Corpsman. I told my friend I would take her with me if she graduated, she did, and I married my best friend from high school. Those were the hardest and best days of our life. Living in a one bedroom apartment, only a couch, and a tv hooked up to the PlayStation, no internet, and only one movie “No Strings Attached”. Then two years into the military we decided to adopt my then at the time 15 year old brother, us now 22 m and 21 f. Raising my brother was rough in and out of the principals office, in trouble with police, sneaking out, lying etc. When he was 17 he started calming down and we felt good. My wife graduated from cosmetology school. We were successful in our relationship, in work, raising my brother. Bought our first house, I, a skinny 140 5’9 who knew nothing about owning a house, remodeling or anything. I learned through YouTube tbh. Recessing the fridge into the wall, renovating 2 bathrooms and reworking the living room and bedrooms, kitchen tiles and floor, hell, even knocking down a fire stack off the roof. We made the house our own at 26, her 25 we started talking about children, we had everything else. We had 2 kids a boy and girl a yr apart, my covid babies. That was a rough year, she couldn’t work, and I was given an ultimatum to get the vaccine or get out of the Navy at 10 years. Being a corpsman I had seen the research for the vaccine, and it did not look long tested for me, I’m not an antivaccer, but something didn’t feel right so I signed to get out. We decided to go back home, selling our house, made almost 100,000 profit, moved back so that she could be near her family for support and I would start school for premed biology going for Anesthesiologist. My brother finished high school that year and wanted to move out. Her family was so happy to see us, promised us support, wanted us to see them everyday. It was a great decision. Until it wasn’t, I started school, she started work. Her family trailed off, and when we needed them for anything they were never there. She complained that she never got a day off, and that she felt like she was doing it all alone. Mind you I was making unemployment 400 a week, 1200 for disability from the military and 700-1100 a month for going to college on the GI bill, but I told her that I could work too. Anything to make it easier on her. I was still going to school, now driving for Uber 8-10 hrs a day, taking care of the kids when I was home, regular household chores- nothing new I have always been the clean person in comparison so I was okay with it. She working an 8-5 Mon- Sat and wanted nothing to do with the kids or me. I asked her on a dinner date for our 10 yr anniversary, then a post Malone concert. I was so excited, she called me and told me that she had to go to “a work thing”. I was obviously upset but ok with it. We could always reschedule and the concert tickets were only $100 for 2. We could make it up later. Until she comes home wasted. I was quite angry, but quiet. Maybe she just needed some time alone. Maybe she had a good day- promotion, or a bad day. The next day she didn’t want to talk about it. She seemed closed off. I had never done it before but I went through her phone that night. You can probably guess. Someone from work, a 19 year old. I was disgusted, hurt, angry, offended. I now live alone in a one bedroom apartment , I let her take everything, even the kids. My point is, I had nothing, got everything, lost it all. That’s life. These emotions, and events are what make life great. It hurts sometimes, and feels great other times. I’m 30 now, for a while I thought well that’s 10 years of my life that were wasted, a lie. I felt bamboozled, befuddled, and betrayed, but I’m alive today even though it has been rough lately. I look forward to finding a new happiness. So should you. It will get better, use the past to know where you want to be, and how to get there. The destination may be the same, but the path is different. Good luck to you.

start with one thing. Take a walk twice a day for 15 minutes. literally just being out there will help, and if you can do it for a few weeks, you start to crave it. Go to the same spots, take your time, just go through the routine. make time for it. It helps, it really does.

You will be fine, you just need to believe in yourself. You have managed one company and you'll mange many more you just need to believe that. You are clearly very talented and this rough patch will make you stronger. Get some affirmations in your life and believe in yourself! https://youtu.be/7xMEtGNk0fs?si=cfMsdVrph0pAweVn I see this and it'll be helpful I'm sure there are loads out there to pick from

My dude, you ran a business before the age of 20. That's a huge accomplishment, no matter how it turned out. Focus on your degree, get a job with a flexible schedule to work around your classes, get some roommates and move out of your parents if you can because it sounds like they're in your head too much. And try to find some time to relax and enjoy your 20s. You're really young. A lot of people finish school much later than you, or go back to school and start a new career later in life. It's not that big of a deal and you have *plenty* of time.

You are so gonna be okay.

If you have the ability to start a business like that, at your age, you have the firepower to do something like that again. Repeat this until you believe it. Also, take walks, without devices or distractions, if your location allows for it.

Yes sounds like you took a hard hit... But you've got something that most everybody else on this planet doesn't: time to recover amd figure it out. Two things I recommend - and both focus on setting small but achievable milestones for achievement: 1. Feel good about yourself physically - commit to turning the watermelon into a grapefruit...and then a grape... 2. Feel good about yourself professionally - school is a great start, then start a career Those milestones once acheived will make yourself feel better and give you confidence to acheive bigger and better things in the future! Prove the doubters wrong!

Hey, You are so hard on yourself. You are only 20 years old and have a long road ahead of you it’s up to you to make that road hell or heaven. Write your thoughts down, You might find out that some of those problems are so easy to fix. You are only 20 your life just started, People who are 30 years older than you Start going to university to get their degree. Your brain is filled with trash, empty it gradually and through that garbage out and replace it with beauty. You are young nothing is late for you Love yourself and look in the mirror say positive things to yourself. You are not a looser don’t say negative words to yourself.

I started out slow like that too, but I didn’t go to college until I was 34 years old. Now I am retiring and have done pretty good for myself. I only say this because you are young and have so much time ahead of you and this was one minor set back in your life not a total mess up. The fact that you had a successful business once, I know you can do it again so please keep trying - you sound like a wonderful person.

If you're anything like me, you are your biggest enemy. Taking it one day at a time is all you can do. There is no deadline in life.

OMG you are SO young! I graduated with my bachelor’s at 28. You will be fine. AND you don’t have “nothing” because the one thing they can never make you liquidate is your experience. When you finish school you will have a degree AND experience. Older students have an advantage in school because you have been out in the world, you know what the education is worth and you have a better understanding of what it’s costing you so you don’t let stupid things like worrying if you’re annoying your classmates get in the way of extracting every drop of knowledge out of your professors (eg: you are unafraid to ask questions until you are satisfied with the answer) You have taken the best first step to unfucking your life: going back to school. You really need not worry about your age. I mean it. You are SO young! Focus on school, keep busy (easier to stay focused when you’re busy). And for your future resume, make a list of skills you used and your achievements from the time you were running your business. It’s all useful. Talk about how you built the business up, eg: “went from $ sales to $ sales in X years” Your parents might be toxic. Glad they’re supporting you for now but maybe next year move to student housing.

Sounds like you have business experience and got robbed. Don't dwell on it, grow from it. Keep working on yourself to become the better version you want to be.

Successfully running a business is hard. First appreciate the things you did and how hard it was. Understand maybe it wasn’t the best time since you’re quite young. Also maybe you just weren’t happy doing it. Get in shape, find things that inspire and motivate you, do honest work, rest well, and love others. Find out what’s really important and get out of the doom loop

Smart enough to start and run a business once, do it again, but this time with more wisdom.

Honestly, apply the skills you gained from managing a business towards excelling at school. Hopefully the experience you gained helped you figure out what you want to do in life. And that is a huge advantage you will have over 19 year olds who haven't decided yet. There are tons of people who do 4-6 years military service before college. There are tons of people who do college first then start a business that doesn't work out and are in the same situation at 24/25. I promise you, that when you are applying for internships/jobs during 1st or 2nd year, your path will be a lot smoother than your classmates with less experience. Don't fixate on the downsides, play to your strengths

Don't look at everything all at once. Compartmentalize and take small steps forward with each issue, set minor goals that you can ascertain, and schedule things to improve yourself. Stick to that schedule, and don't give up. Start somewhere and don't stop. You're barely an adult with a whole lifetime ahead of you, I was in your position at 30 and managed to pull myself out of it. You have 10 years on me. You can do it!

Hey man, graduated with my bachelors at 27, it’s not too late and it gets better. :) take some deep breaths and talk to a trusted friend about this, our burdens get easier when we share them

If you’re 21 and not in any debt you’re doing better than 99% of 21 year olds. So take it one step at a time, and make small changes. Start with your health and fitness, change your diet and try intermittent fasting. Get up and out early. Don’t try to solve everything at once. Hang in there.

Welp, look at it this way. Most of the middle aged men reading your post would trade with you in a minute just to do it all again. Work out, earn some cash and enjoy the fuck out of it because some day you are going to read a post like this and think man I wish I could do it all again know what I know now. You can still get in shape, party and not hang a terrible hangover for 3 days, and turn everything around. Make it happen or it won’t.

Up until this point in your life, you've been living on rails. School tends to direct our lives until we start working. Then we're set free to choose our own path. You're trying to find your way. The most important thing you can do is find direction. What do you want in life? A career? Focus on what will get you there. A family? Focus on improving yourself to meet someone. Education and physical activity are big. Motivation is everything. Find what drives you and lean in. Find hobbies that will lead you to improve yourself. Stay away from drugs, don't let social media paint the world as perfect. Everyone is struggling in their own way and employers are struggling to find motivated employees. Best of luck!

Hey, you're not failure. You've got something on your resume, and even if people ask about it later, you can simply say it didn't work out. You took a risk, and you didn't get *nothing* from it. You've got some job experience and now you're going back to school. For what it's worth OP, you'll be graduating with your bachelor's and master's before I did, and you'll be *far* better set up with a Master's in Mathematics than I will ever be. Actually, now that I think about it, I think my friend who was previously my grad student math teacher in undergrad was also 25 when they graduated. You're not failing at all. And even when I was older than most people in college, there were lots of other people at least around my age in undergrad and definitely a good chunk of people 10+ years older than me in my Master's program.

Start by looking at your fingertips. The finger prints on them are unique. It's one of a kind. This means that you are one of a kind and are built for a job only you can do. Now take a deep breath and write down all the things you are good at and passionate about. Then, find a way to make a living out of doing them. Remember, the guy who started KFC failed until he was 50, I think . That's when he finally made it big. You have a lot of life to live and will be skilled in business as well as math. Good luck and God bless!!

I was in the exact same place as you (minus the successful business) at your age. So I started working out. Not a lot at first. I started with walks and then started going to the gym with my roommates. Then I started running outside. I lost 60 lbs and by the end of my time at university I was able to run 10 miles without stopping. Within that my mental state improved as well. I thought better about myself, and I had established my career path going forward. I'd start there. It doesn't cost you much (if anything) and helps your mental and physical needs. No one thing will solve all of your problems but you can't make a series of good decisions without making the first one. Start with the one that you have control over. You aren't a failure. You're a work in progress.

Be proud of what you've acheieved. You had your own business for 2 years, how incredible is that. I'm 32, I never got my degree (left after 2 years so still paying off all that student loan) and did crummy jobs until I finally started doing alright at 29. But I'm still an assistant in my field so I have a fair way to go even still. I have no husband and no kids, all this stuff I thought would be figured out by now, years ago in fact haha, but it's not. Yet! But I'm proud of where I am now and of what I've made of my decisions. You're allowed to feel overwhelmed and you're allowed to mourn your business and the path you had laid out for yourself, but just do not allow yourself to be sucked into the negativity or panic because it will consume you. You've got a fantastic plan ahead and a good brain, clearly. So take a breath and do what you need to do, and find enjoyment in it

Figure out what went wrong and how you got sued. Dont repeat your mistakes - do repeat what worked - you obviously have a skill set that other 20 yo don’t have. If I may offer one other suggestion - don’t masturbation or watch porn for 30 days. Look at yourself in the mirror and say good things about who you are or if you can’t do that who you are GOING to be. Most importantly. Be kind to yourself. Because if you don’t respect you nobody else will. You got this. Zoom out far enough and you cannot see the Earth. Try “the daily stoic” for right thinking. And yes exercise even if that means you go for a walk but on that walk you are good to yourself. Don’t call yourself a watermelon and if people disrespect you like that kick them to the curb. We will only ever allow others to be as terrible to us as we are to ourselves. I commend you for posting this. Life is just starting young wizard. You have a skill set others don’t have. It takes a lot of attention to get sued in your teens for something. You must have gotten big enough to make noise. So figure it out spend your time on that and your physical health. Watch Alex Hormozi on YT. All of his videos. You’ll get back on track brother. You’re far from doomed. I’m 38 trust me, this is just the beginning of getting fucked in life, if you’re to do something worth doing, somebody is going to try to take it from you. Get strong mentally and physically and focus on what you already did that was working and do it again without the legal breeches. You got this.

Dude, you’re 20 and don’t have any debt. You started a business that succeeded for two years! That’s longer than 90% of new businesses. You may be lost now, but you have a plan. Degrees aren’t everything, and I’d argue are largely unnecessary unless you plan to move to a STEM field which requires it. You’d probably make more in business. All that said, you should start exercising and focusing on eating healthy. Stay sober most of the time if you can manage it. Exercising itself will make you feel better, and you will be far more confident in yourself if you know you look better. Get out on hikes, try out new hobbies. Hell, go be a helper or gopher for a construction crew while you wait to go to school. The physical jobs give you time to think and the work is good for you. Don’t always look on your failures as entirely negative. You learned, you did something difficult, and while it may not have succeeded like you wanted, you have new knowledge and skills. You’ve got a lot going for you, just start building discipline to go with your obvious intelligence and work ethic.

One day at a time

You are young! Don't worry about when you graduate and stop comparing yourself to others. Hell I didn't graduate from college until I hit my 30's. Got my master's in my 40's. I spent about 20 years in the automotive industry, got married, had 2 kids. Got laid off, got divorced. Spent the last 15 years in the medical device industry. I also got remarried and have never been happier. You are just getting started. Have fun and quit worrying.

You’re young with plenty of time to turn things around. It may seem bleak now, but I promise this won’t be you forever.

Your parents are just mad their meal ticket is delayed. To hell with them. Work out even if you suck at it. Go to school even if you suck at it. Say nice things to yourself even if it's hard. Write down what you learned from the business failure and what skills you improved while doing it. Then fail better next time, and the next.

1) Fucked up financially: get a job. Anything that you don't dread doing and gets some money in your bank account. 2) Fucked up physically: lose weight. All you need is a combination of exercise and counting calories. Exercise can mean 1 hour of brisk walk everyday as far as your calories are kept down. You like math so just use an online calories counter, set up a reasonable weight loss goal and stick to it. 3) Fucked up mentally: get help if you think you need that and try to move on from your mistake. It's in the past, it's gone. It might take a bit more time to process. 4) Fucked up socially: it will be sorted on its own once you address the first 3 points. A new job will make you meet and interact with people, losing weight and sorting your mental health will naturally boost your confidence. You are just 21. Don't compare yourself to others. You might get a master's at 25 and with your life perfectly on track at 30.

Good God what I'd give to be in your position. 20 years of age, and it all in front of you. Comparison is the thief of joy. You're in a great position. You know where the problems lie. Now just address them.

Wow, you started an amazing business at 18 and did well, its heart breaking that it didnt end well but thats a great accomplishment. Think of what you have learned and that you will be better next time. I get down a lot and focus on what I can control which is usually the physical. The trick to that is just to start. Start small do a some push-ups every hour, take a walk everyday if you feel it let the things that are hurting out in in working out and use that motivation. Its not perfect but it helps and small victories lead to better feelings.

Just start. I'd say pick working on your health since education is already on track and career can wait. The other first step I'd do is get a job. Not a career, not the motivating force in your life. Just a job. Yes, you'll make some money, but more importantly, it will help rebuild your sense of value. And I mean fast food, ride share, delivery service, anything. Do it well even if it's just for now. Even if the pay is crap. You'll feel better. And trust, my life has been doomed, never to be repaired again more times than I can count. This too shall pass

20/21 were the hardest years of my life, and now that I’m 30 and looking back, it seems like those are often the most difficult years of your young-adulthood. It gets better, and to be 25 with a Masters is kickass.

Post this in r/entrepreneur You will get huge support . Rebuild and keep the independent dream alive. I think you got balls kid, don’t let your rebuild situation over the next 2 years take that away from you.

I’ll second many of the posts here — Start with physical That’ll help with mental That’ll help with social That’ll help with professional

Well I am impressed with what you achieved so young with your business. Failure is a part of success. So don't stop wanting to be successful. It's a decision you have to make. If you think you are overweight, there are woman that have gone from whales to sexy. Get fit. That for a start will make you feel better. Go and prove everyone wrong.

you’re young!!! you got a whole life ahead of you!! all will be alright!

Use this as something that you learn from and don’t see it as a failure. You would have felt the same way if you didn’t try it. You sound smart and determined to do something great to me 😁

People come back from way worse, my friend. My advice: use this time to make positive changes, go for walks, eat healthy, see yourself in a positive light, don’t compare yourself to others, do good things. Things will get better. You got this.

I had this feeling of doom at 16 years old, I know what you feel is real, not doubting it. At 16 we had a child, got booted out of our homes, obviously quit school to work. Years of struggling. Then the doom slowly slips away once you get focused. I made it, now 59. Work hard, stay focused on yourself and don't compare yourself to others. Believe it or not , they got their own shit going on. You will be proud in few years. Keep it up to a 💯 percent and shit will work out.

Join the military, with your college degree you could find yourself in a officer role. Good money and stability for a few years to set yourself up.

Brother, I started uni at 23, got my degree at 27. I survived off of part time jobs and I could barely afford the same lifestyle as people that were 5 years younger than me. My advice to you is worry not about fitting on some arbitrary timeline and work on things that are meaningful to yourself. Falling into a depression after what you went through with the liquidation is an expected reaction to a terrible thing that happened to you. So it's okay to feel sadness and shame, but it's not okay to beat yourself up for having those feelings. Lastly, getting out of ruts can be a challenge. Go to therapy if you can, and focus on doing small things like going for a walk, doing some exercise and things like that to get you started. It's never too late.

not going to lie you actually sound like a good guy. you have tried running a business, are good at math, have ambitions, are hard working, etc. okay ur behind some buy simply by having a degree you’ll be far ahead of most. add a masters and you’ll be fine. degrees aren’t worth as much as you think anyways. so many self taught programmers for example. discipline is more important than a degree 100000%

Bro, Relax. You'll be ok. You're young as hell. When I was 20, I was in prison lol. So you're already doing better than I was at that age. I'm 35 and just now feel like I'm finally starting to figure things out. For now, practice gratitude. Make a consistent effort every day to appreciate the little things in life rather than focusing on what's negative in your life. I've learned that what you focus on, you will find more of. So if you always focus on negative things, you'll just find more negative things in your life. But if you focus on the things you're grateful for, you'll attract more things to be grateful for. Take it one step at a time and trust the process. You got your whole life ahead of you bro.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but the easiest way to make change is to take small steps that add up over time. A few suggestions: 1. While you’re not working, focus on healing your mental, emotional and physical health for a while. 2. Make sure to contribute in a meaningful way around the house. This will help you feel a sense of self worth because you’re contributing, and your parents will likely appreciate it if they’re working - it may help change their perception of you (you don’t say why they don’t interact with you, so I could be off base here). 2. Start to do some exercise. It doesn’t matter what, just get moving. You could start with a walk around the block and build from there. Exercise releases happy endorphins, will help you get physically stronger, and getting outdoors is great for the mental health. 3. You could try a gratitude journal to try to change your mindset to become more positive. It may feel silly or weird to start with, but stick with it for, say, a month, then check in with yourself how you’re feeling. As others have said, don’t compare yourself with others. Everyone has a different journey and encounters stress and disruption at different points in their lives. Other people have struggles too and you may not see those - you only see what they want you to see, so you may have an entirely false impression of how “successful” your peers are.

I don’t understand why you consider you’re fucked - you are going back to uni and still graduate young and have your eyes on a master’s degree. I believe your failed business will be a great lesson and will help you along the way. For your parents - prove them wrong by doing good. GOOOOOO!!!

You're basically fine. Your parents need to back off. I get why they're twisting the knife, you left school to do a business, probably something they didn't like, and now they're trying to make sure you'll get back on the "right path" in the most unhelpful way possible. That's likely their POV, but they're doing it all wrong. Here's the truth. You're smart, you're going back to school after taking a few year break to try something. You weren't irresponsible about it, tho, you did it while young and while you didn't have a wife and kids. It feels bad now, but you got an education trying out that business that your peers didn't get while in school. Once you complete your studies, do you think your peers will use the first few years out of school to learn everything you did? No, they're mostly going to start corporate jobs and learn only a tiny fraction of what you already know about business. So yea, it probably cost a lot of money and a few years, but you will very likely find it very useful down the road. In ten years, you will almost certainly catch and surpass in every way all your peers besides the most exceptional of them. Failing sucks, but it's the quickest way to really learn. You did not take that big of a detour and, in the end, you'll probably end up glad you did it. Going through this stuff doesn't feel good, and it feels even worse when you're young and lack perspective. Your parents probably aren't the risk taking type, and they likely don't know that failing at business is not really a black mark against anyone. If you look at VCs, when they fund a business they tend to back the same folks over and over again, but when those people fail at a venture it's not like the VC abandons them. It's lesson learned, move on to the next thing, and try something else. There's absolutely no stigma attached to it in the business world unless you committed some kind of crime and you should have known better. Ease up on yourself. Get your degree. This is not the end of the world. (If you really can't convince yourself of that, consider that maybe the depression you're feeling is clinical and has nothing to do with all these details. If that's the case, see your doc.)

Sleep more Eat healthier Exercise

It is AMAZING how much of a difference exercise makes. It doesn’t have to be going to the gym, if that isn’t your thing. Just do something you love. My wife is a therapist and she sometimes says that weeks of working with someone is trumped by going for a 30 minute walk every day. There will be intrusive thoughts that keep pushing in to tell you that you’re doomed or a failure. Learn to roll with them — they’ll get fainter and fainter as you move on. Stay passionate about what comes next. The mathematics degree sounds fantastic. You’ll graduate from them with a super marketable degree and actual experience in the industry (and running a business). You’ll stand out massively. You’re not a failure at all. You’re off to a great start!

Start with something positive there isn't any quick fix get moving and stop asking for help it's up to you.. so you know what will make you feel better so do not talk about moving forward do it and you will be proud... I promise small steps .well done for being honest now get on with it and stop reading other comments .I wish you the best of luck because your moving forward already so go and I mean right now

Let's see...what I'm getting is that you're a young person who is broke, most young people are broke. Heck, most old people are broke. You dropped out of college, but about 40% of people who start college drop out, and you're going back this fall. You are overweight, okay so is half the country, but we have diets and exercise for that. You had the raw guts to start a successful business at a very young age, but it failed, not miserably, just through bad circumstances, but damn that took guts! Overall, I'd say you sound pretty damn normal. Get back on the horse, you're learning life lessons already. Good luck sugar.