I’m in my early 20s and still in school. I invest most of the money I make and work towards a career. I can’t afford to take girls out to really nice places without hurting my future self. I can’t afford to live on my own yet. I can’t afford a mortgage yet. I don’t have the financial means to support kids yet.

I really want a relationship with a woman I’m attracted to. I don’t want to spend my whole life waiting until I reached a point financially to feel worthy of dating. I don’t want to live a lie where I buy nice things to flash to other people while ruining my future finances and self.

Do most women require men to be fully settled in life before she even considers him an option she wants to be in a relationship with and someday have a family with?

Title.

Off-topic thread. ☕

What's the show, movie, or YouTube rabbit hole you're into right now? Could be a new series, an old comfort rewatch, or a 3-hour video essay about something you never knew you cared about.

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It’s Time-Management Thursday! ⏳

Managing time is key to staying productive. Time-blocking, prioritizing tasks, or even tracking time spent on activities can make all the difference.

What’s your top time-management tip? Do you use time-blocking, the Pomodoro technique, or maybe something else? How do you decide which tasks get your focus?

Share your best practices and let’s get better at managing our time together! ⏱️

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Let's skip the hacks that last a week.

What's one change — to your routine, your tools, your mindset, whatever — that you made at least 6 months ago and you're still doing today?

Could be big. Could be tiny. The only rule is it has to still be active. Not "I did this for a while." You're still doing it right now.

The best productivity advice isn't the most creative. It's the most durable. Drop the thing that lasted.

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I remember in high school, in the early 2000s, I watched a movie called “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning”. Basically a remake/prequel of the original one. Not a bad movie, but a product of its time, so not too deep. Anyway…

At one point early on, two brothers are talking about the Vietnam war. One of them has just returned from a tour over there, and is set to go back, this time taking the younger brother with him. At one point, after talking about the hardships over there, he tells him something to the tune of “you’d be amazed at what you can get used to”.

Looking back, I’ve always come back to this line. Anytime there has been a massive change or obstacle on horizon, especially if it seems to be a negative one. And each time, that sentiment has turned out to ring true.

I’m curious, what are other (valid) pieces of advice have you guys come across via odd or unlikely sources?