One of my favorite sayings:
Good judgment comes from experience;
experience comes from bad judgment.
It seems that I need to learn a disturbingly large percentage of life's lessons the hard way. The same has been true in real estate. But at least when the learning comes the hard 
way, the lesson sticks, and I can go on to the next little bit of enlightenment. And honestly, I've loved the journey, and I don't think I would have had as much fun, gained as much strength, or accomplished as much if I had been given a road map.
Like everyone else, my real estate career has featured wise sages and bumbling idiots eager to give me advice. Early on, it was really hard to tell the difference, and I was cocky enough to think I could do better on my own anyway. It's not that I didn't seek advice, just that I needed to feel comfortable with the source before I'd take it. Also, as a child of the 60's, I developed some annoying habits about questioning authority, habits which I cherish to this day.
So if I were to go back in time with advice for my earlier self, I have a sneaking suspicion I would not be listened to. And I'm truly having a difficult time deciding which lessons I would rather not have learned as I did. There were certainly some very painful moments, and quite a few disillusionments, but in almost every case, I was able to take away something positive.
But since this is about wishes, I have come up with one little piece of business advice I would wish to give my earlier self:
Dude -
Listen to me! In the mid 2000's, PAY ATTENTION!!! Think about what you see going on in your industry. Ask yourself if it makes sense. Ask yourself what the inevitable consequences will be. Think about where the opportunity is going to appear (Hint: look into something called derivatives, and bet hard against the big guys.) Then, start thinking about retirement, travel, and life as one of the idle rich.
You'll thank me someday.
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