Ankur Warikoo just gave a reality check to anyone stressing about 'figuring it all out'

If you could go back and give your younger self some advice, what would you say? For entrepreneur and author Ankur Warikoo, the answer is deeply reflective, brutally honest, and surprisingly relatable. In a viral LinkedIn post titled “5 things I would tell my teenage self”, Warikoo opens up about the lessons he wishes he had known earlier—lessons that go beyond career choices or success hacks and cut straight into the core of what it means to grow up.

His first point? “You don’t have to have it all figured out.” He talks about the pressure to define who you are and what you want, a burden many teens and even adults silently carry. Instead, Warikoo suggests letting curiosity—not certainty—lead the way.

Second, he reminds us that “your perspective will not always be right.” It’s a gentle nudge to stay humble and open. Our own experiences are just a slice of the world, and embracing the possibility of being wrong is what truly creates room for growth.

In his third insight, Warikoo writes, “We understand ourselves through our thoughts, and others through their actions.” This powerful reminder warns us not to confuse the two. People may mean well and still hurt us. Learning to notice that difference, he says, is essential.


His fourth message is about patterns. “Lessons keep repeating in life until we learn them.” If something keeps showing up in your life, it’s probably not a coincidence—it’s a lesson knocking on your door until you finally open it.

And finally, Warikoo delivers a mic-drop moment: “Everything you want sits just on the other side of fear.” The version of yourself you dream of? They’re not avoiding discomfort—they’re walking through it. And so should you.