If you could see the future, then you could (possibly) avoid making mistakes, or even choose a different path. When it comes to your business, many start their careers hungry, determined, but also a little naïve.

In my 20-plus year career, I have learnt many lessons along the way on how to run a successful business. And I am both proud and humbled that I can wake up every morning and do what I love every single day. That’s not to say that I haven’t stumbled or had any roadblocks. Many times I wish I had had a crystal ball to see into the future or go back in to the past and give my 20-year-old self some advice.

Recently, Fortune magazine ran a feature profiling successful business men and women who are under 40 on what advice they would give their younger selves. Some of the brightest were interviewed and there were some running themes. Surprisingly, it was not all business-based, but rather how they strike work-life balance, where they holiday and even their favourite rooms in their homes!

Here are some of the best pieces of advice that ring true for me as well:

“Ask questions and listen more than you talk. You can’t be an expert at everything– and at 20 you’re more likely to be an expert at nothing! That said, with inexperience comes fresh perspective.” Ivanka Trump, EVP, Development and Acquisitions, Trump Organization.

“It was the same advice that I gave myself when I was 20, which is, any time you have a difficult decision, imagine yourself as a 90-year-old looking back at this moment. What decision would you wish that you would have made? Go forward and look backward,” Nick Woodman, Founder and CEO, GoPro.

“I would tell myself to buy real estate next to the High Line in NYC! I’d also tell young Sarah to be more patient with my career and to realize that good things will happen with hard work and time,” Sarah Kauss, Founder and CEO, S’well.

“When pursuing your first job, focus on working with great people, and not the job with the highest paycheck,” Kevin Chou, Co-founder and CEO, Kabam.

“Get up, dress up, show up. I think of it as my motto—get up with the energy to tackle every day, dress the part, and show up with your best A+ attitude,” Alexa von Tobel, Founder and CEO, LearnVest.

I suppose the lesson here is that throughout our careers, our lives – anything we pursue – at the core of everything we wish to achieve should be pursued with a gung-ho attitude. Go hard or go home. To achieve the best, you must GIVE it your best, every time. And as always, striving for a balance is integral to living a full, satisfied and happy life.