What We Loved As Children

Advice to a nephew who's growing up fast:
Hold tight to those things you loved as a child, or at least when you were younger than you are now. 
I say this because we all have a tendency to lose touch with what we loved as a child. Something about the social pressures of adolescence and professional pressures of young adulthood squeezes this passion out of us. We’re taught that the only reason to do something is if we’re somehow rewarded for it. Remember when simply playing outdoors was its own reward. You may not be able to comprehend life without air conditioning but there was a time when being outside on a hot day made you feel cooler than being inside the house, except maybe in the basement.

Best thing to do with yourself at any age is to find a problem you care about and start solving it. Obviously, you’re not going to fix the world’s problems by yourself. But you can contribute and make a difference. And that feeling of making a difference is ultimately what’s most important for your own happiness and fulfillment.