Going through life is definitely a learning experience no matter who you are. You experience different things and learn because of failures, hardships and even successes. Although a person should try to live with no regrets, it is hard not to wonder how different things could be if you could go back in time with the current wisdom you possess.
Let’s face it, the younger versions of ourselves were not as seasoned or emotionally intelligent as we are now. All of the things you have dealt with in your life has brought you to the present, and molded you into the person that you are. Because of that you should be thankful for the trials you went through to get where you are at today.
Even still, how good could things be if you had learned certain important lessons earlier on in your life? There are a lot of concepts that have come out of the gate and fundamentally made our lives better. The following twelve things are ones we have pinpointed as incredibly important concepts that could have fundamentally changed things in the past for an individual.
If you haven’t started incorporating some of these into your own life yet, take note because they are very helpful practices and ways of thinking.
1. Learn From Your Failures
The ability to learn from your failures is absolutely important when looking to achieve any kind of success. Everything worth doing in life seems to be a challenge. Because of this failures are bound to happen from time to time. When some people fail to do something they had set out to accomplish, they let that failure discourage them and retreat from their endeavors. Doing so is not a positive thing, but a negative reaction to something that could have been taken much better.
Failures can be great learning experiences. You may have heard it said that you can learn more from failure than success. This is very true, as failures are something that can be analyzed and examined to fuel future successes. Don’t fear failure, but be ready to learn from the mistakes that you make along the way. If you can own up to your mistakes and learn from failure, you will be well on your way to succeeding in life.
2. Attitude Alters Reality
A person’s attitude greatly affects every aspect of their life. When you go into a situation with a positive attitude, more positive things will occur for you. Many don’t realize how this can bring about a fundamental change until they have tried it themselves.
Bad things do happen in life, but when your attitude is a good and well-adjusted one you are able to come out of things on top more often than not. Having a bad attitude hurts you because you wind up reacting negatively to things and damaging situations and relationships further. Learning to change your attitude can alter your reality into one that is much closer to your ideal.
3. Stop Comparing Yourself with Peers
Almost everyone is guilty of doing this from time to time, but when you learn to stop doing it you feel so much better. We all have this human instinct to compete with those around us. We want to be seen as superior or exceptional when compared to the others in our work environments and social groups. When you constantly compare yourself to others, what are you really achieving?
Trying to measure your success against someone else’s really doesn’t serve a purpose except for attempting to sate your own ego. Trying to have a nicer car than Bill because you want to feel good about yourself is petty. Comparing yourself with your peers can have negative effects on your psyche as well when they are at a good point in their lives and are ahead of you in the financial game. It is best to live your life to make yourself happy, and try the best you can in all things. Only look to your neighbor to support him, not to try to size yourself up against him.
4. An Attitude of Gratitude Works Wonders
The concept of being gracious is one some don’t understand, but it really helps people to live fulfilling lives. When you don’t take the things for granted that you possess in life, you learn to appreciate them more. By definition, feeling gratitude for the blessings you have in life helps to make you happier.
So often, especially when we are younger, we just desire more and more things. When we do this we wind up taking for granted all of the blessings that truly matter in our lives. Learn to be thankful for the family and friends you have who support you unconditionally. Understand how great it is to be able to taste your morning coffee and take a stroll in the park with your children. These are the things in life that truly matter.
5. Make a Habit Out of Writing Things Down
Whether you think yourself to have an exceptional memory or not, writing things down can be very beneficial to your life. Some of our best ideas in life can be fleeting. Have you ever had the feeling of knowing you were onto something very great, only to be unable to recall it? Many of us have, and these things can be prevented by learning to write down your thoughts and keep records.
Journaling might not appeal to everyone, but those of us who are into it love it very much. It can be a serene activity to jot down thoughts, ideas and just write whatever comes to mind. Doing so will help you to hang onto those elusive brilliant thoughts. It will also be fun to go back and look in journals and see what you were thinking at a certain point in time.
6. Stop Being So Serious
Life can be hectic, and sometimes we have a hard time with being able to lighten up. With all of the daily responsibilities of an adult, life can seem like a very serious affair. Although your responsibilities are important, worrying does you no go. A majority of the things you fret over never wind up coming to pass. Also, learning to have a more aloof attitude can actually be beneficial to your health. Have fun with life and enjoy the ride. Being serious can make someone so tense. It is much better to feel loose and enjoy everything the world is throwing at you. It is a great experience when you are looking at things from a relaxed perspective.
7. Opportunities Are Everywhere
This is definitely one most of us will wish we knew when we were younger. Opportunities present themselves to us all the time. Most people are so wrapped up in themselves or some rigid idea of how they want things to go that they are unable to see them.
Even when you experience failures and things don’t go as planned, being able to realize that opportunities are presenting themselves out of that situation can be the difference between a complete failure and another chance at success. Be ready to take what life gives you. When opportunities find you as you are walking along your path, be prepared to diverge from what you thought you wanted to do. Doors open all the time, and they are meant to be walked through.
8. The Parkinson’s Law Phenomenon
Now, this really isn’t a phenomenon, but it is surprising when you first have the concept dawn on you. Parkinson’s Law basically states that a job or task you have been given to do will become more complicated so as to fill the amount of time you have been given to do it. So if you were tasked with something simple, but your boss gave you a week deadline to do it, somehow you would take most of the week to complete that task.
If the same task was given to you with a one day deadline, you would also be able to complete it! A lot of us wish we understood this earlier in life, because procrastination is a bad thing. Learning not to waste your time becomes more and more important to us as we get older. Learn to give yourself only the time you need to do something instead of wasting precious hours for no reason.
9. Learn to Give Before You Receive
When you’re younger you often have the attitude of feeling like you should get something from someone before you ever think of giving back. This isn’t always the healthiest attitude. When you are able to come at someone with a good attitude and are prepared to be giving, you will find that the relationship can be more satisfying. You shouldn’t expect things from others, but should instead have a kind spirit, giving because you understand the value in helping others. When you do things like this it does help to give a sense of satisfaction and can make life all that much better because of it.
10. Learn to Take a Proactive Approach
There is something to be said for being able to react to situations well, but being proactive can make life much easier. When you’re reactive, you wait for something to happen and then pounce on it. A proactive individual knows how to create his own opportunity. Being proactive seems to be a wisdom that comes with age for most people.
You have a better sense of how to create opportunities for yourself and get things done when you have experience to draw from. If you aren’t much of a proactive person yet, just keep the mindset of wanting to make things happen. Don’t wait around for something to come to you. Make something happen in life.
11. Tackle Those Boring Tasks in Batches
Mundane tasks can be a drag, no matter what type of individual you are. One way to make these boring things seem more bearable is to do them in groups. When you group mundane tasks together and just get them done one after the other, you are able to do them quicker. Do them like this reduces the amount of time you spend thinking about them, and eliminates the slowness of startup time. So the next time you have a pile of boring things to complete, just lump it all together and get ready to get it out of your way.
12. The Amazing 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule is a very interesting concept. It states that eighty percent of our success in life seems to come from only twenty percent of our actions. Knowing this has helped so many to streamline their routines and stop wasting time.
Time is precious, so being able to identify the twenty percent of your activities that bring you success is very helpful. It can help you to cut the fluff out of your life and start having more time to do what you really want. If we all understood this when we were younger, we would be more successful and would have accomplished more things on our big life “to do list.” Regardless, there is no time like the present if you haven’t begun thinking this way. Free up your time and identify the twenty percent of your actions that you really need to focus on.
That’s it for our twelve important things we wish we’d known when we were younger. All of the concepts represented on the list are helpful for making life more satisfying. Sound off in the comments section and let us know if there are any other concepts you’d wish you’d known earlier on in your life.
Source: Joel Chue & Chris Cains
Enjoy!
The Bullock Sisters
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