Life Lessons

Number One: Time Doesn't Last Forever

Time doesn't last forever. Procrastinators like to say that you have all the time in the world when you look at all the years you have left. Yeah, it's tempting to believe it. The time doesn't last forever. A lifetime only feels long until you've lived it until those years have passed you by.

Because that's when you realize how little you actually accomplished or how few of your goals you really achieve. You spent so much time saving your dreams for later, but later never came, and your dreams fell by the wayside. In life, countless people take their time for granted. They're so concentrated on money, cars, and other luxuries that they forget how valuable every hour of their time really is.

Unlike those material goods, time is something you can only experience once. When an hour of your life has passed you by, you're never gonna get it back. Just think about all that time that you've spent mindlessly browsing social media. It's gone. Or the four hours that you wasted playing video games. Those are four hours that you'll never see again. So, the next time you're distracted or procrastinating, just remember this important lesson: no matter how you slice it, time doesn't last forever.

Number Two: Change Requires Your Best

Change, well, it isn't easy. It doesn't happen naturally. You can't sit around and wait for the universe to hand you the life that you've always imagined. There's only one way to make any kind of real progress: you need to take the initiative, and you have to commit a hundred percent.

That means taking whatever risks you need to take and working as long as you have to. Because if you're not willing to give something your all, then you'll never come out on top. Imagine, for example, that you want to be a professional athlete. You might think all you need to do is go to practice and play well during the games, but that's not enough.

The more you want to achieve, the more sacrifices you need to make, and the more time and effort you need to dedicate to realizing your dreams. Now, of course, that can be scary. What happens if you invest everything you have but you don't make it as an athlete? You might spend extra time at the gym, change your entire diet, and learn all kinds of new techniques, and you still might fail. That's a big reason why so many people stop trying or take the easy road.

Number Four: Complaining Solves Nothing

The average person wastes an unbelievable amount of their time complaining. But complaining never solved anything. Yeah, sure, it can be a good way to let off steam, but complaining will never fix your issues or motivate you to make a change. Every time you complain, it's like you're burying yourself under this mountain of negativity.

On their own, those little comments about your boss or the traffic on the freeway don't seem like much, but over time that negativity really piles up, and it gets harder and harder to dig yourself out. So instead of whining about your problems, do something about them. Figure out what's wrong and find a lasting solution because complaining isn't doing you any favors.

Number Four: Regretting Missed Opportunities

Regret has been a really popular subject in psychology over the last few years. Several studies have tried to figure out what experiences people regret the most in life. One of the most interesting discoveries was that younger and older people tend to regret very different things. Younger people were embarrassed about the mistakes they made. They might regret spilling coffee all over themselves or hurting someone else's feelings.

But older people had regrets about something completely different. Looking back on their lives, older participants actually valued those mistakes and bad experiences. Their regrets revolved entirely around the chances that they didn't take. So that means in 10, 20, or 50 years, you might look back and wish you'd done more. Take those risks now and be willing to make mistakes. As scary or embarrassing as it seems in the moment, you'll be proud of yourself in the long run.

Number Five: Value Your Spontaneity

Few people understand how valuable spontaneity really is. Being spontaneous means acting on your impulses and trying new things. It's about getting out of your comfort zone, being unpredictable, and taking chances. Now, this may not sound like a life-changing lesson, but just think about this: how much of your life do you plan out ahead of time?

You might schedule everything from the work you do to the food you eat, and usually, that's a good thing. Predictable routines are comfortable and safe. They give us a much-needed sense of stability in our busy lives. But too much stability will suck the excitement right out of your life. That's why you need spontaneity to get inspired and try new things. A single spontaneous adventure can nurture the more creative and passionate sides of your personality. It forces you to be vulnerable, which may be something that you rarely do.

Table of Lessons

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