Top 10 Life Secrets You Wish You Learned in School
High school is good preparation for university or vocational studies and further education can be a good preparation for finding a job. Yet neither is very good at preparing you for general success in life. The most important ideas and skills for successful living aren’t taught in school. Unless you have a wise mentor, this critical part of your education is your responsibility.
Consider these secrets to living a successful and enjoyable life:
- Persistence is power. There are plenty of highly intelligent and talented people living on the streets. Even if you feel that you were born with the short end of the stick, you can still be incredibly happy and successful by any measure. The ability to persevere can overcome almost any obstacle.
- You can’t control other people. With practice, you can learn to control yourself. When you appreciate how challenging it is to control yourself, you’ll realize how futile it is to attempt to control others. Invite people into your life that you don’t feel the need to change or change for, and everything will go more smoothly.
- The best investment is the investment you make in yourself. Spend money to enhance your skills and abilities. Buying books and enrolling in courses to expand your mind can be the best money you’ll ever spend.
- Failing is an essential part of success. Those who ultimately succeed are those that failed the most. Fail quickly, learn, adjust your process, and have another go at it.
- Forgive easily. When you forgive others, you set yourself free. Forgiveness doesn’t always mean you give the other person a second chance. It means that you’re choosing not to suffer any longer. Buddha said, “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”.
- Most of the things you worry about will never happen. We’re all experts at creating imaginary challenges. We worry and expect the worst yet most of these things never happen. Avoid feeling bad before it’s justified.
- You only need a couple of good friends. Good friends are hard to find and relationships take time so your ‘friend’ list on facebook really represents people you are superficially connected with for the most part. Focus on building quality relationships. You don’t have enough time to take care of more than a couple of close friends anyway.
- Find a partner that fits into your life, rather than trying to build a life around your partner. Suppose you have the life-long dream of spending your winters in the ski fields and your summers on the Gold Coast. It doesn’t make sense to become romantically involved with someone who refuses to leave the family farm in Dubbo. Build a life you love and then find someone that fits.
- Find your purpose. You’ll spend a lot of time at work so it’s important to find something you enjoy and that allows you to express your unique talents. Some of the highest paying professions are filled with people who despise their jobs and have sacrificed their relationships and wellbeing for money. If you love what you do, your days off will simply be another way of expressing who you are.
- Stay in shape. Take care of your physical wellbeing by eating plenty of fresh, nutritious food, venturing into natures fresh air and sunlight, and exercising.