7 Lessons That People Learn Too Late In Life & How To Avoid That

We should never regret too much in our lives. However, there comes a time when we realize there are things that if we had known about earlier, we could have benefited a lot from it in our younger years. Maybe we only come to these realizations through personal growth and experience, but sometimes we can go through life not being fully aware of situations until we are truly tested.

How often have you thought to yourself, “I wish I’d known this when I was younger?” There’s an overwhelming feeling that if your younger self-had just been more enlightened or aware, then you could have dealt with emotions and situations more readily. Often times, the people before us have the ability to educate and provide us with wisdom that can help us avoid many of these regrets.

Here are 7 lessons that people learn too late in life & how to avoid that:

1. Perception Is Reality

It’s true. The way you interpret and understand the world directly affects your beliefs and the way you live your life. Perception creates bias as much as it creates understanding. It creates fear as much as it creates curiosity.

The truth is most people want more, even if it is on a subconscious level. From the cradle to the grave, our society emphasizes the importance of education. Learning and discovering is what we do, but it’s still increasingly difficult to understand what you don’t understand.

To learn what you don’t know, ask your self what you don’t know and what you want to learn more about. Most importantly, understand that it is okay to be wrong as you have to make mistakes to grow.

2. Don’t Make Things Bigger Than They Are

Our minds can work against us and through the mindsets we develop and the fears that take over. We can often make problems much bigger than they are. It’s all about perspective. How many times have you thought something was a huge deal but a day, week or month down the line, you don’t even think about it anymore? That’s because your mind likes to focus and supersize worries and problems that aren’t really as big of a deal.

Next time it happens just take a moment to ask yourself if this is going to matter to you in a week, month or a year? Most times, the answer will be “NO”. If that’s the case, eliminate these unnecessary worries and stresses from your life.

3. Never Stop Learning

Whether it’s reading a book, listening to a podcast or completing an online course, you always need to continue to take responsibility for your learning. Read for 1 hour every single day if you can find the time. By reading one hour a day, regardless of your perceived level of knowledge, you can become a world-leading expert in any subject within 7 years.

If you begin now, you could become a world-leading expert in your chosen field in less than 10% of your lifetime. It apparently requires commitment and consistency, but it’s incredibly easy to sit and read if you are literate. 42% of college graduates never read another book after college so think about how far ahead this simple tip can get you.

4. Our Everyday Habits Form Our Future Selves

What you do today is one more action towards who you will be tomorrow. When that action is replicated over the course of a week, you begin to scratch the surface of change. When that action is replicated over the course of a month, you begin to notice a slight difference. When that action replicated over the course of a year or longer, you may no longer recognize yourself because you will have changed. Do not underestimate the power of every small habits that are replicated over time. For good or bad, your habits determine who you will ultimately become.

5. The Importance of Being Present

More often than not, we tend to worry about what’s to come or dwell on something that’s already happened. While it’s crucial to care and consider your future, be careful not to let it hinder your present. Moments turn into memories so be sure to cherish the moment while you have it.

It usually takes a lifetime of piled up worries for a person to realize that worrying isn’t productive. Living in the past is equally unproductive. There are benefits in being able to reflect on yourself and your past. Paying attention to what you’ve been through and how that makes you feel actually matters. It takes a lot of emotional energy to grieve, process and overcome. The balance of being able to take time to reflect  and to prioritize your future is extremely valuable.

6. Face Your Fears More

We all have fears; some are justify and some are not ― but to grow and to get as much out of life as you can, you need to face your fears more often. Remember that many of your fears are only a product of your mind; they don’t exist. When you start to realize this, doing things you find intimidating and scary will become more comfortable. The feeling you’ll get from facing your fears head-on will be the best and most rewarding feeling you will ever have and things are never as scary as your mind makes them out to be.

7. Don’t Trust The Wrong People

Aligning yourself with the wrong groups of people can set your career back many years. Office politics are a thing and associating with the wrong people can significantly hold you back. Your network is your net worth, so be sure to surround yourself with people who motivate you to be better.

Conclusion 

Life lessons are full of wisdom because they often have to be learned the hard way. However, the hardest part of that process is realizing that sometimes not every opportunity lasts forever. You finally “get it” long after that fact. In this post, I share with you Here are 7 lessons that people learn too late in life & how to avoid that.