10 Things I’ve Learned From Life Before It Was Too Late

Don’t let busyness and distraction steal your time

We all make mistakes. It’s all part of the process of growing up, in fact, the more mistakes and the earlier you make them, the better you’ll fare in life.

I have done my fair share of blunders and still f*ck up more frequently I’d like to admit. Besides, I tend to ruminate a lot, about what went wrong, what was I thinking and how would I do it differently next time. Particularly, I try to bring awareness to my mental process and what led me to the wrong choice.

Thanks to all this mental torture I have learned a few things I’d like to share with you guys. I hope it’s useful.

1. Creativity

I do not really see myself as an artist. Yes, I write and play some music but I’ve never identified with the mindset of those who seem to live and breathe by their art.

However, I’ve become convinced about the importance of nurturing your soul and listening to that inner voice we all have that tells us who we really are. Most people, forced by societal pressures, manage to suppress their inner muse and thus, pay a hefty price.

Creativity is not just about painting the Mona Lisa or composing the 5th symphony, it’s about sending a message to the world about who you really are.

You could be creative in an office job, fixing a bike, or cooking. The point here is thinking outside the box and not letting conformity rule your life.

Everyone who has managed to live a happy and successful life has been creative in their own way. It’s just not possible to make it any other way.

Be yourself, don’t apologize, don’t follow the crowd, and don’t let others shame you for expressing your true nature.

2. Contrarianism

I’m a bit of a contrarian myself, but I wish I have nurtured this tendency even further.

The pressure to conform to society is huge and the price you pay for giving in is your own life.

When you follow the herd, not only you are going against your instinct, you are also getting into a crowded place where there is no chance of making your voice heard.

Every time you find yourself agreeing with the majority, pause and reflect. You should probably change directions.

3. Perfectionism

I’m not much of a perfectionist myself, thank God for that, but I have used perfectionism in the past as an excuse to procrastinate.

It is generally better to do something, anything, to take some action rather than waiting until all the planets align before you put your word out there.

For years, I’ve dabbled in writing and other content-producing activities but I never dared to publish anything because it wasn’t good enough. Big mistake.

Now, I throw it all out there and see what sticks. This way I get feedback, I practice publicly and I develop a thick skin in the process. I wish I had started earlier.

4. Awareness

Knowing yourself is arguably the most important skill you can learn in life. Unless you can see inside your skin, you’ll keep climbing the wrong ladder.

But how do you do it?

First, by acknowledging you don’t know much yourself at all. Who are you? What is it that you want? And Why do you keep sabotaging yourself? These are questions that you must ask if you want to find the truth.

Start from zero. Be a blank canvass. Watch your mind as if you were a stranger. Don’t let your ego interfere. Meditation is a great way to achieve this

Most of the things you do, including hobbies and, socializing, you do out of habit. Ask yourself the hard questions. Is this really you or is it just you going through the motions?

Self-reflection is very important. Do not avoid it pretending to be busy by pursuing empty goals.

5. Fear

Ah, fear! The number of opportunities, experiences, and wisdom you have missed due to fear. If only you could go back in time and dare to do all those activities, conversations, and challenges again, right?

Well, the past is gone, forever. Use those mistakes as a learning experience and in the future when an opportunity presents itself just go for it. What do you have to lose anyway?

6. Scalability

Once you are at it, why not do activities that scale instead of having to go through the same repetition over and over again.

It seems like a good idea to be an accountant, a lawyer, or a carpenter but unless this is clearly your passion, it is not a great way to make a living.

Try to convert your passion into scalable vehicles and when they take off, you will have more time to concentrate on the important stuff.

Write a book, make a movie, create an App, or start a business. Don’t sell your time for money because your life is much more valuable than $40/hour.

7. Momentum

One of the main reasons you get stuck or even don’t get started at all in the first place is momentum.

Whatever you want to do, you must use the first impulse to launch your project until it reaches escape velocity.

Conventional wisdom tells you to go slowly and be prudent. Screw that! You have to go full blast or it’ll never take off.

When you start a business, a career, a project, or learn a language, you need full immersion for the first few months, nothing else will do. I learned English the fast way but then tried to learn Japanese the slow way, that’s why I’m writing this article in English and not in Japanese.

Never underestimate the power of momentum.

8. It’s never Too Late

I know this is a cliche but it’s also true. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can still achieve your dreams if you give it a fair shot.

Most people 20 years your junior have nothing on you because they don’t know what you know, they haven’t made your mistakes and they still think life is plain sailing. You can reach your goals if you set your mind to it, there is no question about it. Prove them wrong, follow your destiny.

You’ll never be younger than you are today. Make it count.

9. It’s Never Too Early

Having said that, the clock is ticking. Don’t think that you have plenty of time or that you’ll do it later. You won’t.

Decide what it is you want to do in life and do it now, don’t waste another minute. It doesn’t matter if you are 20 or 80, you never know what’s around the corner and for that reason, you must avoid procrastination like the plague.

Run that race, take that trip, play that instrument, tell that girl you love her. Do it now or live with the regret forever.

10. Develop a Thick Skin

The fastest way to annoy everyone is by trying to please everyone.

Do not care about others’ opinions, criticism, or advice. Do your thing and put it out there. Most people are sleep-walking through life and they want you to join their parade. Don’t.

Use haters as fuel, they might have a point every now and then but mostly they are jealous that you are taking risks while they only know how to spit venom from their mom’s basement. Let them talk about you even if it’s good.

Conclusion

Life is short, don’t waste it by following some dogma, don’t try to please others all the time. Escape the crowd and make your own way. It is the only way to live.

You only have one life, make sure you use it properly, keep fear at bay and do what you came here to do. Nothing else matters.

All the best.