The Blunt Truth About Life in 7 Simple Quotes

The lessons I’ve learned as an adult. No fluff.

If I‘d known the things I know now 5 years ago, I’d have been a lot further along in life. But I guess that’s the process everyone has to go through.

My life as a kid was amazing. Nothing to worry about. No major responsibilities. Just friends, family, and fun. And then life kind of snuck up on me and soon enough I was an adult and had to start doing adult things.

It’s not that life got worse. It actually got better. But I had to change the utopian perspective I had as a child.

Most of what you learn as an adult comes from inside. What you discover about life is more about you than it is about the world. And the more you discover about yourself, the better you learn how to navigate it.

Here are 7 quotes that sum up a lot of what I’ve learned over the course of my adult life.

1. “If it is important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” — Ryan Blair

When I started my first 9–5, I was convinced I didn’t have time for anything other than entertainment after work. I was tired when I got home so didn’t feel like using my brain for anything.

I was ‘too busy’ to learn new skills to bulk up my CV. I was ‘too busy’ to practice my guitar or learn Spanish. I made excuses for everything.

But fast-forward to 5 months ago when I started writing, I realized I’d always been making excuses. I’d always had time. I just wasn’t prioritizing what was important.

When something matters to you, you find a way to make it work. If you start making excuses, you don’t want it enough. When it’s important, you should always do your best to figure it out. Because if you work for something, if it’s possible, you’ll make it happen.

2. “Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream.” — Malcolm Muggeridge

When you’re a kid you don’t really need to think about much more than getting good grades and being a good person. But once you’re older you need to start making big choices and taking responsibility for them.

It’s easy to follow the crowd. But unfortunately, the crowd isn’t always right. In fact, in a fast-changing world, it’s almost essential to question everything you’re told. If you go with the flow and live life on auto-pilot, your life will be wasted.

The more time I’ve spent learning about myself and the way the world works, the more I realize the importance of self-awareness. To be human is to be in control of your choices and not be pushed in whatever way the wind blows.

3. “Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” — Lewis Grizzard

I look at this quote as an analogy for life: you need to take charge of it. To have an interesting and purposeful life, it’s important to be the lead dog. This doesn’t mean everyone needs to be a leader. But everyone needs to be at the forefront of their journey.

The more people you have in front of you dictating your life, the less you’ll make of it. It doesn’t matter how much your friends and family care about you, they shouldn’t be the ones to pull the strings.

The tide is shifting. Entrepreneurs are born every day. Nobody wants to answer to another person. Everyone wants to be their own boss. Because the more freedom you have to express yourself, the more you can grow and fulfill your potential.

I’ve learned you need to be the lead dog of your journey through life because that’s the only way you make something of it.

4. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” — Zig Ziglar

Consistency is the rule of the game. Life isn’t made up of big moves. It’s made of small moves over time that lead to a life of big victories.

Whether it’s building a skill, a business, or a healthy lifestyle, effort needs to be put in every single day. Just like watching a child grow, changes are so slight you usually don’t notice them until you look back on how far things have come.

In the same way, your overarching reason to live and keep going needs to be clear. Why you do things matters a lot more than how. And to stay grounded and motivated your whole life, it’s important to remind yourself of your why.

Taking time to calibrate yourself every day is important. Reflecting and realigning yourself to your goals and purpose are necessary. Bring yourself to do this every day and you’ll see significant growth throughout your life.

5. “If it’s out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind too .“ — Ivan Nuru

A tough truth to internalize but a powerful one. When you can’t control something, you shouldn’t think about it. There’s no point stressing about stuff you can’t change.

On the flip side, you should save that mind space for things you can actually do something about. Wherever you can make a difference, focus on that. Too much time is spent thinking about the what-ifs while very little is done about the things that can actually be changed.

It comes down to the power of Now. The past won’t change and the future is anyone’s guess. You should do everything you can right now to give yourself the best possible chances, but never focus on what’s not yours to decide.

6. “An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one.” — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

You can have words as smooth as butter but in the end, your actions are what matter. Words can be very powerful, but only have so much value after a certain point. You can tell a person you love them a million times but if you don’t show it, they’ll never believe you.

You need to be truthful. You need to keep your word. You need to act more and talk less. This is how you gain people’s trust. This is how you attract people to you. Say all you want about who you are but most people will be able to see right through you.

Don’t try to be something you’re not. Talk less. Show people who you are through your actions.

7. “If you read a lot of books, you’re considered well-read. But if you watch a lot of TV, you’re not considered well-viewed.” ― Lily Tomlin

Time is precious. You don’t know how much of it you have left. And every minute you spend on something trivial is a minute you’ll never get back.

What you do with your time is up to you. But I’ve learned the hard way that there are much better ways to use your time than entertainment.

Education and growth are important. Being productive with your time is essential if you want to get anywhere. I spent too much of my college years watching TV shows and YouTube videos. I now regret the time I could have spent actually learning something. Now that I have less time, I realize the importance of a growth mindset.

Books are amazing. Podcasts and documentaries can be insightful. Online courses and tutorials can be interesting and are in abundance. The best use of your time is always to choose the option that moves you forward. Not the one that serves as an escape.

In Summary

There are many harsh truths about life you only figure out later. Some you need to go through yourself, while others you can learn from others. The above quotes serve as a good reminder for some of the lessons I’ve learned. They may help you too.

1. Don’t make excuses. If you really want it, get it done.
2. Don’t be a sheep. Be self-aware.
3. Take charge of your life.
4. Stay consistent and you’ll get somewhere great.
5. Focus your mind and energy on things you can actually control.
6. Take action. Your words mean nothing without action.
7. Spend your time on things that move you forward. Always.