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Hindsight is always 20/20.
If you live completely in the past, you’re not focusing on the present OR the future, and that’s never good.
BUT, it is hard not to look back on mistakes you’ve made and things you should have differently, right?
What lesson did you learn too late in life?
Let’s see what AskReddit users had to say.
1. Apply for it anyway!
“Requirements in a job ad are really more like a wishlist.
Your persona and attitude matters a whole lot more, especially after you get the job. It’s okay to “bother” the people hiring with imperfect applications.
You can apply again to the same company, they likely won’t remember your last application.”
2. Get it done!
“Not as profound as others, but adopt a 2minute rule. If it can be done in 2 mins or less do it now. Dont procrastinate.
It’s simple. It sounds stupid. It’s helped me change a lot of bad habits and seriously cut back on my procrastination.”
3. Don’t even bother.
“Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.
Wasted a lot of good years on sh*t people.”
4. Can’t please everyone.
“Being good enough is good enough.
Spent too much energy striving to please everyone else and allowed my mental state to crumble in the process.”
5. Make it work for you.
“All jobs suck.
It’s best to think about what will help you get the lifestyle you want (whether that’s $ or just working as little as possible) than trying to “be” something impressive sounding or going for what you think will be a “dream” job.
Jobs don’t give people purpose. It’s the things that happen in their personal lives that do.”
6. A little patience.
“Have patience with the ones you love the most and always communicate effectively in marriage.
Sometimes you need to be a little more patient than force conversations.”
7. You can walk away.
“Quitting doesn’t always mean you gave up, sometimes you have to know when to walk away from something that isn’t working.”
8. Wait or don’t do them at all.
“Doing drugs at too young of an age can really mess someone up mentally.
I’m still here, but did shrooms when I was 14 and have suffered from it. Also had some friends legitimately lose their minds. You don’t need to rush into doing drugs.
They will always be there if you want when you’re older.”
9. No!
“That it’s okay to say “No” if you’re not comfortable or you just don’t feel like doing something.
It’s okay to put yourself first.
F*ck politeness.”
10. This might be true…
“I’ve never met anyone who is both really into politics AND happy.
Politics is a highway to hatred that increases our ignorance as we become more convinced of our beliefs.”
11. Not gonna change.
“That basically, people don’t change. Some people are better at modifying their behavior to improve themselves.
But as a general, basic rule, people don’t change.
However your spouse is when you marry them, basically, that’s what you are going to get.”
12. It’s all up to you.
“Activate your own success story, begin early and fight for it.
You may become a moving target, but you’ll get to move your target when and where you choose.
Avoid leaving a legacy of contributing to your boss’ wealth and early retirement if possible.”
13. No longer a priority.
“I think a hard one for me was getting to know that you’re going to hit a point when you are no longer a priority for others. And that’s when you need to prioritize you for yourself.
When you’re younger, your parents want to check in on you. Your friends want to play with you. You have school, family you live with, everyone making sure you are growing up okay. At a certain point, you have to be responsible for a lot of that and passing that along to the next generations. As time goes on, your friends have their own families.
Your job lays on more responsibilities. Your family moves on to their lives, their next lives. And you cease to be the priority. Everyone has their own life to deal with. No one checks in on you. And you have to be that for yourself.
You have to actively maintain your body, your mind, your social circles. And you have to make a lot of active choices to keep yourself well. And you have to do so with the regular stressors of life. Make time to talk to friends. Make your health a priority. Make time to spend with the family.
And develop those deeper relationships. Because after a while, it’s on you.”
14. Make it count.
“Stop running away from what you actually want to do. It doesn’t matter how illogical or stupid it is, if you love it you gotta do it.
Don’t lie to yourself by saying I’ll do something more practical and do what I like on the side. Is it really more logical to spend the majority of your time in this life by giving it away to a 9-5 that you don’t like for all your prime years?
What, so you can work to 65 and feel uninspired in retirement regretting that you didn’t do what you really wanted? Most of us know what really want to do, we are just afraid of owning it because we are afraid we might fail. The only failure is not seeing who you are.
You only live once.
Make it count.”
15. No one will remember.
“That you are always the most prominent person in your memories.
That embarrassing thing you did in high school? No one remembers, they only remember their own That thing you did that you regret? If you learn and move on, you’ll be the last person to forget it too
Don’t worry about how others remember you from your past, and don’t get caught up on it. Either they’ve forgotten, or you’ve grown past the person they remember.”
Now we want to get your thoughts on this.
In the comments, tell us what you think you learned too late in life.
We look forward to hearing from you.
