20 Essential Life Lessons to Learn Early
1. Kindness Pays Off
We all have our own unique qualities, and no one is inherently better or smarter than you. There’s no need to assert dominance or boss others around. Being kind, especially as you advance in your career, will help you reach your goals more effectively.
Life is unpredictable, and showing kindness and support can significantly impact your journey. There will come a time when you’ll need kindness in return, and the way you treat others often reflects back on you. Adopting this lesson early on can greatly benefit your life.
2. Pace Yourself
When we're young and just starting out, it’s easy to feel pressured to achieve everything at once—making decisions, planning our lives, reaching the top, finding true love, discovering our purpose, and doing it all simultaneously.
Instead, take your time. Don’t rush into things. Allow your life to unfold naturally and take the time to explore your options. Savor each moment, appreciate your surroundings, and let others finish their thoughts. Give yourself space to think and reflect. Consider practicing mindfulness to help you stay grounded.
While pursuing your goals and planning for the future is important and valuable, charging ahead too quickly can lead to burnout and make you miss out on life’s journey.
3. You Can’t Please Everyone
As Bill Cosby said, "I don’t know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone." It’s natural to want acceptance, respect, and validation from others, but you don’t need everyone’s approval or admiration. Prioritize your own integrity and happiness over trying to fit in or gain external validation. True validation must come from within.
Be confident, stand firm in your beliefs, assert yourself when necessary, and demand the respect you deserve while staying true to your values.
4. Your Health Is Your Most Valuable Asset
Health is an invaluable treasure—always appreciate, nurture, and protect it. Good health is often wasted on the young before they have a chance to appreciate it for what it’s worth. We tend to take our good health for granted because it’s just there. We don’t have to worry about it, so we don’t really pay attention to it… until we have to.
Heart disease, bone density, stroke, many cancers—the list of many largely preventable diseases is long, so take care of your health now, or you’ll regret it later on.
5. You Don’t Always Get What You Want
As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans." Despite careful planning and hard work, things don’t always turn out as expected—and that’s perfectly okay.
We often have set ideas of what our “ideal” life should be, but reality doesn’t always align with those visions. Dreams may not materialize, or our goals may change along the way. Sometimes we need to stumble before finding our path, and exploring different options may be necessary to discover the right direction.
6. It’s Not All About You You are not the center of the universe. It’s easy to become absorbed in your own life and concerns—what you need to do today, how things will impact you, and what you want. While it's natural to focus on your own experiences, it's equally important to consider what’s happening around you and how it affects others. Paying attention to the broader picture helps maintain perspective and balance in your life.
7. There’s No Shame in Not Knowing
No one has it all figured out. Nobody has all the answers. There’s no shame in saying “I don’t know.” Pretending to be perfect doesn’t make you perfect. It just makes you neurotic to keep up the pretense of manufactured perfection.
We have this idea that there is some kind of stigma or shame in admitting our limitations or uncertainly, but we can’t possibly know everything. We all make mistakes and mess up occasionally. We learn as we go, that’s life. Besides—nobody likes a know-it-all. A little vulnerability makes you human and oh so much more relatable.
8. Love Is More Than a Feeling; It’s a Choice
That burst of initial exhilaration, pulse-quickening love, and passion does not last long. But that doesn’t mean long-lasting love is not possible. Love is not just a feeling; it’s a choice that you make every day. We have to choose to let annoyances pass, to forgive, to be kind, to respect, to support, to be faithful. Relationships take work. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s incredibly hard. It is up to us to choose how we want to act, think and speak in a relationship.
9. Perspective Is a Beautiful Thing
Typically, when we’re worried or upset, it’s because we’ve lost perspective. Everything that is happening in our lives seems so big, so important, so do or die, but in the grand picture, this single hiccup often means next to nothing.
The fight we’re having, the job we didn’t get, the real or imagined slight, the unexpected need to shift course, the thing we wanted but didn’t get. Most of it won’t matter 20, 30, 40 years from now. It’s hard to see long term when all you know is short term, but unless it’s life-threatening, let it go, and move on. This is Why Your Perception Is Your Reality.
10. Patience Is a Virtue
One of the most important life lessons that you need to learn is the importance of patience. Patience is defined as an individual’s ability to wait for something significant to happen without feeling frustrated due to the delay.
In life, you’ll have to wait for a lot of things without feeling negative. Managing your money requires patience. You’ll have to do your best to avoid getting frustrated by the challenges and time required to pay off your debt, increase your income and enjoy your returns on investments. When you become patient, you’ll achieve your biggest goals and experience true happiness.
11. Your Comfort Zone Is Your Enemy
To reach your most ambitious goals, you must step outside your comfort zone. This principle also applies to making significant financial progress, which often involves facing discomfort. For instance, investing your money is a key way to work towards your financial goals. Even if you’re not an investment expert, starting early is crucial for your money to grow.
Another example is negotiating a raise with your employer. Although it may be challenging, pushing beyond your comfort zone in these situations is essential for long-term financial success.
12. Be the Early Bird
Generally, those who embrace opportunities early or arrive ahead of others often gain a significant advantage. For instance, getting to an event early lets you secure a great seat and connect with key people.
The benefits of being early are numerous. This principle applies to your finances as well, particularly in saving and investing. Those who begin investing early typically have a clear advantage over those who start later. Your money needs time to grow in the market, so always aim to be the early bird.
13. Live in the Present Moment
Many psychological experts suggest that depression often stems from dwelling on the past, while anxiety typically arises from excessive worry about the future. Obsessing over past negatives or striving for a flawless future plan can cause you to overlook the present moment. This missed focus can lead to regret. Aim to concentrate on the here and now to enhance and transform your life.
14. Money Won’t Solve Your True Problems
Money is a tool—it provides necessities and can fulfill some desires, but it isn’t a cure-all for your deeper issues.
Many people live with very little yet enjoy full and happy lives, while others, despite having plenty, experience profound misery. While money can buy a comfortable home, a great car, stylish shoes, and some security, it can’t mend a broken relationship or alleviate loneliness. The happiness that money brings is temporary and superficial; it can’t purchase the lasting joy that truly matters. If you believe that material possessions will bring you lasting fulfillment, you’ll find that true happiness remains elusive.
15. Set Boundaries
A crucial life lesson is learning to establish healthy boundaries, particularly when dealing with toxic individuals. Whether these people are family members or co-workers, their presence can lead to conflicts, stress, and a negative mindset. If you must interact with toxic people, it’s important to limit their influence.
By setting and maintaining clear boundaries, you'll protect your well-being and ultimately benefit in the long run.
16. Work-Life Balance Is Essential
Many people struggle with poor work-life balance, dedicating most of their time to work—whether it’s to boost income, earn a promotion, or avoid job loss. Overcommitting to work can lead to neglecting important relationships and self-care.
By organizing and managing your time efficiently, you’ll find that you can achieve more in less time. Prioritize working smarter, not harder, to maintain a healthier balance and improve overall well-being.
17. Life Isn’t Fair A crucial life lesson that everyone eventually learns is that things don’t always go as planned. This realization can lead to feelings of anger and frustration, but ultimately, life has its own way of guiding us. Embracing this truth allows you to live more fully, understanding that perfection is unattainable. Many people live with the belief that the world owes them something, but that’s not the case. You’ll need to forge your own path and accept that there will always be those who know more than you.
18. You Are Stronger Than You Think
No matter what life presents, you possess more strength than you might believe. You have the resilience to stand up for yourself and handle whatever comes your way. Even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, you’ll find a way to overcome them. With time, you'll come to recognize your true strength and confront challenges with greater confidence.
19. Some People May Not Want You to Succeed
A crucial life lesson is realizing that not everyone in your life will support your success. While your family and friends generally want the best for you, their fear of losing you or seeing you step out of your comfort zone can lead them to resist your bold moves. They might discourage you from making significant changes like moving out, starting a business, moving in with a partner, or pursuing a new career.
It’s important to pursue your own goals and desires without being overly concerned about others' opinions. As you move forward on your path, the right people will come into your life. Stay true to your journey, remembering that it’s your life to live. This understanding is a valuable life lesson.
20. Nothing Is Permanent
Life is full of ups and downs, and nothing lasts forever. The challenges you’re facing now will eventually pass, and one day you might even look back and laugh at the difficulties you’ve overcome. Similarly, good times also come to an end.
It’s important not to get too absorbed in current circumstances, whether they are positive or negative. Appreciate and cherish the good moments while they last. If you find yourself in the midst of a crisis, remember that it too will eventually end. Embrace life’s positive experiences and keep in mind that everything is temporary.