10 Lessons That Most People Learn Too Late in Life
Udumbara
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You don’t have to wait until you’re dying to know what your deathbed regrets will be.
We can study the lives of others and what they shared at the end, or use our imagination to project ourselves forward in time. You might imagine something terrible happening to you, such as being diagnosed with a terminal illness—then examine the first thoughts that pop into your mind. What is it that you think you’ll want to do with your last months on earth? What will you wish you had done more of?
For nearly everyone reading this article, it’s not too late! You can start living out the best version of your values right now and know you’re making the most of your precious years on this earth. It’s never too late to make a change, no matter how old you are, or where you’re at in comparison to your peers.
Don’t let these ideas overwhelm you. Change takes focus and concentrated effort, so it’s better to pick a few ideas at a time and allow them to be absorbed deeply.
10 Lessons About Living to Learn Now
Here are some lessons that most people learn too late, but you can learn right now.1. Time Is Your Most Valuable Resource
I saw it written somewhere that Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men in the world, would probably trade all of his wealth to be 21 again. While my faith inclines to believe there is something more that comes after this life, I still agree with the idea that our time on this earth is precious.2. Health Is Wealth
When you’re young, you take your health for granted, as if it’s something that will be with you forever. Around middle age, however, you may notice that youthful, effortless energy begins to wane. Thankfully, if you plan ahead, you can extend this period of your life by treating your body well.3. Money Can’t Buy Meaning
People expend a lot of energy pursuing wealth beyond what they need for a happy and stress-free financial life, under the faulty assumption that more comfort, convenience, and pleasure will continue to make their life better. However, these qualities decline steeply in their marginal benefit and fail to produce the meaningful life that many people wish for in their advancing years.4. It’s Not About You
We compare ourselves to others, worry about how we stack up, and concern ourselves with what others are thinking about us. The truth is that most people aren’t really concerned with your life as they’re more focused on their own. The best way to break through and be noticed is to live generously and to love selflessly. You don’t need to worry about anything else.5. Success Without Contentment Isn’t Success
What good is it to gain the whole world, but to lose your soul? All of the accolades and praise will feel empty if you’re not satisfied with the person you’ve become.6. Action Is Motivating
You don’t have to wait to be motivated—you can just do things. You can do them while you’re still feeling discouraged, or confused, or without a set plan. Now is the only time you’ll ever have to get the things done that are important to you.7. Age Is Just a Number
When I was 30, I foolishly thought it was too late to do certain things in my career. Looking back now, I realize I had so much time, and I’m sure I’ll feel the same way 10 years from now. Even when, realistically speaking, there isn’t as much time, time is just a number. Who says you can’t do or accomplish things in your 60s, 70s, or even 80s that seem interesting to you? Nobody is stopping you.8. You Can Act Without Permission
We often wait around for life to get better, or act as if we can’t make a change until circumstances align or someone tells us what to do. Upon reflecting on your life, you’ll likely see how silly waiting for your ducks to fall into order was. We have more agency to shape our own lives to match our values than we sometimes feel in the moment.9 . To Love and Be Loved Are Life’s Greatest Gifts
Many priorities compete for our attention through each decade of our lives. It can be hard at times to know how to best use all the hours in a day, but you can’t go too far off track by remembering that in the end, what matters is the relationships you have with the people you love most. We often underinvest in these “soft” goals while pursuing others that are easier to measure.10. Death Is a Given
Like all the “truths” on this list, everyone knows intellectually that they’ll die someday, but we don’t internalize it until the end is quite near, or perhaps when a loved one passes away. The realization of impending death can often be life-changing as it reorients priorities around the impermanence of this life. It’s a lesson, if learned early, that can have us look back and know we lived a life worthwhile..
