High school is good preparation for college. And college can be a good preparation for finding a job. Yet neither is very good at preparing you for general success in life. The most important ideas and skills for successful living aren’t taught in school. Unless you have an appropriate mentor, this critical part of your education is your responsibility.
Consider these secrets to living a successful and enjoyable life:
1. Persistence is the ultimate power. There are plenty of highly intelligent and talented people living on the street. Even if you feel that you were born with the short end of the stick, you can still be incredibly happy and successful by any measure. The ability to persevere can overcome almost any obstacle.
2. You can’t control other people. With practice, you can learn to control yourself. When you appreciate how challenging it is to control yourself, you’ll realize how futile it is to attempt to control others. Invite people into your life that you don’t feel the need to change, and everything will go more smoothly.
3. The best investment is the investment you make in yourself. Spend money to enhance your skills and abilities. A gym membership and the right books can be the best money you’ll ever spend.
4. Failing is an essential part of success. Those that ultimately succeed are those that failed the most. Fail quickly, learn, adjust your process, and have another go at it.
5. It’s important to forgive easily. When you forgive others, you set yourself free. Forgiveness doesn’t always mean you give the other person a second chance. It means that you’re choosing not to suffer any longer.
6. Most of the things you worry about will never happen. We’re all experts at creating imaginary challenges. We worry and expect the worst. Take a few moments and think about the biggest worries you’ve had. Most of them never happened. There’s plenty of time to get upset after something negative actually happens. Avoid feeling bad before it’s justified.
7. You only need a couple of good friends. Good friends are hard to find. Those people that you believe have 20 close friends do not. Focus on making quality relationships. You don’t have enough time to take care of more than a couple of close friends anyway.
8. Find a partner that fits into your life, rather than trying to build a life around your partner. Suppose you have the life-long dream of spending your winters in San Diego and your summers in the south of France. It doesn’t make sense to become romantically involved with someone that insists on living near their family in Oklahoma.
- Build a life you love and then find someone that fits into your lifestyle. There are more people you could happily spend a lifetime with than you think.
9. Find your purpose. Living in a three-bedroom ranch with two kids and a dog is not enough. Imagine having everything you want in life, but spending 8+ hours each day at a job you despise. You’ll spend a lot of time at work. Ensure that you find something you enjoy.
10. Stay in shape. Even the 3-sport high school athlete can eventually reach 300 pounds. It’s much easier to stay in shape than to get in shape. Develop an exercise routine and diet plan you can follow for a lifetime.
It’s possible to do well in school and still struggle with life. However, life is easier than you think once you understand these secrets you never learned in school.
