A Little Guide: 80 Life Lessons People Often Learn Too Late

How you approach life says a lot about who you are.

To be successful, you must be in a constant state of adaptation . You must constantly learn old ‘rules’, relearn new ones and more. Most people live life on autopilot, doing the same things today that didn’t work yesterday. It goes into a loop. Successful writer Thomas Oppong has made a list with some of the lessons he has learned over the years. He says you can quickly think through each lesson and apply it to your life. You can be more successful by applying these lessons in your own life. 80 lessons that will question the meaning of life:

1) The secret to happiness is to accept your authentic self.

2) The best investment you can make is the investment you make in yourself.

3) Create stories you tell yourself to build your self-identity, add meaning to your life, help you understand the world, and guide your actions.

4) The stories you tell to create your own identity add meaning to your life, help you understand the world, and guide your actions.

5) Don’t think about why you are questioning, just don’t stop questioning.

6) Pay yourself first: Save 10% of what you earn.

7) Take charge of your life or someone will decide your destiny.

8) Create your own definition of success.

9) You can’t control everything, but you can control how you react.

10) Worry is a waste of time. It’s kind of an abuse of imagination.

11) Learn to see the ordinary.

12) Meaning is a good thing. Life is meaningless without it.

13) Think about progress, not perfection.

14) Your passion, your goal or even your ideas mean nothing unless they come to life.

15) Worrying all the time, thinking negatively, and always expecting the worst harms your emotional and physical health.

16) When you waste a moment, you kill it in a way. There is no compensation for time.

17) If you don’t believe in data or facts, you are pushing the impossible.

18) Your most valuable asset is time, not money.

19) We don’t always need “big” events to feel happy. Small moments of joy are enough to make you happy.

20) Do what you have to do. Don’t talk about what you should do.

21) The human mind is the most adaptable tool there is. Make it work for you in times of crisis. Regardless, you can adapt and stay calm.

22) Growth and progress begin outside of your comfort zone.

23) Don’t plan too much and play with your life!

24) Every success starts with a trial decision.

25) You have three choices in life: give up, give up or give everything you have.

26) Don’t invest in a career. Build a life. Take your dreams seriously.

27) Decide what you want or others will do it for you.

28) No one will come to save you. All responsibility is yours!

29) If you do nothing, everything will distract you.

30) Progress is the ultimate motivation.

31) Once you promise to start, momentum moves you forward.

32) Most of the time we just regret not taking our chances.

33) Follow your highest potential, anything less is not worth your time.

34) Perfection is great, but you can’t afford it. None of us can.

35) The greater the cause of an action, the greater the effect and the stronger the impulse.

36) An obstacle is not something that comes before us. It is the path itself.

37) Whatever you do, follow the path of inquiry and research for better solutions for your life.

38) No specific answer. But there are definitely better questions. Don’t just focus on questions that will confirm your own assumptions.

39) You don’t have to adapt. You don’t have to be like everyone else.

40) Your learning is never complete. Be determined to live fully and constantly aim to be better than you were yesterday.

41) Your personal reality determines what you can achieve tomorrow.

42) Confidence kills imagination more than talent. Learn to improve your perception of yourself.

43) Your life is now. Life is a series of true moments. Learn to love your life right now.

44) Your success is at your own risk. You alone have the power to create the life you want.

45) Most of our lives are wasted on worry, regret, and pain. Focus on the things you can control.

46) Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s dream.

47) Stop comparing yourself to people. Live to prove something to yourself, not to others.

48) Books can change your life. Never underestimate the valuable lessons you can learn from the experiences of others.

49) If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will believe you. The more confident you are, the more confident you will be.

50) Usefulness is the meaning of life. Contribution is the meaning of life. Experience is the meaning of life.

51) Learning by doing is the only way to acquire skills faster. The best approach is to accumulate experiences that shape you as a person.

52) There are no universal rules. Learn to create your own rules to follow your personal trajectory.

53) Life is unpredictable. It is not linear. Everything will not go as planned.

54) Prepare for the unexpected so it doesn’t turn into a shock.

55) Don’t be fragile. Learn to be resilient. That way, if something bad happens to you, you’ll find a way to get back somehow.

56) Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens in your life. This mindset can help you stop making excuses.

57) Stop trying to please everyone. Trying to please everyone and waiting to be accepted will tire you out very quickly.

58) Invest your time prudently. Life is an investment and you are what you invest in. Make sense of your time as if your life depended on it.

59) Many experiences that bring happiness in life are under your control. The more options you can implement and control, the happier you’ll likely be.

60) Taking a few moments to reflect on how you want to spend your time will reduce the amount of regret you may feel in the future.

61) Create memories. Don’t try to be happy by buying things. The happiness created by special moments and experiences lasts a lifetime.

62) Perspective is a choice. Narrative is a choice. Optimism is a choice.

63) Life offers the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to do more than bring out the best in us and create value for others.

64) You cannot control how others behave, but you always choose how you respond to their actions.

65) Nobody cares if you fail. Your biggest critic is yourself. Stop worrying about what other people think and boldly be yourself.

66) Every second you spend comparing your life to someone else’s life or wishing to have someone else’s life are moments stolen from your life.

67) To get the most out of life, don’t focus on what you missed, don’t think you’re sacrificing something, think about smart choices and better outcomes.

68) The secret of creating movement and finding purpose in all areas of life is your responsibility.

69) What you focus your mind on gets bigger. Sometimes it’s a dream, sometimes it’s a fear. Pay attention to how you spend your time in your mind.

70) Take a regular dose of nature. Connect with nature every day, big or small. It is invaluable for your mental health.

71) Become a lifelong learner. Approach each day as a chance to learn.

72) Finding happiness or fulfillment is a process that requires a deep understanding of yourself at a fundamental level.

73) Your brain is designed to do more than is easy and comfortable. Push the limits to do better work.

74) Stop waiting for the perfect day, the perfect moment, the perfect conditions to take action.

75) You can push yourself further than you think. You have more power, more flexibility, and more inner wisdom than you give yourself.

76) Your life is your signature creation. It is your duty to live authentically to yourself. Your life’s mission is to express yourself boldly, to create what you love, and to love what you create.

77) The sum of the little things is much more important than the big things. Nurture every little moment in life.

78) The best way to live a worthwhile life is simple: aim for continued growth as an individual and to be continually useful.

79) Everyone is still learning. There are no absolute truths or basic truths for everyone. There are only lessons learned. What works for me may not work for you.

80) Every little experience in life counts. Don’t let the big picture distract you from life’s little pleasures.