11 Valuable Things About Life I’ve learned In My 20’s So Far

The more I learn about different subjects, the more I realize I don’t know and the more excited I get about learning.

As a teenager, you think you know everything. You feel invincible, like the world owes you something and you just can’t wait to finally turn 18 or 21 and become an adult. It isn’t until you approach your mid- twenties that you might say holy shit:

• What happened to the last 5 years
• I’m getting old
• The world doesn’t give a shit about my success or failure
• I have to accept full responsibility for all the good AND bad things that happen in my life
• If it’s to be, it’s up to me

A sobering and yet somewhat enlightening realization. That the rest of my life will be determined by me and that its nobodies fault if I come short in any area of life. That’s the true feeling of responsibility.

I’ve really become aware of how sustained action over time leads to dramatic results

You can look back at the last 5 years of your life and pick out specific actions that you’ve taken and how you’ve ended up where you are. You can “connect the dots” and see how your life has been impacted by various things. The people you hung out with, the relationships you’ve had, the decisions you made and didn’t make, the people you’ve disconnected from, your work experience, etc..

Things don’t happen all at once and frankly, they done need to. I think if you’re in the right frame of mind and you love yourself, then the journey is an exciting ride.

You value the friendships of a few good people and having a ton of acquaintances matters less

Going deep rather than wide carries more weight when it comes to relationships. Of course networking and making an effort to meet new people is still something you enjoy, you just find that with a busier life and more important things than “where is the party at,” contacting all of your friends on a regular basis just isn’t required. You can go a month or two without talking to them and that’s okay. You also begin to see differences emerge between you and some friends as you change and develop.

Practicing is something you can never give up. The only way to get better at something you’re new at is by practice.

I’ve observed that as people get older, they get stuck in their ways and aren’t always willing to try something new because they might not be good at it or they find it difficult. We forget how just practicing is the key to unlocking our potential in an endeavor. As I’ve practiced at different things in my life, I’ve gotten better at them and what once seemed difficult became routine and easy. The 10,000 hour rule might apply to mastery, but they say you can get a pretty good understanding on a subject with just 20 hours that are completely focused and distraction free.

I’ve become aware that most people are the patchwork of their past and it prevents them from living the life they really want to live.

We’re all shaped by our experiences. By the people we come into contact with, whether that be our family, friends, teachers etc. Certain parts of our identities become the result of how other people have framed us. Many people view themselves by the imagination of how they think others view them, which keeps them trapped and confined to other people’s perspectives. You can tell where a persons at by the conversation they carry. The things they talk about. The fact is that we aren’t quite as unique as we might think, but a mix of all the people we’ve come into contact with and have been influenced by.

We aren’t as different as we think we are, we all want the same things

Social media tries to tell us otherwise, but that’s just the social game. Everyone puts their best face forward. We all personally know a good portion of our friends and know the lives they live or have lived aren’t always a reflection of their photos and status’. Images don’t always reflect the inner minds of people. Don’t buy into the illusion. Being genuine goes farther than anything.

When my nutrition and exercise is right, everything else is pretty good too

Although I’m not consistent 100% of the time and might fall off for a few weeks. I always get back to exercise at least 4-5 times per week and a diet that feeds my body the nutrients it needs to perform. Choosing to eat healthy foods and making an effort to exercise is a person’s commitment and care for their body and their life. It comes back to being grateful and appreciative of your life and the body you’ve been blessed with.

You become the average of the people you spend the most time with, without fail

Birds of a feather flock together. The fastest way to change your life is by changing the people you are around. Hangout with people who don’t care about their future, it’ll just give you more of a reason to justify not working hard and thinking ahead. Hang out with people who are using drugs, alcohol or constant partying to escape? You’ll be one of them. Hanging out with people who are focused, dedicated and taking action? You’ll follow suit. This right here I think can be the biggest game changer in somebodies life. Humans are mirrors.

Having a creative outlet is important

I think we all have something within us that we want to express. Whether your outlet is sculpting an amazing body through fitness and diet, or music, or art, building businesses, writing or dancing. There’s a great deal of fulfillment that comes by expressing yourself through something which you love to do. I’ve found that not having a creative outlet that is healthy and that you enjoy can lead to self-destructive behavior as well a waste of your precious time and money.

When you think the world is hostile, your thoughts become diluted with fear and negativity. When you believe the world is good, your thoughts become empowered

Simple observations shows us that the news, politics, religion, racism and money does a good job of causing the illusion of separation between people. The fact is when you think the world is out to get you, then all your thoughts come from a place of fear and insecurity. You’re constantly worrying about what move to make next and what others think about you. If you believe the world is good and that people are good, then your thoughts will come from a much better place. Confidence grows and you take take control of your life, thoughts and emotions. Just remember that the sponsoring emotions behind each thought is either love or fear. Think about it next time you become aware of your self-talk.

Nothing is really that big of a deal

People are just as consumed with themselves and in their own head just as you are. People forget about your embarrassments, failures, mistakes and short-comings. They’re busy worried about what you might think of theirs. Think about all the great men who have accomplished and made huge impacts on the earth and people around them. Think about how often you actually think about those people or even know their names.

With this understanding you realize the truth, that no matter what happens, life goes on. In a 100 years from now, everyone living on this planet will be dead, and the Earth will be full of new people.

Time passes and things go on.

This is pretty liberating because it not only releases you from being attached to the end result, but it desensitizes you to all the ups and downs of life and helps keep you balanced. Not to mention we’re floating on a piece of rock in what seems to be infinite space in all directions. Don’t forget to just look up in the sky and smile every once in a while at the grandiose, randomness of it all.