7 Life Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Sooner

Life is the master teacher.

And if we pay enough attention, it’s amazing the lessons we’ll pick up along the way.

Here are a few of my candid observations.

And although these may or may not apply to you, I do hope you’ll receive some inspiration from this list...

7 Life Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Sooner

1. You’re either improving your life, or you’re not.  There is no such thing as “static.”

Every activity matters. The concept of “just passing time” is a misnomer.

 
Multiple times a day I ask myself a simple question: Is this activity going to make me happier when I’m done? (Not when doing it, but rather, when done.)

There is a big difference.

2. Personal Development is dramatically more important to our long-term success and happiness than professional development.

When I was in college, I fell in love with personal development. Literally, fell in love.

The impact this has had on my life is immeasurable.

 
So often I see friends and family that are working hard at their jobs, yet not finding that feeling or “thing” they’re looking for.

What I’ve learned is that when we work on ourselves, that “thing” tends to appear on its own.

As Jim Rohn famously said, “You must learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job.”

3. Radical Candor, with love, is essential to everyone’s growth

I’m a very non-confrontational type of person. I take no satisfaction in hurting other people’s feelings.

But over the past few years especially I’ve come to a clear conclusion:

When done with love and proper timing, being frank, incisive, and cutting to the chase with others will help them to reach their fullest potential. If we do this and embrace the discomfort that comes with it, it will save a lot of headaches and pain along the way.

4. Choose friends that are willing to hit you over the head with the “2x4 of Truth”

Honest friends can mean EVERYTHING. We all need reality checks from those we love. All of us.

I look forward to sharing some of mine with you in the future.

5. Don’t use sarcasm with those you love most—especially your spouse/partner

I’ll dive much more into this at another time but let me just put it this way: I’m a sarcastic guy. I use it for laughs, and also as a form of endearment.

I’ve come to realize there are many people that do not receive it in the same context.

For years, I used sarcasm with my amazing wife, Nikki.

It did not help our relationship.

Sure, she may have smiled on occasion, but inside it was not something she appreciated.

I grit my teeth at knowing how long it took me to realize this.

Today, if I’m making a statement to my wife, it’s because that’s exactly how I feel or what I’m intending, and our relationship has benefited dramatically because of it.

6. Everyone needs a worthy cause. Everyone.

Rarely do you see someone depressed when they’re actively climbing up the mountain, clearly looking up as to where they’re going.

The trouble comes when we’re not on the mountain. Not looking up. Not striving. Wondering what is next.

When I get down (and I do, just like you), I simply ask, “Marcus, what’s your worthy cause right now?”

7. Negative energy is real, as is its effect

Just like you, I’m often tempted to voice my opinions on social or political matters to others, especially on social media.

I’m also tempted to watch the news and keep up with everything that is happening in the world.

Yet there is one problem—all of these things affect our happiness, our mood, and our relationships with others.

For me, this is why I always ask myself a simple question in such moments: Will the negative energy really be worth it?

I know for each of us, such engagement is a very personal, and evolving decision.

So there are my thoughts. I’d love to hear yours.

As we go on this journey together, always feel free to hit “reply” and let me know your candid thoughts and feelings. Without question, I have way more to learn from you than you from me.

To becoming more than we are…

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