Ask The Readers: What I Wish I Knew When I Was Younger
Written on January 29, 2008 by Tezza
When I wrote the post “What I Wish I Knew When I Was Younger” I had no idea that it was going to get such an overwhelming response. Thanks to those kind readers who took the time to stumble and digg the post.
I’m always appreciative of anyone who leaves a comment as I know statistically most readers won’t. One such comment really stood out to me. Steven N wrote “So should those who know this teach it, or let those others learn it on their own?”
It got me thinking and here is my answer produced for your convenience “Steven: I’m a little from both schools of thought. I think it would be silly to reinvent the wheel every time you want to pursue something. Innovation, development and change occurs because we build from each others successes and failures. So i think it is important to learn from those who have walked the path before you.”
I great quote comes to mind from Marie Carie: “You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.” With that in mind I thought that this might be a wonderful medium in which we can share our lessons, experiences and wisdom with each other. So I’d like to throw it out to my loyal readers and ask:
“What Do You Wish You Knew When You Were Younger?”
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“What Do You Wish You Knew When You Were Younger?”
compound interest comes to mind! ; )
That i develop the habit of following this mantra: “If it could be conceived, and believed, it will be achieved”
Hey Tezza, I used to be of the school of thought that “if only I knew this when I was younger, life would have been so much easier”. However, since then, I think that each of those moments were meant to happen so as to create and shape us the way we are now, which is perfectly planned. To truly learn you have to have the will within you and your mind has to be open to receive the teachings. “When the student is ready, the teacher will be there”. However, with all that mumbo jumbo set aside, I would have loved to have been given the opportunity, or at least told, to travel when I was younger. I think travelling opens the mind and frees the soul.
I was too emotional when I was younger, always worrying about anything and everything so I learnt as I got older to “Not to sweat the small Stuff” like the message from the story of the Mayonnaise Jar and Coffee which im sure u have all read by now. Life is for living and not for worrying and being emotional about the “small stuff”. Having learnt this very important lesson, life just gets better and better everyday!! :o)
I think Andrew, earlier in the thread, has a an excellent point, as do you T about compound interest!
I guess if i look at my younger days or youth in general now that I am older, the one thing I think that hold as back is a lack of true self confidence. It was not until my late teens that I really started to believe in my personal beliefs and that they could change the world. In essence, I have the same beliefs today that I did when I was 10 but I was too conscious of what other kids my age thought and did relative to me (after all, what did i know I was just a kid - or so i thought). I think if you can believe in yourself at a younger age, it is a catalyst to becoming an outstanding human being.
I guess another way of saying it is being more fearless at a young age - I think I had more fear at a young age.
Mas…i totally agree with you…it’s always the fear that holds us back…self confidence and self belief is the first step to overcoming these fears i think
@T, i like the mantra, if only life was that simple though =)
Andrew, I never had wild dreams of travel and only really gotten into the travel thing in 2007. I have to say that i appreciate travel at my age now having done what ive done. I don’t think i would have appreciated it as much had i traveled at a younger age. I definitely agree that travel does open your mind to a whole new way of life.
@Mas, Fearlessness, that is something that im still working on. Traveling around the wold solo has definitely helped =)
That following your dreams is not just an ideal but an obligation.
Ron at The Wisdom Journal did a great post on this just a few days ago. Check it out at 12 Things I Learned by 42 that I Wish I Knew at 22. I think Ron’s post summarizes a lot of what I wished I’d learned.
@Jeff: thanks for the heads up…it was a wonderful post with great lessons for anyone
@Alin: Love it. Reminds me of a quote that goes something like, “those who are given much, much is required.”
a very interesting question you pose Tezza .. the question is more than it looks, i think .. i’m just picking this up from reading all the comments .. though i won’t spoil the fun here. to answer the question at face value, ‘what i wish i knew when i was younger’ are two things mainly: discipline and hardwork.
I stumbled upon your blog whilst googling for motivation.
You have a great post here. I am seeking to pass on the lessons I have learnt in life so that my children do not have to make this statement……”I wish I knew these 20 years ago….”
I am looking now for how to give them the motivation, a continous motivation so that they can start now setting their lives in order. For too many of us (myself included) our mistakes and the painful consequences provide the motivation.
Is there another way?
fathersez: thanks for the kind remarks. You are right, we have learnt things the hard way and I hope your children find their motivation to learn from those who have gone before them.
I believe we know everything that we need to know at each given moment in order to bring us to the next moment of our lives. I can think of many things that would have made my life easier when i was younger, but if I had known them then then I would not have become me today. I cannot regret who I have become, so cannot regret knowledge I didn’t have.
rom - A great thought and very true. We have at our disposal what we need at any given time. You have a wonderful outlook on life.