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What have you learned from your life?

sweep_shot

sweep_shot

Test Captain
Joined
Mar 30, 2016
Runs
48,274
I have learned:

1) Focus on your priorities. You can't do everything. Figure out what you are good at, what are important to you, and what really interests you. Work on those priorities. That should be your boundary.

2) Mind your own business. If you interfere in matters of others, it can make things worse. Only interfere if you are asked or if you think it is an emergency.

3) Not everyone wants the best for you. Some people would love to see you go down. Cut off these people from your life as soon as you can. If cutting off is not possible, then avoid and ignore.

4) Never get into this trap called debt. Finish off your debts. Debt is slavery.

5) Materialism never brings in long-term happiness. Simplicity causes happiness and true contentment.

6) Appreciate people who are caring and helpful to you. Keep them in your life.

7) You shouldn't try to replace/modify something that is natural. If you try to mess with nature, it can bite you back.

8) Have great intentions always. Keep your soul and mind clear. Keep your head clear. Keep your focus clear.

9) Last but not the least, always be thankful to God. Worship God and be His servant to the best of your ability.

What have you learned from life?
 
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Forgot to add one more thing. Importance of time management.

10) Time is at times more valuable than money. Success in life often depends on how well you manage your time.
 
To not get too attached to anything.Everything is temporary
 
Saurav said:
To not get too attached to anything.Everything is temporary
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Big time!

I learned this the hard way when I was in my early-20's.

One key way to avoid getting hurt is to not invest 100% of your emotion in anything or anyone.
 
To be the man you gotta beat the man, WOOOoOooooO!
 
“This Too Shall Pass”

While it’s attributed to multiple people from multiple cultures, in ours it is most commonly from the tale of Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi and his slave-turned-counselor (and rumored lover) Ayyaz. The story goes that Mehmood handed Ayyaz a ring and told him to have something inscribed on it that would give him solace when he was upset, and upset him when he was happy. Ayyaz returned the ring a few days later with the aforementioned inscription.

I have it as a framed, knitted pattern hanging in my room, a smaller leather one hanging from my rear view mirror, and a printed one in my cube at work. To me it succinctly captures the ephemeral essence of existence: the good and the bad.
 
Nostalgic said:
“This Too Shall Pass”

While it’s attributed to multiple people from multiple cultures, in ours it is most commonly from the tale of Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi and his slave-turned-counselor (and rumored lover) Ayyaz. The story goes that Mehmood handed Ayyaz a ring and told him to have something inscribed on it that would give him solace when he was upset, and upset him when he was happy. Ayyaz returned the ring a few days later with the aforementioned inscription.

I have it as a framed, knitted pattern hanging in my room, a smaller leather one hanging from my rear view mirror, and a printed one in my cube at work. To me it succinctly captures the ephemeral essence of existence: the good and the bad.
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Optimism is always a good thing. "This Too Shall Pass" is probably the most optimistic saying there is.

But, this quote kind of discourages hard work. It emphasizes too much on hope than what needs to be done.
 
sweep_shot said:
Optimism is always a good thing. "This Too Shall Pass" is probably the most optimistic saying there is.

But, this quote kind of discourages hard work. It emphasizes too much on hope than what needs to be done.
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But it isn’t only optimistic. It’s also the exact opposite.
 
- To take the long perspective on life. It's easy to get dejected when things don't go your way, but I've learnt to take failures and bad phases as just a small blip in my life journey. Whenever I have a setback in my life, I just imagine me on my death bed and think "would this still matter to me then"? Almost always the answer is no! It's easy to move on then.

- Strike a balance between living in the moment and still working towards some long term plan and goals. Long term goals contribute to a fulfilling life, but the small everyday moments decide how good and happy I feel about life.
 
It's hard to just summarise everything really but you're always looking to improve, be open minded and focus on things within your control / never give up. No success is final just like how failure isn't fatal, I'd say I've learned how to take my fair share of L's :yk which is important with regards to having that ability to bounce back and being able to reflect on ones flaws always helps in a big way, best way to get better.
 
Another thing I forgot to add. You can never chase happiness. Happiness is something that is always there with you. You just have to harvest it and feel it. It needs to come internally.
 
ReverseHit said:
- To take the long perspective on life. It's easy to get dejected when things don't go your way, but I've learnt to take failures and bad phases as just a small blip in my life journey. Whenever I have a setback in my life, I just imagine me on my death bed and think "would this still matter to me then"? Almost always the answer is no! It's easy to move on then.

- Strike a balance between living in the moment and still working towards some long term plan and goals. Long term goals contribute to a fulfilling life, but the small everyday moments decide how good and happy I feel about life.
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Agree with your second point.

We often are too busy with future goals that we forget to live in the present. We become old and then we realize we never really lived.

Learn from the past; live in the present; be prepared for the future.

If you think about it, it is only present that really matters at any given time.
 
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shaz619 said:
It's hard to just summarise everything really but you're always looking to improve, be open minded and focus on things within your control / never give up. No success is final just like how failure isn't fatal, I'd say I've learned how to take my fair share of L's :yk which is important with regards to having that ability to bounce back and being able to reflect on ones flaws always helps in a big way, best way to get better.
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Agree with you on this.

I think it is important to not let compliment or criticism affect you. Your personal process should be protected from outside noises.

No failure in this world is permanent just like no success is permanent.
 
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After every storm comes a rainbow - so always try to find hope in tough circumstances and cling to it.

Lady luck favors those who try even if that last try comes after 1000 failures.

Always focus on giving in to others and than expecting anything in return. God will return you back with a much bigger reward.

That pretty much sums up the whole existence of mine - based on my own set of experiences and obervations.
 
sweep_shot said:
Agree with you on this.

I think it is important to not let compliment or criticism affect you. Your personal process should be protected from outside noises.

No failure in this world is permanent just like no success is permanent.
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Yes agree with you there mate, if there was one thing alone you'd pick which defines what you have learned what would it be ?
 
shaz619 said:
Yes agree with you there mate, if there was one thing alone you'd pick which defines what you have learned what would it be ?
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I would say keeping personal process protected from compliments and criticisms. In other words, compliment shouldn't get to head and criticism shouldn't lower confidence. That's one of the key lessons I have learned from life.
 
“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same”. ~ Rudyard Kipling

“In the cosmos of time, you are not a **** in the wind”. ~ Dan Pena
 
To what is relevant to this forum, I would say a much greater appreciation of curiosity, being open-minded and humble and aware of complexity. Let me unpack this a little bit here. I have been around this forum now for many years. As a young person I used to contribute a lot more to the cricket section and wrote in a cocksure manner. I remember for instance watching Misbah bat against Australia in 2002 and arrogantly declared that he was out of his depth and should be permanently discarded. I am no longer a young man, and I can see that I thought I knew a lot more than I did and not just on matters pertaining to cricket.

More generally, it is not a sign of weakness to change your mind when confronted with new information. That is why it is important to be humble. Indeed genuine curiosity, that is getting pleasure from learning new information, is a great attribute.

Lastly there is a tendency for us all to want to see things in simple, straightforward terms. But life is complex and to understand what it is to be human in another time or place is never as easy as it seems. We might even go further - to be truly human is no easy feat, we must constantly strive as that wonder of a previous age, Ghalib suggested:

bas-ki dushvaar hai har kaam kaa aasaan honaa
Aadmii ko bhii mayassar nahiin insaan honaa
 
That we are nothing, not even a f@rt in the wind as some poster above quoting Pena said, in fact we aren't even a molecule or an atom of a f@rt. When you see and learn how huge, vast and ancient this universe is you truly come to realize your own worthlessness. The mere magnitude of it all is mind boggling.

If you measure it in a 24 hour period time scale since the Big Bang, we humans in our current form have only come into existence a mere 3 minutes ago.

We are nothing yet we hold such high opinions of ourselves and are the most dangerous animals to ever have existed. We have killed hundreds of millions due to some absurd logic that what we believe in is right and what anyone else does is wrong. We have killed even more because they were the wrong tribe, colour, race, nationality etc. We have destroyed eco systems in place for millions of years just to fulfill our greed.

All in all as Agent Smith mentioned in The Matrix we are a virus, just contaminating everything around us and growing and growing, however there is only that much damage we can do and in a few millennia (if not earlier) or so we will be extinct too due to some man made or natural phenomenon.

So coming back to the OP and what I've learned from my life. It is all pointless trying to belong to some nation, religion, sect etc and one up each other wanting to prove it.

Just try to be good to the people around you and hope they will be good to you too. And if they aren't, don't take it too personally. Ignore them and move on.
 
DeadBall said:
That we are nothing, not even a f@rt in the wind as some poster above quoting Pena said, in fact we aren't even a molecule or an atom of a f@rt. When you see and learn how huge, vast and ancient this universe is you truly come to realize your own worthlessness. The mere magnitude of it all is mind boggling.

If you measure it in a 24 hour period time scale since the Big Bang, we humans in our current form have only come into existence a mere 3 minutes ago.

We are nothing yet we hold such high opinions of ourselves and are the most dangerous animals to ever have existed. We have killed hundreds of millions due to some absurd logic that what we believe in is right and what anyone else does is wrong. We have killed even more because they were the wrong tribe, colour, race, nationality etc. We have destroyed eco systems in place for millions of years just to fulfill our greed.

All in all as Agent Smith mentioned in The Matrix we are a virus, just contaminating everything around us and growing and growing, however there is only that much damage we can do and in a few millennia (if not earlier) or so we will be extinct too due to some man made or natural phenomenon.

So coming back to the OP and what I've learned from my life. It is all pointless trying to belong to some nation, religion, sect etc and one up each other wanting to prove it.

Just try to be good to the people around you and hope they will be good to you too. And if they aren't, don't take it too personally. Ignore them and move on.
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A Cosmos reference, I give that too many esp your first two paragraphs to many people.

Somehow my identity as an Indian is something I’m very close to, probably coz as a kid it was an identity I completely believed in but I know it hardly
matters.. still it remains with me.
 
You get out what you put in.

Be kind. There are some people that you have to be firm with because they see kindness as weakness, but you can still show them tough love.

Love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return.

You have to learn to love yourself before you can love others.
 
DeadBall said:
That we are nothing, not even a f@rt in the wind as some poster above quoting Pena said, in fact we aren't even a molecule or an atom of a f@rt. When you see and learn how huge, vast and ancient this universe is you truly come to realize your own worthlessness. The mere magnitude of it all is mind boggling.

If you measure it in a 24 hour period time scale since the Big Bang, we humans in our current form have only come into existence a mere 3 minutes ago.

We are nothing yet we hold such high opinions of ourselves and are the most dangerous animals to ever have existed. We have killed hundreds of millions due to some absurd logic that what we believe in is right and what anyone else does is wrong. We have killed even more because they were the wrong tribe, colour, race, nationality etc. We have destroyed eco systems in place for millions of years just to fulfill our greed.

All in all as Agent Smith mentioned in The Matrix we are a virus, just contaminating everything around us and growing and growing, however there is only that much damage we can do and in a few millennia (if not earlier) or so we will be extinct too due to some man made or natural phenomenon.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Smith was a nihilist.

We are the universe made manifest, locally organising itself into self-awareness. We are the ultimate development of the universe.
 
Robert said:
You get out what you put in.

Be kind. There are some people that you have to be firm with because they see kindness as weakness, but you can still show them tough love.

Love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return.

You have to learn to love yourself before you can love others.
Click to expand...

I agree with your #4 point strongly.

Self-respect is very important. If a person doesn't love/respect himself, he can't expect the same from others.
 
DeadBall said:
That we are nothing, not even a f@rt in the wind as some poster above quoting Pena said, in fact we aren't even a molecule or an atom of a f@rt. When you see and learn how huge, vast and ancient this universe is you truly come to realize your own worthlessness. The mere magnitude of it all is mind boggling.

If you measure it in a 24 hour period time scale since the Big Bang, we humans in our current form have only come into existence a mere 3 minutes ago.

We are nothing yet we hold such high opinions of ourselves and are the most dangerous animals to ever have existed. We have killed hundreds of millions due to some absurd logic that what we believe in is right and what anyone else does is wrong. We have killed even more because they were the wrong tribe, colour, race, nationality etc. We have destroyed eco systems in place for millions of years just to fulfill our greed.

All in all as Agent Smith mentioned in The Matrix we are a virus, just contaminating everything around us and growing and growing, however there is only that much damage we can do and in a few millennia (if not earlier) or so we will be extinct too due to some man made or natural phenomenon.

So coming back to the OP and what I've learned from my life. It is all pointless trying to belong to some nation, religion, sect etc and one up each other wanting to prove it.

Just try to be good to the people around you and hope they will be good to you too. And if they aren't, don't take it too personally. Ignore them and move on.
Click to expand...

Underrated post.
 
1) NOTHING is black and white . Literally any action can be justified if you use the right terminology.

2) People talk a big game but VERY few people will stand by their principles/word when its showtime.

3) Live and Let live .

4) People are stupid and can be easily manipulated by propaganda

5) Most people are good people who are just trying to live their lives .

6) Always be open to new ideas and new experiences within reason aka don't knock it till you try it.
 
from_da_lost_dim3nsion said:
1) NOTHING is black and white . Literally any action can be justified if you use the right terminology.

2) People talk a big game but VERY few people will stand by their principles/word when its showtime.

3) Live and Let live .

4) People are stupid and can be easily manipulated by propaganda

5) Most people are good people who are just trying to live their lives .

6) Always be open to new ideas and new experiences within reason aka don't knock it till you try it.
Click to expand...

7) While most people are good, it’s only as long as they don’t feel threatened. If they do, then it turns into a dog eat dog world!
 
One quote resonates with me quite well.... "The graveyards are full of people who once thought they are center of the world".
 
shaz619 said:
It's hard to just summarise everything really but you're always looking to improve, be open minded and focus on things within your control / never give up. No success is final just like how failure isn't fatal, I'd say I've learned how to take my fair share of L's :yk which is important with regards to having that ability to bounce back and being able to reflect on ones flaws always helps in a big way, best way to get better.
Click to expand...

Very mature post.

As for the Ls. Don’t be hard on yourself.

I have failed and lost far more in life than I have succeeded. It’s important to focus on the reasons for the Ls and to improve.

What I found was that most people focus on your Wins and successes, so don’t let it get you down.
 
Another thing I forgot to add. Never take anything for granted. Always be on your toe.

There were times in my life when I screwed up at the very last moments (for example - one of my driving tests). It is important to stay focused from beginning till end.

Also, I learned not to celebrate excessively. Keep a poker face but don't be a smug.
 
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People will say things on the internet , they wouldnt dare to say in public or to someones face.

Including forums.
 
1. when i was younger i thought some people had an easy life because of how they looked, their wealth, etc, but life taught me everyone has their own demons and insecurities, and the happiest and most mentally peaceful people tend to be those who make an effort to be positive despite their fears and insecurities.

2. also, this is more my own interpretation of things, that there is no reality, in any meaningful sense, beyond our perception in as much as all we understand is an electro-chemical interpretation of sensory stimulus local to our brains, therefore the only way to gain any understanding of "reality" beyond oneself is to try to understand someone else's reality, i.e. to try and learn from meaningful conversations without looking for right and wrong.
 
This is a materialistic world and if you have money you can do anything you want. Money can buy anything be it friends, love, anything you want.
 
Always be active . Never be idle, only rest when u are sleeping. There is so much u have to learn and so many activities you can do. Lethargy destroys your soul. Read books at the very least.

Nothing gives you the satisfaction that hard work does. It always pays. You will be lost without discipline


This is controversial, but your parents are wrong the majority of the time. Dont rely on your family so much. They are as clueless as you.

Do not be too sentimental. Never dwell in the past. Being emotional is a waste of time and energy.

Always be social and make many friends. They make your experiences much more meaningful. Introverts are missing out on life big time.

Never be afraid of anything or anyone. No one has a right over you. Remove toxic people and fight your enemies till your last breath.

To the young uns, you are blessed to be living in this Era. Youtubers make money doing stupid videos. Travelers are making money. If you are tired of your life, then change it. Purse all the things you dreamed of.
 
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