3 Things I Wish I Had Known 3 Years Ago
It could have saved me plenty of time
That moment when you’ve messed up really bad, and you want to go back in time to fix it.
I bet you’ve been there. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), you can’t change the past. You can only learn from it and try not to make the same mistakes again. And that’s how we grow in life.
Like I studied myself and found 3 huge mistakes. They wasted my time and brought a lot of frustration. Because of them, my life had become sour. But hey, they helped me level up.
So, here are those three mistakes and what I learned from them. Maybe it can help you avoid the same blunders and save some frustration.
1. Focus on One Thing
I used to have trouble giving up on something I started. That’s why I wanted to do everything. And that’s why, back then, I was doing a lot of different tasks every day:
-Working for clients
-Writing for my blog
-Creating YouTube videos
-Learning graphic designing
-Growing my Instagram audience.
My attention was spread thin between all those tasks. I couldn’t give enough time to any one thing and so, I couldn’t become really good at any of those tasks.
Although I learned a little bit of everything and became an all-rounder, it came at a cost. I had to work 9–11 hours daily and go through burnout. I won’t suggest that to you.
That’s why, for the past 1.5 years, I have singularly focused on copywriting and content marketing for clients. This made my days simpler. And now I see myself making faster progress than before.
So, focus on one thing, get better. And then think about trying something new.
If there are nine rabbits on the ground, if you want to catch one, just focus on one.
-Jack Ma.
2. Act More, Think Less
I used to think a lot. So much so that I could have easily gotten a Ph.D. in thinking.
For instance, when I was going to start my YouTube channel, I became an expert overthinker.
I had thoughts like, “People will laugh at me,” “They’ll find out how silly I am,” and “My friends will stop talking to me.” I was worried about what could go wrong, like becoming meme material or getting teased by strangers.
And that continued for 73 days. I constantly kept weighing the pros and cons of appearing on YouTube (because I was shy, insecure, and a people pleaser).
But I realized that thinking wasn’t helping me. It made me feel like I was making progress, maybe because our minds like staying in their comfort zones, but I was stuck. Thinking too much is the biggest waste of time.
However, not thinking at all isn’t good either. Thinking helps you find ideas, solve problems, and make better decisions.
So, think only when needed. Just like salt in food, it has to be balanced. Once thinking is done, jump into action. The sooner you start acting, the better.
The worst that can happen with taking action is facing failures. Which is a good thing as it helps you learn and make progress. But if you just keep thinking, you’ll stay where you are.
You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
3. Do What’s Difficult
Three years ago, I read truckloads of self-help books that said we should do what we love. It sounded cool, so I decided I would always love and enjoy writing (I was a freelance writer then).
But when things got tough, I didn’t enjoy writing. Tasks like waking up early, finding clients, and writing on tricky topics were not fun. I began to hate it.
And so I worked when I felt like it and did things that made me happy. I read fiction novels, spent time on Instagram, and watched Netflix shows. Now I was enjoying it (see, I was such a fool).
But deep down I knew that I was running away from challenges. So, the more I avoided difficult things, the worse I felt. And unsurprisingly, I didn’t grow at all during that time.
Then, it hit me that life doesn’t work that way. If easy things made us successful, everyone would be successful, and the universe would be unbalanced. Making things difficult is the universe’s way of creating balance. That’s why growth is never easy and comfortable.
I learned that the hard way.
And since the last 6 months, I have started doing what’s tough. Waking up early, taking cold baths, walking for 40 minutes daily, posting consistently on LinkedIn, helping my clients grow online, learning new things… you got the idea. Discipline is what makes me confident and happy now.
If you can get through doing things that you hate to do, on the other side is greatness.
-David Goggins
Summing up
There are dozens of other mistakes I’ve made in the last 3 years. But those three are the biggest. Hope it helped you gain some perspective. I’m Saurav, I share what I learn about writing, content marketing, and personal growth. Follow me for more such stuff. And read this next:
