13 Brutal Lessons I Learned in the 21 Years of My Life
and I want you to learn them early.
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene
1. Failure is necessary
We all have bad perceptions about failures.
- If I fail, I lose.
- How can I survive in this damn world if I fail?
- What will people say about me
- How will I face my relatives?
Don't we all think like this?
Yes, we do.
That’s why you’re reading this article and nodding your head.
But the reality is the total opposite of it.
You're far better than the person who didn't even try.
“I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” — Thomas Edison
So the point I want to make here is:
Don't run away from failures. Failure is a part of life.
It will teach you more than your school teachers will.
2. You can’t always please everyone.
This is the harsh reality of life, which you have to accept.
Let me tell you my story.
When I was about to take a higher education after college.
Everyone in the family suggested me to pursue engineering.
But I didn't want to do it. Because I don't like engineering.
So everyone was against me, and they even said that I would regret this decision later.
But I was confident in my decision, and most importantly, my parents supported me.
and that's what matters for me.
3. Fear is just a state of mind
We all have specific fears.
- Some have a fear of ghosts.
- Some have a fear of heights.
- Some have a fear of public speaking.
- and the list goes on.
Yes, all these fears are unavoidable.
But they are curable, too.
The best way to fight your fear is to face it.
Or the best possible solution is to gain enough information about it.
Example: Do you have a fear of darkness?
Then gain enough information about it.
Darkness is nothing but the absence of photons. So why fear it?
4. Ego is the enemy.
Your ego often leads to your downfall.
If you feed it enough, then it can completely overpower your intelligence.
which doesn't let you make logical decisions anymore.
So, better yet, you should stay away from it.
5. Skill Beats Experience
I know this is a bold statement, and people will start arguing with me in the comments.
But let me explain.
Here's one incident from my life when I got this important life lesson.
It was the time of my college internships.
So I decided to search for something in my interest, which was SEO.
I searched on LinkedIn.
Job title: SEO writing internship
The requirement was 1-2 years of experience in SEO.
and it was an SEO marketing agency in Mumbai.
I prepared well for the interview, but for some reason I didn't get the interview call on the same day mentioned.
3–4 days later. Suddenly, I got a call from an unknown number.
I picked it up, and the person on the other side said, Hey Yugant, this is ABC from XYZ company. This is your interview for the SEO writing internship.
I was shocked because it happened all of a sudden.
I requested 5 minutes from him and got ready.
I hurried to my table, opened my laptop, and the interview started.
Interviewer: For how long have you been writing SEO-optimized articles?
Me: For 1 and a half years, sir.
Interviewer: Ok nice! Can you share a few of your article links that are currently ranking on the first page of Google?
Me: Sure, sir. Let me share them with you.
To be honest, I was a beginner SEO writer at the time, but some of my articles were accidentally ranked on Google.
So I started considering myself an expert.
Then he asked me some advanced questions about SEO (which were difficult for a beginner SEO writer like me).
The interviewer immediately got to know that I am a beginner in this field.
Interviewer: Listen! It doesn't matter how many years you've been working or how much experience you have. If you're not skilled enough, then there's no use in that experience.
I realized my mistake.
He added, You're a great guy and a fast learner too. But currently, you are not the right candidate for this job.
Work on your skills and try next time.
He even recommended some great SEO courses to me.
Yes, I got rejected, but I learned a very powerful life lesson.
That experience is nothing but a barrier. Skill is important.
6. Create more than you consume.
We're living in a digital era. Everything today is free.
- Medium is free.
- Twitter is free.
- Gumroad is free.
- LinkedIn is free.
- YouTube is free.
There are numerous opportunities available in the world.
But the problem is that people are lazy. They want easy money.
But you have to accept the fact that making money is hard in the beginning.
There’s no way to earn quick money. Read that again.
That's why I urge you to start creating more.
A side hustle can be converted into a business if you devote sufficient time to it.
7. Time is an asset; use it wisely.
- Time is money.
- Time is energy.
We often hear these terms in our everyday lives.
Your relationship with time ultimately determines the quality of your life.
One who has control over his time rules the world.
On the other hand, one who doesn't have control over his time pays the price.
8. Self-doubt kills your growth.
Self-doubt and growth cannot co-exist. They are both inversely proportional to each other.
Self-doubt limits your ability to take risks, make bold decisions, and pursue the life of your dreams.
That's why you should never doubt yourself. Because you're special.
Have faith in your abilities and keep moving forward without worrying about anything.
9. Change is the only constant.
There's an amazing book on this topic: Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson.
Here's my favorite quote from it:
“The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.” — Spencer Johnson
It says holding onto outdated beliefs can prevent you from getting new opportunities.
The sooner you let them go, the sooner you will be close to achieving your goals.
10. Accept yourself.
No one is perfect in this world.
Everyone has their problems. Everyone has their shortcomings.
So it is better to accept yourself the way you are.
Just stay honest with yourself and forgive yourself for the mistakes you've committed in the past.
After doing this, you'll instantly feel confident about yourself.
11. This too shall pass.
Nothing is permanent. Everything we got was temporary.
Whether it’s success or failure, Eventually, everything has to pass one day.
Just do what you love doing without expecting anything from it, and believe in the higher power.
Rest assured, everything will be sorted out.
12. Trust is the pillar of long-term relationships.
“Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.” — Unknown
Isn't it true?
One mistake, and it's all over.
So it's better to understand its importance in the initial phase of our lives.
Then you will be fine with everything you do.
13. Money is important.
Yes, money is important.
It doesn't buy you happiness, but it is still one of the most important things in life.
It gives you freedom.
It helps you make bold decisions.
and also enables you to live the life of your dreams.
Thank you for reading.
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