Here is a list of 26 life lessons I have learned thus far at the age of 26. I pass this list on to you with the simple hope that it makes you think. Sometimes thinking about your life and sorting out what you have learned is just as important as tackling a new venture.
- Being an adult can be fun when you are acting like a child.
- Love has nothing to do with looks, but everything to do with time, trust, and interest.
- Laughing, crying, joy and anger… All are a vital. All make us human.
- The greatest truths in life are uncovered with simple, steady awareness.
- Greed will bury even the lucky eventually.
- Bad things do happen to good people.
- Paving your own road is intelligent only if nobody has gone exactly where you are going.
- Uncertainty is caused by a lack of knowledge. Hesitation is the product of fear.
- Time heals all wounds… regardless of how you feel right now.
- Most of the time what you are looking for is right in front of you.
- Your health is your life.
- Chance is a gift, so act on chance when given the opportunity.
- Kindness and hard work will take you further than intelligence.
- People deserve a second chance, but not a third.
- Marry your best friend.
- Take lots of pictures. Someday you’ll be really glad you did.
- Money makes life easier only when the money is yours free and clear.
- Carelessness is the root of failure
- Your actions now create memories you will reminisce and talk about in your elder years.
- Stepping outside of your comfort zone will put things into perspective from an angle you can’t grasp now.
- Motivation comes in short bursts. Act while it’s hot.
- Purposely ignoring the obvious is like walking backwards toward the enemy.
- Taking ownership of failure builds the foundation for success.
- First impressions are completely worthless 50% of the time.
- Personal glory lasts forever.
- If you never act, you will never know for sure.
Check out these books for more life lessons and tips:
Jean Kurniati says
A very inspiring post. Keep on moving forward.
mitch says
thanks for this. I’m approaching the age of twenty in a couple of months and I will keep these things in mind. if I do forget– which is usually the case during hard times… I’ve bookmarked this page 🙂
harshvardhan rane says
this site makes the internet worthy, god bless u marc.
love the post by anon learner.
Evelyn says
I love reading your article but was confused by #15 “Marry your best friend”
If this is the best circumstances, all the dating sites are pretty much doomed because those who joined the site (I quited a while ago) have the wrong intention from the very beginning. (They are seeking a romantic relationship, not a friendship)
What’s your opinion on this?
Ristence says
Im 17 and i have readed this and im glad 🙂
Shilpi says
I am 22, and I found this post very inspiring. Especially the “motivation comes in short bursts” part because I totally go through that.
Conor Neill says
I am 37 and only just getting to grips with the important things in life. Bill Gates: “Success is a terrible teacher: it teaches that you deserve; failure is the real teacher: it teaches you everything important”. If I got to go back in time and meet myself, I would tell myself “screw it all up earlier”.
Subramanian says
Excellent and very useful.
Mona says
i absolutely love this site.
personally, this is one of my favorites posts – inspirational and motivating! (being that i am a college student)
– thank you 🙂
Alyssa says
I’m only ten but these are great lesseons here’s #27 Look at things from a new perspective.
Wamoto says
Wow! Your 26life lessons are evidently true and fundamental. We should also learn that advancement in each aspect of life leads to indepth hapiness. Life is not all about what we get out of it but what we leave or give.we also need to learn that whatever we want to attract towards us we must give out, you cant receive love in fullness without loving in the first place, if you want money u must part with that little u have. It applies to other aspects of life. Always yearn to learn, knowledge is food to mind. Thanx 4 the lessons.
Brandon says
Number 27 – Always make the best of a bad situation.
Del says
I agree that carelessness is the root of failure.
Daithib says
Marc, great insight for someone so young,
There are a few others to add….
Treat everyone as you’d like to treated
Live to Love, love to live.
Never try to push you point you truths today are based on your knowledge to that day, and may change tomorrow based on you wisdom tomorrow.
when we all realise that what we percieve is what we get, and we are creators of our circumstances, the world will be a better place. and we are getting there.
herv says
Man, i must have been about 30 before I had half as much sense as you at 26,lol. Now i try to inspire and motivate also just as you have accomplished with ease.(Seemingly)
Great job Marc! Much success to you and others who have taken time to indulge.
Alex Rascanu says
A wonderful post. I can really relate to:
– Love has nothing to do with looks, but everything to do with time, trust, and interest;
– Marry your best friend; and
– Your health is your life.
Thank you for opening up and sharing with us.
Angel says
This site is wonderful.
I stumbled on it when I was really feeling low and out of focus. It gave me the inspiration and hope I needed to get back and keep going!
Thanks!
Sheridan Voysey says
A great list. Another few I’d add:
1. Your deepest desire is to be listened to
2. Have some dreams but choose them wisely
3. At the heart of your life lies the questions of faith
I got these from interview a stack of well-known and less-well-know folks.
http://sheridanvoysey.com/four-life-lessons-from-a-thousand-conversations/
Thanks for the growing collection of wisdom.
Tamaus says
This is really deep to me. And I’m 15. Respect to the author of this blog.
Adam says
Agreed with everything for the most part.
Mamta says
I am 26 years old and I really connect with most of these life lessons.
I couldn’t agree more with points:
#1, #2, #3, #4, #6, #8, #9, #11, #12, #13, #14, #18, #19, #20, #24, #25, and #26.
Nike says
I love these life lessons – I was going to put some in a song if that’s alright. It’s about learning life’s greatest lessons. I will give you credit if its fine if i use them – thank you!
cc says
thanks for sharing. I am 26 too and find a lot of the life lessons listed resonate greatly with mine.
Follow your heart. There will always be naysayers.
I agree with 15, but haven’t quite found that ‘best’ girl friend yet.
Number 8 is another one I feel strongly about too.
Any great nonfiction books that influence your life?
jazley30 says
These life lessons are fantastic. Couldn’t agree more.
J says
You say that bad things happen to good people, and thats true, but theres a reason for it. Good people have to go through a lot of pain and suffering in life to make us truly appreciate the things that most jerks wouldn’t appreciate. We all have to go through suffering, and we hate it while we go through it, but we always come out of it a stronger person. And I think thats the true life lesson.
PupP says
Great lessons! All are awesome!
pawan says
Thanks for the great advice. These lessons are simple, yet sit well with me.
Noorin says
All are wonderful! I am 23 and I need to think about a few of them.
John says
Your realizations will touch everyone at some point. Great job putting it all down. I just recently understood what it means for #15 and I’m 33. I’ve experienced all that you’ve put down so far and it’s better to learn more at an even younger age.
Julie Takase says
Good read. I’d also add: The older you get the more you realize how very little you actually know.
leoyb says
Thanks for these simple tips 🙂 They resonate with me.
Lauren says
Love this list, especially #15. Thanks for a great post!
Tiff says
Such wise words!!! Your an inspiration! Thanks, this just made my day!
rohit says
Simple and profound.
Lex says
Deep and witty. Thanks a lot!
Mischelle40 says
These are great. I teach life skills through the Scouts to inner city children, from K-12. I am always looking for good lessons and fun things to keep them engaged. This is my next lesson plan. Thanks so much for sharing. And by the way, I have been married for almost 23 years to my best friend. He was not my best friend when we met, but he has been ever since. I have no bigger fan and we have 4 great children of our own. For anyone reading who thinks that I was just one of those lucky people who have it all, let me share. I grew up poor, moving every time my dad got a new job. My parents divorced when I was 9, and things got a lot worse financially. I raised my baby brother from the time I was 9 while my mother sold real estate ( a feast or famine job). She remarried, and that man turned out to be a violent alcoholic. She divorced him years later, and I got anther step dad, who just didn’t care about anyone but himself and my mother. In total, I went to 8 grade schools and 3 high schools. I graduated valedictorian and went on to college. I didn’t finish, due to family issues, but met my husband while I was taking classes and working 3 jobs. He had just graduated with an engineering degree. We married 6 months later, when he was leaving for Naval Officer Candidate School. He graduated as an officer. Since then, we have lived in DC where he worked for the Presidential Helicoper Division and Navair. We moved to France when he went to a civilian job. My last child was born there. We have seen more of the world than most people, have done more than many, and have wonderful times to remember with our kids I still would rather hang out with him than anyone else. We love to go out and dance together. I have worked many jobs in my life, and can do anything I put my mind to. My life has not always been easy, but it didn’t kill me and it made me stronger. I love who I am and I love my family. Those lessons didn’t come easily, but they did finally sink in. Thanks so much for writing it all down. It made me think back to what got me where I am today.
Puzan says
Thanks for the tips. I honestly love the simplicity of these life lessons.
yssubramanyam says
Excellent!
Anmol says
Inspiring. Very inspiring.
Anon says
Thank you for these great life lessons. They are all very relevant and very meaningful for me.
I would add one more that I read here: Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
William says
Inspiring and motivational! Best I’ve seen in a while, and I’m only 15. Even when I’m always hearing coaches yelling and teachers or parents talking about life and motivation, I will definitely keep these in mind. Most of these are true, and I’ve experienced many of them. Thank you!
Sayyed faizan says
Loved this. Simple truths.
Joseph says
Great life lessons! I really their simplicity. Reminds me that we should be happy no matter what life tosses our way.
Sue4u says
Two years older than me. I’m 28 and I dated a Marc LOL!
S. Dey says
Also 21 years old and am very glad to read this page. Very encouraging, inspiring and true words. Going to make it a point to read this before starting each day….
manish says
Great list of lessons for life. I appreciate each of them.
Andy says
Great points Marc. I think that number 21 is especially true. Motivation certainly does not last forever. We have to act fast when we have it and accomplish many things. When we don’t have it, then it is hard to work.
Brian says
A very good list. One thought struck me when reading #7 (“Paving your own road is intelligent only if nobody has gone exactly where you are going.”), and I would like to suggest it as #7A:
Who says your road has to be paved, anyway?
Jane Tilney says
Hi Marc!
This is a wonderful list. I’m only 17, and I actually found this page a year ago and bookmarked it; I’ll be sure to refer to this as I grow older and live life. 🙂
Navjeet Bhullar says
I could relate to the list with my experiences in life. I’m 26 and have been through strange situations. My first ex-spouse became my best friend. I wish I had a best friend I could get married to. Anyways, good list.