Life Lessons: What do you wish you knew 5/10/15 years ago?

Photo By Adam Tuttle (Flickr)

What are the most valuable things everyone should know? I recently came across this question on a website called Quora (the premise of this website is that visitors post questions on any topic – from practical to philosophical to ridiculous, and a number of people answer the questions, then readers then vote on the answers). I thought I’d post a clip from my favourite response to this question, since this list included some pretty powerful points that I wanted to remember. I’ve posted the first three lessons, and you can see the full list at the link below. If you get a chance to read Mr.Agarwal’s “most valuable things to know,” let me know what you think about his points.What lessons would be on your list?

Answer by: Anuj Agarwal, Founder Feedspot.com:

“Here are the 21 most valuable things you should know:

1. You never really know how much the people around you are hurting. You could be standing next to someone who is completely broken inside and you wouldn’t even know it. So never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have. And remember that there are two ways to spread light in this world: You can either be a flame of hope, or a mirror that reflects it. Be one of the two every chance you get.
2. The most important trip you will likely take in life is meeting others half way. You will achieve far more by working with people, rather than against them. Giving someone else a voice, and showing them that their ideas matter, will have a long-lasting, positive impact on the both of you.
3. Relationships don’t create happiness, they reflect it. Happiness is an inside job. Relationships are simply the mirrors of your happiness; they reflect it and help you celebrate it. They are mirrors because they are a perfect reflection of your thoughts and beliefs. To reflect means to encourage you when you feel weak and challenge you when you feel strong, thereby returning you to your center. And to celebrate is to share the natural ease and joy of living from your center – of living in the now with clarity.”

Read the rest of Anuj Agarwal’s answer to Life: What are the most valuable things everyone should know? on Quora

P.S. I fell in love with that photo above (I found it through Creative Commons). You can see Adam Tuttle’s photo and portfolio here