15 Things You’ll Realize Once You Get Older

This article is a compilation of the best answers to the Quora’s question: “What are some things you realize as you get older?“

1. Life is too short not to ask the guy/girl out.

“Don’t spend time thinking about “what if” or “I wish I”. You never know if that woman/man could be the one you marry. Relationships really can be as random as that.”

2. Adults don’t know what they’re doing either.

“When you were a child you knew you could ask your parents or any adult a question knowing they had the answers to everything. When you get older you realize that most adults are clueless and are figuring out life just like everybody else!”

3. Nothing in this life is forever, so take it slow.

“Always take the long view in life. Be patient. The forest is never just the trees. Markets crash and markets rebound. Today’s setbacks aren’t deadly. With the right attitude, you’ll get over them – and then some.”

4. Remember to thank people.

“It takes a lot of support to create success. Incredibly successful people are mindful of showing sincerity and often to those who help them achieve success. It’s not hard, the thought of leaving someone un-thanked never even enters their mind.”

5. Things always work out the way they’re supposed to.

“I suppose this is a variation of ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ I’ve found this reminder to be incredibly helpful. You can worry all you want, but in the end, whatever happens is what was supposed to happen. This one always makes more sense retrospectively.”

6. It’s better to do one thing great than ten things well.

“Just because you got a C in history, doesn’t mean your life is over. And just because you get As in everything doesn’t mean you are set-up to be great. In fact, if you get As at everything you might actually end up being a very high-functioning cog instead of focusing your talents.

Adolescence is a wonderful time to explore new things. Good time to try lots of things and see what speaks to you. At some point in one’s life you need to eliminate options and focus on a grander strategy at becoming great.”

7. Aim for relationships that are an absolute yes.

“This is especially true in relationships. If you have one foot out the door half the time, it will never work. Real love is born out of commitment and selflessness. So ask yourself – is it an absolute “Yes” or “No?” Don’t settle. When things get rocky, you’ll need someone by your side who is an “absolute yes.” Life’s too short to live in a grey area.”

8. Life isn’t actually a rom-com.

“On my first day of college I met a girl and thought we were destined to be together. I obsessed about her for years. I wrote screenplays to impress her. Put on over thirty pounds of muscle so she would find me sexy. Read books, listened to music, quit smoking. I gave her small gifts. Remembered details that no one else would. Grew out my hair. Changed my fashion. And at the end of it all, we never even kissed.

That’s not on her at all. I learned that you can’t earn someones love, nor should you have to. Life isn’t a rom-com, there isn’t one girl out there you are destined to be with, there are many women that you are compatible with. Grow, develop, and make moves.

You might not end up with her, but it was never about her to begin with.”

9. You should absolutely take that extra trip to visit your family.

“I will tell you now that you are never that busy or that important to not make it. I thought I was that important until I lost someone very important to me. Hard way to learn that I could have had that time if I had only gotten over myself. Do it now and don’t regret it later.”

10. Not everyone you meet is trustworthy. Be careful.

“As you grow you will get betrayed and back stabbed. A lot. From close friends, yes even close family and friends will change, either because of money, position or maybe without any reason. You will adapt to the fact that trusting people is like walking on water. Unless you’re Jesus you won’t be able to do it. However Jesus walked on water and was still betrayed. So enjoy your loved one while they’re closer, and don’t crack when they leave you. ”

11. You definitely want to make mistakes.

“Mistakes are your best friend. Aside from things like riding bulls or kissing cobras, never miss an opportunity to risk making a mistake. From mistakes we learn. Never err and never grow.”

12. Whether you believe it or not, people care about you.

“It’s easy to think you’ve done everything on your own, that your achievements are your own. For some people, this might be true. For most of us, it is most definitely not.

For most of us, we are where we are because someone cared. Someone didn’t look at you and say “fuck it”. Someone looked at you and said “he/she needs a hand” and then proceeded to lend you that hand.

We should live our lives on our terms. But we shouldn’t be flippant with our relationships and act as if we can live in social isolation. Sometimes the only thing keeping us sane and moving forward are the bonds we’ve forged with the people who matter.”

13. Remember to reevaluate your own beliefs.

“Many people get agitated because of deeply held beliefs that might not even be true. Many people assume that all of their beliefs are true, until they drill down and examine them. If you can free yourself from just one limiting belief each day, or even one per week, you will begin to have a happier life.”

14. Always listen to your gut.

“Every single time I have gone against my own better judgement, I have been bitten in the ass with problems beyond my control. In relationships, in business and more. My gut was telling me “NO” but I wasn’t listening and just barged ahead and got myself into trouble.”

15. And Finally, you are the source of your own happiness.

“It does not come from an external source, whether that is a person, a job, a boss, a friend, a laptop or a car. It cannot be avoided by blaming others, either, because that’s just a short-term fix. You create your own happiness and you work on it like you work on developing any other habit in life: every single day.”

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