What better way to celebrate turning another year older than with 26 crucial life lessons that I’ve picked up after 26 birthdays? I’ve organised the list into my niche (click here to find out why a niche is super duper important), so you’ll find the post in three parts, with each containing lessons that relate to either education, productivity or personal development.
How helpful is that? First up: 9 lessons in education.
Keep learning all your life
Why should we stop learning at ages 16, 17, 18, or 21? Keep learning about new things that you’re interested in. It doesn’t have to be trigonometry, it could be an instrument, or about how the dinosaurs lived, or literally anything.
Focus
Can a class clown be funny? Sure. Is a class clown funny when you’re trying to prepare for whatever final exam or coursework piece you’ve been set? No. And it won’t be funny if that means that you fail, too. Concentrate now and reap the rewards later.
School isn’t everything
Yes, do your best, but if you do screw up – don’t panic. Life gives you so many more opportunities to get it right.
There are no stupid questions
We’re all learning. If you don’t know the answer, ask the question.
There are, actually, some stupid questions
Okay, whatever, so number four was a bit of a white lie. But how do we find out what’s stupid and what’s not? Say it with me: by asking the stupid questions. Go on.
Live a little
Don’t burn yourself out. You can’t study all day, every day. If somebody asks you to play pool, and you want to, then go play pool. Play a video game. Do something fun.
Try your best
I always tell my students that I’m not looking for perfection – just their very best. It doesn’t matter what grade that results in, as long as I know that they tried their best. Apply that mindset to your whole life, and you’ll be a winner.
Do compare yourself
Just not to others. The only person that you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday. Are you doing your past self proud? Then that is good enough.
Study what you love, not what you’re told
I was never told what A Levels to pick, but I did change one last minute: I swapped Media Studies with Biology, simply because I thought Oxford University would prefer a science. I did just fine in Biology, but I loved Media Studies. Do what you love.
Disclaimer: do I know everything yet? No. Am I trying to? Absolutely, so hit me up in the comments with any Life Pro Tips you’ve picked up during your time on Earth.
While you’re here, you might also like…
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Hardly Hamilton 