Everything We Need to Know

MANILA, Philippines - I remember looking at this book called “Everything I Needed to Learn About Life, I’ve Learned in Kindergarten” or something that sounded like that. I kinda disagree on the “everything” part because for one, I barely remember any exciting and realistic life lessons from kindergarten or from pre-school as a whole for that matter.

If I could have it my way, I’d say that apart from kindergarten and that whole era on “say please and thank you”, almost everything I needed to know about the real world, I’ve learned from college. I guess this must be also why I’m missing that part of my life so much. I miss it to the point that if I could ask Santa Clause for a time machine this Christmas, I would because I’d keep going back to my college years as much as I can and want to.

Looking back at the four years that were well-spent and extremely fleeting, I’d have to say that the lessons I’ve been able to learn both in and out of the classroom have been worth their while. Although we were graded for what we’ve learned within the four walls of our classroom, it’s safe to say that knowing how to apply the lessons we’ve learned beyond those walls are life’s gauges for success and ultimately happiness.

Here are some of the things I’d like to share to you guys that I’ve found extremely useful as I found myself in the throes of a new phase in my life.

1.Don’t make a mad dash into the bushes when you’re faced with difficult people. Step up, look them in the eye, and deal with them head on. Sometimes, fear gets the best of us considering that the reputation of these hard to deal with people often precede them. Be bold enough to talk to them. Courage commands a lot of respect.

2.The worst of people and the worst of circumstances are the best teachers. The lessons that are learned the hard and painful ways are actually the ones that stick. Facing the worst people and being through hell actually makes us appreciate the best people in our lives and the best moments as well.

3.Don’t burn bridges. Pay attention to the people you meet on your way up because they’ll be the exact same ones you’ll meet again when you plummet from the summit and land on a pile of crap.

4.There is no such thing as an individual accomplishment. There are always only team efforts because even if you were able to garner a particular award for something, you have to admit that you wouldn’t have been able to bag the said award if not for the bevy of friends rallying behind you, the mentors who’ve always seen you through, the parents who’ve put up with you, and with God who just happens to make everything happen for you.

5.When in doubt, always ask questions. It’s better to look stupid sometimes and admit that you really don’t know what you really don’t know than to pretend that you know it all and end up making the costliest mistake of your life.

6.Don’t force yourself to do something just to belong at the expense ofyour own personal comfort and happiness. When you’re new to the group, more often than not, you’ll feel OP. Sometimes, with that feeling comes the nagging urge to want to force yourself into the group. Don’t. Take your time and ease into the group at the right pace. Getting that good ‘ol feeling of acceptance should never be forced.

7.Learn to unplan. Sometimes the thing with today’s busy world is that we need to have every detail ironed out. We go ballistic when our plans are not met and we basically live on a daily script of what to do, where to go, and how to get what we want. Although this may be a manifestation of organization, it’s safe to say that too much planning can suck out the fun that comes with spontaneity. Go where the current takes you, do whatever you feel at any given moment, give yourself a break from the rigid structure that we live in and you’ll start seeing life beyond that corporate black and white.

8.Choose your battles. You may win all the arguments and lose some of the most important people of your life if you engage on all the petty things and try to win them.

9.Look at the big picture. In companies, we’re trained to be detailed oriented and to spot out the teeny-tiniest flaws. In life, it’s better to keep ourselves from being to fixated on that tiny black dot at the corner of a pristine sheet of bond paper. Accept the fact that perfection, in the most human and realistic sense can only go so far.

10.Give your inner control freak a break. Accept the fact that a lot of stuff are simply beyond our control and the best thing for us to do is find a way to go around these challenges rather than stress out mucho on why it just didn’t go the way we planned it out.

They weren’t kidding when they said that life isn’t really all that all the time. There are a lot of moments in our life when we’d prefer to just skip or hit the fast forward button—but we can’t. Instead of dwelling on the times when we’re buried ten feet deep in crap, charge it to experience and move on.