“Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.”
Max Rudolf Frisch (May 15, 1911 — April 4, 1991), Swiss playwright and novelist
As we hit big “milestone” birthdays in our life (20, 30, 40, 50, etc.) our attention is often drawn to our previous decade, and what we’ve learned along the way. Very few people look back at the person they were when they were 20 and feel as though they knew as much then as they do at 30 or 40. From regrets to good fortune, each of us has a growing warehouse of experiences we draw on either consciously or unconsciously every day.
Today, I’d like you to think about where you are now, and what advice you would have given yourself ten years prior. No, I don’t mean “buy Apple stock” or any of those “get rich through time travel” ideas. What lessons did you learn? What lessons would you try and teach your younger self?
Write down at least five lessons. The point here is not to dredge up regrets, but to take stock of what you’ve learned and see if there are any themes from the previous decade which might extend into the next.
Once you’ve considered your list, why not ask someone ten years your senior what advice they would give you? If you’re just turning thirty, find someone who’s in their early 40s and ask them for the top five life lessons they’d share with their younger self.
Photo credit: ammgramm
