43 Life Lessons from 43 Years

Mar 28

Read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to My Musings

Where I share insights that have impacted me, thoughts on personal growth, and actionable strategies to help you navigate career and life transitions.

Today: A few things I’ve learned in my short life so far.

43 Things I’ve Learned in 43 Years

This week I turned 43.

It’s a weird number. Past the dreaded 40. Not quite halfway to 90. Like all ages, it’s a liminal space—I’m not totally sure what’s ahead, or what any of it means. But I do know this: in 43 years, I’ve learned a lot.

So, in celebration, I decided to borrow an idea from other writers I admire (Sahil Bloom, for instance) and share 43 life lessons from 43 years on this planet.

These are in no particular order. Many are contradictory. That’s life.

You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.
It’s way easier to make vinegar than honey.
Life is long enough to get a lot done, but short enough that you can’t do it all. Be selective—but don’t overthink it.
Musical taste can evolve after 16.
Formal education is valuable - but travel teaches you more.
Send your kid to camp. It’s a better gift than stuff.
Golf and dating are useful metaphors for everything.
Creativity is the doorway out of boredom, depression, and existential malaise.
“The greatest burden on a child is the unlived life of the parent.” — Jung
A dog’s unconditional love is unmatched.
Anxiety is a signal. Listen to it.
Fear can paralyze or motivate. Learn how to use it to move.
Who you marry is the most important decision you’ll make in your life.
The best art comes from mistakes.
Ask for help - more often than feels comfortable.
Make friends across different circles.
A happy client is your best marketing strategy.
Being a jack-of-all-trades is underrated.
Don’t yuck someone else’s yum.
Paradox: you need less than you have, but always have less than you need.
Information overload is a real thing - now more than ever.
Honesty is always the best policy.
Never stop playing.
Spend time with art - music, film, painting, sculpture, poetry - it doesn’t matter.
Less is more.
Move toward what interests you. It’s pointing somewhere.
Limits and boundaries are tools, not walls.
Slow down. (I’m still learning this one.)
Scuba dive. Skydive. Not in the same day.
Study history. The present rhymes with the past.
Connect with something greater than yourself.
Worrying doesn’t help control anything.
Let your kids run ahead on the sidewalk.
Listen to jazz.
Listen to classical.
Choose your mentors carefully.
Take bold chances. They build resilience (and it’s OK if your friends think you’re crazy).
Never stop learning.
The days move slowly, but the years move fast.
Work with your hands.
Put away your phone. Life is not in there.
Go to a music festival. Any one. Just go.
Purpose is a moving target, so don’t get too hung up on it.