7 Harsh Truths I Wish I Knew in My 20’s (I Would’ve Found My Purpose QUICK!)

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We're taught so many things early in our life that we never use again.

Think about the subjects you learned at school.

What percentage of the subjects you studied at school do you practically use today?

I'm guessing that percentage is quite low.

But the skills I'm about to share with you today, if we had learned them that early, they would have benefited us forever.

It's incredible to me that no one's sharing these insights, that often we don't hear them as the best pieces of advice.

This isn't what we're being told, it's something that you have to read in between the lines to actually extract and implement in your life.

The number one health and wellness podcast, Jay Shetty, Jay Shetty, the one, the only Jay Shetty.

Hey, everyone, thank you so much for tuning in today about the seven lessons I wish I had learned sooner.

Truly, these are seven lessons I wish I learned in my 20s, even in my teens, and I think they would have changed my life.

They would have changed the quality of my relationships, they would have changed my performance at work, they would have changed how quickly I found my purpose.

Now, if any of you out there are struggling with making an impact, if you're struggling with your mind if you're struggling with anxiety or stress this episode is for you but before we dive in i want to ask you a simple simple request it would mean the world to me if you would subscribe to this channel Every single week for years, I've been creating content to serve you, to help you, to support you.

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You're actually committing to a journey of growth, transformation and service.

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So let's dive straight in.

The reason why the lessons I'm about to share with you today are so powerful and so important is that they're often missed.

We're taught so many things early in our life that we never use again.

Think about the subjects you learned at school.

What percentage of the subjects you studied at school do you practically use today?

I'm guessing that percentage is quite low, but the skills I'm about to share with you today, if we had learned them that early, they would have benefited us forever.

It's incredible to me that no one's sharing these insights, that often we don't hear them as the best pieces of advice.

This isn't what we're being told.

It's something that you have to read in between the lines to actually extract and implement in your life.

I hope you have your notepad out.

If you don't, don't worry.

We'll be summarizing this as we go along and you'll be able to come back at any point to grab the insight that you missed.

Feel free to pause, play, rewind fast forward as you will, because I want to make sure that this message lands.

The first lesson I wish I'd learned sooner is the less you say, the more your words will matter.

I always used to think that the loudest person in a room had the most power, that the person who talked the most had the most control.

Until I realized the person who spoke the most was the least in control.

They were trying to come across as likable.

They were trying to be popular.

And in that attempt, they were actually making it harder for them to be memorable.

It was hard to be interesting for a 30-minute conversation and talk for 20 minutes of it.

It was really difficult to be memorable when you said so many things.

but no one remembered what you exactly said.

It felt really uncomfortable to be quiet, but every time you kept trying to interject and say something, you felt even less confident because you didn't have anything meaningful to say.

This principle, this lesson will change your life.

The first thing it will do is it will stop you from being anxious in social settings.

The number of us that walk into a social setting and try to come off as interesting and important

only to leave feeling insignificant and irrelevant to the conversation.

If you realize that being silent is not a weakness, being silent is a strength.

Why?

Because you can listen.

It means when you respond, people will also be able to tell that you took in what they say.

See, most of us are struggling not because we don't listen, but because we're thinking about what we want to say while we're listening.

Because of that, we don't even digest what someone is sharing.

So when we open our mouth, that person feels disconnected and distant.

So firstly, it will remove that anxiety and nervousness when you're at a party, a social setting, a work event, whatever it may be.

The second thing is you get the opportunity to be interested, which is even more important

than being interesting.

People love to share and answer great questions.

When you get good at asking good questions, people feel good.

They react in a good way.

They appreciate it.

Now, most of us, when we ask questions, we ask things like, how was your day?

That person has been asked that for so many years in their life that they have a rehearsed, regurgitated answer.

Something like, good, fine, okay blah right now you may be a little more bold and talk about the weather that's boring too that person has been asked about the weather for years now you may have heard let's ask someone what's exciting for them that can sometimes feel quite challenging for that person

here's what i'm going to share with you If you're going to ask something, share your thoughts on it first.

Say, I've been watching this really cool TV show.

What's your thoughts on it?

Have you seen it?

They go, No, I haven't seen it.

And they say, Tell me about it.

Now you've actually been asked to share.

A lot of us say so much when we're not asked.

Unsolicited advice and unsolicited conversation is potentially the hardest to hold someone's attention with.

When someone asks you a question and you respond, that keeps their attention.

When you talk without letting someone else get involved, we actually lose their attention.

The less you say,

the more your words will matter.

The less you complain, the more people will listen.

The less you react, the more control you hold.

The less you argue, the more dignity you keep.

The less you chase, the more you attract.

The less you speak from emotion, the more weight your words carry.

The less you overcompensate, the more people

understand

you.

Less noise, more impact.

Less chatter, more respect.

Less explaining, more commanding.

Speak less and mean

more.

When you walk into a room and you just start complaining about your day, complaining about your journey, complaining about the travel, complaining about your weekend.

What does that do?

It puts everyone into a negative space and negative environment.

They now connect you and associate you with negative emotions.

Even if they say, I agree, I'm sorry you went through that.

I'm sorry to hear it.

You have now created a contagious space for negativity.

Save that complaining for a friend you can vent to.

Save that complaining for someone who shares the same with you.

When you're walking into the workplace, when you're walking into a family event, walk in and share something amazing that happened to you, something that you're grateful for.

Ask someone else what was the most memorable part of their week, something beautiful that happened to them.

All of a sudden, you're going to kickstart a chain of reaction of positive events.

In today's world of endless chatter, it's easy to believe more words mean more connection.

But studies showed the opposite.

According to a 2014 Harvard study, people remember only 17 to 25%

of what they hear in conversations.

Flood someone with words and your meaning gets lost like a drop in an ocean.

Wise communicators know brevity creates impact.

In Zen teachings, a story tells of a student who asked his master for the secret of wisdom.

A student went up to his teacher and asked, what is the secret of wisdom?

The teacher simply replied, listen.

The student asked again,

what is the secret of wisdom?

wisdom?

The teacher replied, listen.

Frustrated, the student demanded more explanation to which the teacher replied,

if you listened, you wouldn't need more words.

This is one of my favorite stories because it shows us that rather than thinking about what we're going to say, what we're thinking, evaluating, if we simply listened, paused and responded, we'd actually have something meaningful to say.

The reason you don't have something meaningful to say is because you haven't listened.

We don't listen because we're scared of the gap between listening and responding.

But actually, if you listen and you take that time, what you say will have more value, more impact, and it's more likely to be remembered.

So here's a habit, a practical habit I want to share with you.

Before your next conversation, ask yourself, what is the essential message I want them to remember?

Say it clearly in one or two sentences.

So when you walk into a conversation, make it really clear to yourself, what is it I want to communicate?

What is the essence of what I actually want to share?

What do I want to embody?

And let your silence add weight to your words.

The second lesson I wish I'd learned sooner is let go

or be dragged.

Think about this.

When you don't let go of something, it doesn't stop.

It doesn't pause.

If you don't let go of a person, they don't stop changing.

If you don't let go of a person,

They don't stop living.

If you don't let go of a person, they don't stop doing whatever it is they're doing.

Sometimes the only way to strengthen your own relationship with yourself is to disconnect and let go of someone else.

Think about all the times in your life where you were so attracted to someone, you just kept pursuing them.

What happened?

You didn't let go and you felt dragged along.

What about when there was someone that you were dating and maybe they gave you all the signs, you saw all the red flags that this person wasn't right for you.

But what did you do?

You didn't let go and so you were dragged.

And what about that friend who kept manipulating you, kept taking advantage of you, took you for granted and you didn't let go.

So you got dragged.

It's much better when we voluntarily early on let go rather than get dragged throughout our life along with this person, wherever they're going, in whichever direction.

Let go or be dragged.

Let go or be left behind.

Let go or be broken by what you're clinging to.

Let go or be crushed under the weight of what's gone.

Let go or lose yourself trying to hold what's already slipping away.

Let go or stay trapped in a life that no longer fits you.

Clutching what hurts you doesn't save you.

It sinks you.

Clinging to what's over doesn't preserve it.

It poisons you.

Holding on too long turns love into resentment.

Hope into suffering, memories into anchors.

What you won't release will eventually release you,

maybe even brutally.

What you won't walk away from will drag you until you can't walk at all.

You don't lose by letting go.

You lose by refusing to let go.

See, the thing is, attachment often feels like love.

But unchecked attachment is more like a chain.

There's even science to back this up.

Neuroscience shows that our brains literally rewire around emotional pain.

Holding on to resentment, disappointment, or hope for change can activate the same brain regions as physical pain.

There's another Zen story that I love.

Two monks are walking on a beach.

They come across a woman who's actually drowning in the ocean.

One monk jumps into the ocean, swims out, picks her up and brings her back to shore.

They make sure she's okay and walk on forward.

A few hours later, the other monk asks the monk who jumped into the ocean, my brother, we're monks.

We're not supposed to touch women, let alone carry them.

How could you do that?

The other monk replied, I carried her to safety.

I set her down a few hours ago.

Why are you still

carrying her?

This story beautifully illustrates the idea that the longer you carry something, the more it weighs you down, the more it affects you.

And so many of us look at letting go like failure.

We look at letting go like we made some mistake.

We look at letting go like we're ruining something, but actually letting go can be the best path forward.

So here's a really practical step I want to take.

Write down one grudge, one disappointment or fantasy you're clinging to.

And then ask yourself this.

What would happen if I set it down today?

Imagine walking lighter.

for just one hour and act from that place.

Do the thought experiment.

You don't even have to do it in reality.

Just think about it for a moment.

If you let it down, if you started applying for new jobs today rather than complaining about your current one, if you started to find new connections and friends instead of comparing your life to your old ones, if you started to allow yourself to let go of the expectations you have of others,

who would you be?

I promise you, the answer is far better than you even imagine.

And if you're scared to do it in practice, practice it first in your mind.

The third lesson I wish I'd learned sooner was talk about your relationship with the person you're in a relationship with

more than you talk to others.

I speak to so many people.

Now, I know you've done this before and so have I.

We all talk about our relationships with other people.

I'm not just talking about romantic relationships, even our friendships.

You have a friend over here, you complain about them to this friend over here.

You have your partner over here, you compare them to someone else's partner over there.

You have an issue with someone over here, you talk about the issue with someone else who's not connected to the issue.

Now, I'm not saying don't have friends.

I'm not saying don't talk to your family.

It's great to get advice from a therapist or a coach or even people in your life.

It's about the proportion.

80% of our life should be talking to that person and 20% is talking to others to get wise counsel, to get advice, to get insights.

It's a really healthy thing.

The problem is our proportions are the opposite.

We may spend 20% speaking to the person we have a relationship with, and that 20% might be filled with arguments, conflict, tension.

And then we go and talk about it with someone else who doesn't have the power to solve it.

This will change your life.

If you started to spend more time talking with the person rather than talking at them, if you could spend more time talking with your partner than talking about your partner, your relationship will change.

If you could spend more time talking to your partner than talking about your partner, your relationship will change.

If you could spend more time

investing in connecting with your partner than connecting with other people talking about your partner, your relationship will change.

Talk about your relationship with the person you're in a relationship with, not other people.

Talk about your problems with the person you have the problem with,

not

other people.

Talk about your needs with your partner, not your friends.

Talk about your doubts about your relationship with your partner, not in group chats.

Talk about your pain with the person you have the pain with,

not with outsiders who can't fix it.

Nobody else knows your relationship like the two of you do.

Nobody else lives it and fights for it like you do.

Advice is easy, judgments are cheap, but real change only happens between the two people who are actually in it.

When you vent to others instead of speaking to your partner, you build walls instead of bridges.

When you gossip about your relationship,

You invite people into problems they don't belong to.

When you keep taking your issues everywhere apart from the person, you multiply the problem instead of solving it.

Connection doesn't grow from side conversations.

Trust doesn't grow from silence and resentment.

Talk to them,

not about them.

Now look, I get it.

Venting can feel good in the short term.

Brain imaging shows that expressing anger activates the brain's reward system.

But chronically venting to friends instead of addressing issues directly creates emotional triangulation, a pattern that often worsens problems instead of solving them.

There's a Zen story that I love where a man went to many neighbors to complain about his leaky roof.

Each of them gave advice.

Meanwhile, the leak worsened.

Finally, one wise neighbor said,

talk to your roof.

In other words, take action where it matters.

It's great to get advice.

It's important to have a support system.

But don't forget, the number one system is solving it with the person.

So here's today's practical habit.

If something bothers you about your relationship today, resist the urge to text some random person.

Instead, set a time to talk to your partner.

share something you appreciate about them, share where you want the relationship to go, and then share with kindness, concern, and directness how you want things to change.

And most importantly, what you're willing to change.

That will change your relationship.

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Lesson four, I wish I'd learned sooner, was you understand who someone is when they're stressed, not just when they're at their best.

How many times have you met someone?

And you meet them at their best day.

You meet them at their party, you meet them at their event, you meet them when they just got promoted, you meet them when everything's okay, and you literally think, this person's amazing, I love them, right?

Now, that's not a bad thing.

We all have good and bad days.

And I'm not saying to judge people on their bad days instead of their best days.

What I'm saying is, you don't really know who someone is until you've seen them on a bad day.

You don't really know who someone is until you've seen them in a bad mood.

You don't really know who someone is until someone's done something bad to them.

It's in those moments that you realize who someone truly is.

360 degrees.

So rather than making just snap judgments on when you meet someone in a great mood at a great time,

Give yourself time to get to know them.

Give yourself time to see them in different scenarios.

It's also not just about good and bad.

It's about seeing who someone is when they're with their family.

It's about seeing who someone is when they're with their friends.

It's about who seeing someone is with strangers.

It's about how someone treats the waiter.

It's about how someone treats the doorman.

It's about how someone treats the person that they meet on the street.

When you've seen someone in all these scenarios, you will have a healthier, deeper, more wholesome understanding of who they truly are.

Don't meet someone in one environment and give it this amplified view that you assume that they're that person in every environment.

Don't meet someone in one phase or stage of their life and assume they're going to be that in every other stage.

See, the mind likes to make it easier.

We like to think, oh, I know this person, I understand them.

Well, here's the truth.

You understand who someone is when they're stressed, not just when they're at their best.

You truly understand who someone is when they're overwhelmed.

You truly understand who someone is when things don't go their way.

You truly understand who someone is when they hear no.

You truly understand who someone is when they lose control.

not when they have it.

Anyone can be kind when they're comfortable.

Anyone can be patient when they're winning.

Anyone can be loving when everything is easy.

But real character shows up when patience runs thin.

Real loyalty shows up when you're not popular.

Real respect shows up when there's nothing to gain.

Watch who blames.

Watch who lashes out.

Watch who punishes.

And watch who stays gentle.

Pressure doesn't create cracks.

It exposes where they already were.

Pay attention to who someone becomes when the easy parts fall away.

That's who they are as well.

That's who you're dealing with.

That's the truth you can't ignore.

I think this is a really hard truth.

And we like to think, no, no, no, no, no, I know them and they're everything.

Of course, they're everything.

But pressure shows us a person.

Character isn't revealed when life is easy.

It's tested and exposed under pressure.

Research from the University of Oregon found that people's true traits emerge under stress much more consistently than in calm conditions.

Think about it.

Anyone can be kind when things are going well for them.

One of my favorite examples of all all time is from Wayne Dyer.

He says, when you squeeze an orange, what do you get?

You get orange juice.

You don't get pineapple juice.

You don't get coconut water.

You get orange juice.

Because when something is squeezed, you get what's within it.

You get what's inside.

Some cracks reveal beauty.

Others reveal weakness.

Now, the goal isn't to walk away from someone because they struggle with stress.

The goal isn't to abandon someone who struggles with challenges or feels overwhelmed.

My point is, you just don't really know someone yet.

So here's today's challenge and habit and experiment that I want you to practice.

Notice how someone reacts to a small inconvenience, a traffic jam, a late order, a mistake.

Are they gentle or harsh with themselves or with you?

Are they patient or punishing with themselves and with you.

Take note without judgment, but get clarity as to what you're getting involved in.

Lesson number five that I wish I'd learned sooner is you don't get what you deserve, you get what you accept.

We hear this all the time.

I think I deserve more.

I deserve more money.

I deserve more love.

I deserve more respect.

And we walk around sometimes internally feeling we're not getting what we deserve.

And guess what?

You're right.

You're not getting what you deserve.

You're getting what you accept.

No one's going to notice when you work harder at work if you don't make it clear.

No one's going to notice when you're putting effort into a relationship unless you make it clear.

No one's going to know or remember the sacrifices you've made until you stand up for yourself.

Remember, you don't get what you deserve.

You get what you accept.

You don't get what you deserve.

You get what you protect.

You don't get what you deserve.

You get what you settle for.

You don't get what you deserve.

You get what you fight for.

Deserve is a feeling.

Acceptance is a standard.

Boundaries are protection.

You can work hard and still be overlooked.

You can love deeply and still be mistreated.

You can give everything

and still be taken for granted.

If you don't stand for yourself, no one else will.

If you don't protect your peace, no one else will.

If you don't guard your value, it will be discounted.

Respect is not given freely.

It's enforced by your standards.

Love isn't enough.

It's shaped by what you allow.

Worth isn't rewarded.

It's protected every single day.

You don't rise by hoping.

You rise by refusing to shrink.

I know it's a painful realization, but it's true.

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A 2021 study by the American Psychological Association found that individuals who consistently tolerated small boundary violations were 62% more likely to end up in emotionally exhausting relationships.

62%.

Think about that, right?

When we're accepting people breaking our boundaries, people not respecting our worth, we're just taking in whatever it is.

You're not going to get what you deserve at work, at home, wherever.

It doesn't work that way.

One of my favorite stories about this is a story about a farmer who accepts that a storm will come.

He doesn't pray it away or deny it.

He just builds stronger walls.

In a similar way, accepting less than you need teaches others you will bend until you break.

Here's the habit I want to set for you today.

Think of one boundary you've been hesitant to enforce.

It could be late replies, cancelled plans, jokes at your expense.

Today, calmly but clearly state your boundary once.

First to yourself, and then when you're comfortable with someone else.

Maybe you keep allowing people to cancel plans last minute.

Maybe you keep allowing people to

get away with saying things about you.

Now, here's the thing.

The reason why we fail at this is we usually attack people.

We don't set a boundary.

We attack people.

We say, why do you treat me like this?

Don't do that.

That's not a boundary.

A boundary is something you keep as a promise to yourself.

If someone does this again,

I will not invite them again.

If someone talks to me that way again,

I will not respond to them.

A boundary doesn't mean someone else acts differently.

A boundary means you act differently when that person acts the same.

You can't change how someone's going to treat you.

So you have to set a boundary with yourself for how you'll respond when they treat you that way.

If someone's mean to you once more,

how are you going to set a boundary for for yourself?

That's what I want you to focus on.

Lesson number six, I wish I'd learned sooner, is some people love the old version of you because they could control them.

This is a really harsh truth.

How many times have you ever had someone who's like, oh, I missed the old you.

You always had time.

What they're saying is, you always had time for me.

How many times have you had someone say to you, oh my gosh, I loved who you were in like 2022?

Like you were so much fun.

What are they saying?

You were so much fun for me.

Someone says, oh my gosh, remember back in the day when you'd just come over and we'd just cook together and we'd figure it out?

What they're saying is that was convenient for me.

Some people love the old version of you because they could control them.

Some people love the old version of you because they don't want to grow.

Some people love the old version of you because it made them feel bigger.

Some people love the old version of you because it kept them comfortable.

Some people love the old version of you because it made their lives easier, not better.

They don't miss you.

They miss the version of you who stayed small.

They don't miss you.

They miss the version of you who didn't set boundaries.

They don't miss you.

They miss the version of you who needed their approval.

When you outgrow the old version of yourself, you outgrow the people who needed you to stay there.

When you heal, you disrupt the systems that benefited from your wounds.

When you rise, you reveal who is rooting for your survival, not your success.

Don't shrink to fit into old spaces.

Don't bend to make old relationships easier.

Don't apologize for becoming someone new.

If they can only love the unhealed, unsure, controlled version of you, they don't love you.

They love your compliance.

This is probably the hardest one to learn because

we feel bad.

We wish we could still be that person, but we know we're not.

We're more organized.

We're more focused.

We have more commitments.

We have more priorities.

And that person wants us to be available, around,

just be there all the time.

See, science backs this up.

Growth threatens those who benefited from your smallness.

A 2022 survey showed 58% of people admit they felt uncomfortable when a close friend or partner leveled up in their life.

It's not always malice.

It's not like they want you to fail.

It's not negative.

It's fear.

We're scared because it reminds us of our lack of growth.

And so what I'm saying to you is you don't have to shrink back into that version to compensate.

Actually, what's more likely is if you keep growing, they may one day too.

Not if you're trying to convince them, not if you're trying to make them grow just by watching you fly.

They may one day choose to fly as well.

So here's my habit for you today.

Write down one way you've changed for the better in the last 12 months.

Celebrate it privately or share it proudly without apologizing.

Lesson number seven, I wish I'd learned sooner, is I'm just bad at texting, is code for you're not a priority.

I used to always want to convince people, even if they didn't message back, even if they didn't respond, I always wanted to stay connected, only to realize they didn't really want to connect with me.

And while I was trying to do that, I was missing out on the group of people here who really did.

I was ignoring a group of people who wanted to connect, believed in me, support me for a group of people who showed no signs of it.

I promise you there is more love in your life than you even recognize because you're looking in the wrong direction.

I promise you there are more people who want to be friends with you than you realize because you're trying to be friends with someone else.

I promise you there are so many people who would want to spend time with you, but you're missing out on them because you're trying to chase someone else.

Read the signs.

You don't need to become a conspiracy theorist.

Most of the time, again, it's not malice.

It's not negative.

People just have different priorities.

Don't make it to be like some conspiracy theory that you got left out, you got let go, you didn't get invited.

You just don't click.

It just doesn't work and it's not a big deal.

There are people out there who want to click with you, connect with you, invite you.

Remember this.

Read in between the lines.

I'm just bad at texting is code for you're not a priority.

I'm confused about what I want is code for I'm sure I don't want you enough.

I'm bad at communicating is code for I'm not willing to put in the effort with you.

I don't know what I'm looking for is code for.

I'm keeping my options open.

I'm just focusing on myself right now is code for,

I don't see a future with you.

I'm not ready for anything serious is code for, I'm ready, just not with you.

People make time for what they care about.

People make effort for who they value.

People show up for who they want.

Excuses are translations.

Listen to what they're really saying

and protect your energy.

Believe the patterns, not the promises.

Actions are the only real language you can trust.

Consistent communication is a choice, not a personality trait.

Research from the Pew Research Center shows that 89% of people aged 18 to 49 check their phones multiple times an hour.

If someone wanted to reach out, they could.

It's really important to remember that.

So here's the habit if you're chasing someone's attention pause notice who freely reaches out to you today without prompting and give your energy back in that direction Thank you so much for tuning in today.

I hope this episode helps you learn these lessons, clear your mind and deepen your relationships.

Remember, I'm not saying anyone who treats you this way is bad, negative, or a horrible person.

It's just important to get really clear and not have the conspiracy arch over our mindsets.

Make sure you subscribe and make sure you don't miss out on another video or another episode with On Purpose.

If you love this episode, you'll love my interview with Dr.

Gabor Mate

on understanding your trauma and how to heal emotional wounds to start moving on from the past.

Everything in nature grows only where it's vulnerable.

So a tree doesn't grow where it's hard and thick, does it?

It grows where it's soft and green and vulnerable

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