Something you know now that you wish you knew back then..

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

I wish I knew how easy it was to have confidence in myself when I was a kid

Additionally I wish I knew the power of a little self deprecating humour in junior high/elementary school. I had no idea that if I made fun of myself for being a skinny, wimpy, nerd that no one would care and think it was funny as opposed to being bullied endlessly. (I don't have four eyes, I have 2 time optical, 2 times digital zoom!)

But I do like to think I'm wise enough to know that I have the personal growth and wisdom that I currently have because of being bullied, and my failures in life.

A very healthy way of looking at it.

Being the small kid my whole life, I got picked on lots. My salvation was picking a fight with the biggest kid on the ice at age 14. I got in the first five or six shots, he only needed one to knock me down. But no one bothered me after that. Wish I'd ifgured that out much sooner. Junior high was hell.

[squiggs96]

Girls love anal.

[dissentowner]

That if I got into a disagreement on CP with Phanuthier he would spend the rest of eternity disagreeing and bitching about every post I make.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

That if I got into a disagreement on CP with Phanuthier he would spend the rest of eternity disagreeing and bitching about every post I make.

Lame.

Don't ruin the thread with your garbage.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

That my dad was going to die unexpectedly in 2006. Definitely would have made it home for one more golf game, maybe even try to have kids earlier so he could have met his grandson.

That sucks! I am sure wherever he is now he still is with you though. Its hard when a close family member passes.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Lame.

Don't ruin the thread with your garbage.

It was joke, thus the wink. Hey Pat, can he buy a sense of humour and solve the puzzle?

[freedogger]

Mine would be not to beat myself up over past choices/decisions but just learn and move on. This quote from Shatner really helped me internalize this a few years ago:

"Regret is the worst of human emotions. There is no going back with regret. There is no future with regret. Regret is not something I live with. If there is something I wished I hadn't done, I don't do it anymore or I forgive myself and try better." — William Shatner

[Russic]

1) Work harder in school. Not because the lessons are particularly important, but because work ethic is important. Learning algebra probably won't help you, but the effort you put into learning it will be an invaluable asset later in life.

2) The talent pool is surprisingly shallow and the cream will rise to the top. If you are effective at what you do, you'll go places. If you aren't going anywhere, you probably aren't being effective.

3) Don't go to university just to go to university. If you spend a ton to become an expert at something you don't like you could have burned the money to a better result (little bit of heat and a cool light show). Follow your passions and a way to sustain yourself off of it will come.

4) Don't marry somebody based off the good times, marry somebody based off the bad times. You can have fun with thousands of people. Being able to get through a bad time is MUCH more valuable and rare.

One day you're going to drive for 10 hours with a screaming baby... you need to make sure you've married someone that doesn't make you want to throw yourself from the vehicle.

[Puppet Guy]

...that 200 hits of acid is too much acid.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Who the insiders are for this site so I know not to get in any kind of 'argument' with them.

[Sr. Mints]

I wish I knew how incredibly ####ty the breakfast news crews in Canada are compared to Australia's.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Russic

1) Work harder in school. Not because the lessons are particularly important, but because work ethic is important. Learning algebra probably won't help you, but the effort you put into learning it will be an invaluable asset later in life.

I wish I could have done the opposite. If I'd known a standardized test was going to decide my future, I would have had a lot more fun in high school and university.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

Girls love anal.

Only if you're doing it right. All it takes is one @$$hole boyfriend in a woman's past who was rushing because he was worried he'd paint the ceiling before he was in and that chick will be off it because the only thing she can associate with it is pain.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

How easy it is to talk to chicks.

I must learn this sometime . Granted, I must first learn how easy it is to talk to strangers first...but...

Anyways:
- Ruining your final in grade 11 has no bearing on how you do in university, what people think of you, or anything else for that matter
- Self deprecating humour makes it easy to accept the fact that you're short
- Stop walking. There's a pillar in front of you and it'll hurt like hell if you crash into it.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Russic

1) Work harder in school. Not because the lessons are particularly important, but because work ethic is important. Learning algebra probably won't help you, but the effort you put into learning it will be an invaluable asset later in life.

I think shooting for mid-70s is about all the effort you should put in. Put the rest of your energy into fun, friends, work, relaxing, etc.

Originally Posted by Russic

2) The talent pool is surprisingly shallow and the cream will rise to the top. If you are effective at what you do, you'll go places. If you aren't going anywhere, you probably aren't being effective.

Luck and charisma will take you way farther than talent. Talented people with no charisma are the worker bees. Lucky people with charisma (talent is totally optional) are pretty much running the show. If effort and skill were rewarded like you think, this would be a way different world.

Originally Posted by Russic

3) Don't go to university just to go to university. If you spend a ton to become an expert at something you don't like you could have burned the money to a better result (little bit of heat and a cool light show). Follow your passions and a way to sustain yourself off of it will come.

University opens your mind and helps evolve the way you think and understand the world. It would be great if everybody was fortunate enough to go...if you have the opportunity you should do it. Many people are able to turn their degree into something marketable. That's not as true for your passions.

Originally Posted by Russic

4) Don't marry somebody based off the good times, marry somebody based off the bad times. You can have fun with thousands of people. Being able to get through a bad time is MUCH more valuable and rare.

One day you're going to drive for 10 hours with a screaming baby... you need to make sure you've married someone that doesn't make you want to throw yourself from the vehicle.

Screaming babies = instant maximum stress lol.

[keenan87]

1. Not to take every single science and calculus in HS when I was going to end up in Haskayne. This led to stressful times in HS and a lot of time taken away from just sitting back and relaxing before hitting university.

2. To Enjoy HS a lot more and to make friends that would last a life-time rather than 2-3 years.

3. Talking to Strangers is pretty easy

4. Some things are never meant to be. Easy to move on than to keep trying.

[VladtheImpaler]

I wish I had learned that all women like this a lot earlier...

[Russic]

We seem to disagree on everything except driving with babies. I'll respond in the quote.

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think shooting for mid-70s is about all the effort you should put in. Put the rest of your energy into fun, friends, work, relaxing, etc.

I went that direction and admittedly I wish I'd tried harder. My work ethic isn't where it needs to be and largely I blame how I approached school.

Luck and charisma will take you way farther than talent. Talented people with no charisma are the worker bees. Lucky people with charisma (talent is totally optional) are pretty much running the show. If effort and skill were rewarded like you think, this would be a way different world.

I think it's a total package personally. The problem with luck is it's basically 100% out of your control, so that only leaves the other 2. It's great to be charismatic, but if luck goes south on you there's nothing to fall back on. There are many people out there going on luck and charisma, but in my circles the ones who are excelling (not just getting by, but strong in their field) got there by working damn hard.

I'm not pointing this at you at all, but in my travels I've found that people who attribute the success of others to pure luck tend to have something keeping them back that they refuse to acknowledge.

University opens your mind and helps evolve the way you think and understand the world. It would be great if everybody was fortunate enough to go...if you have the opportunity you should do it. Many people are able to turn their degree into something marketable. That's not as true for your passions.

My experience in university was vastly different. I remember professors more concerned that you buy their book or get out of their hair so they can focus on research. I can turn my degree into more of a marketable tool than I can my passions, but I'd rather not. I'd rather make less doing what I enjoy than make more doing something I dislike.

Screaming babies = instant maximum stress lol.

[Sliver]

Sliver: Black & Red
Russic: Blue

Originally Posted by Russic

We seem to disagree on everything except driving with babies. I'll respond in the quote.

I think shooting for mid-70s is about all the effort you should put in. Put the rest of your energy into fun, friends, work, relaxing, etc.

I went that direction and admittedly I wish I'd tried harder. My work ethic isn't where it needs to be and largely I blame how I approached school.

Luck and charisma will take you way farther than talent. Talented people with no charisma are the worker bees. Lucky people with charisma (talent is totally optional) are pretty much running the show. If effort and skill were rewarded like you think, this would be a way different world.

I think it's a total package personally. The problem with luck is it's basically 100% out of your control, so that only leaves the other 2. It's great to be charismatic, but if luck goes south on you there's nothing to fall back on. There are many people out there going on luck and charisma, but in my circles the ones who are excelling (not just getting by, but strong in their field) got there by working damn hard.

I'm not pointing this at you at all, but in my travels I've found that people who attribute the success of others to pure luck tend to have something keeping them back that they refuse to acknowledge.

I think you're assuming people who say luck is a factor consider themselves unlucky. I'm saying that as somebody who considers themselves lucky as far as careers go. I'm 34, own my own business, work maybe 20 hours of overtime a year, am home for supper with my family every night, etc. I have a good gig, but I'm where I am partly because of luck.

It bothers me when people are in fortunate positions and attribute it entirely to how awesome they are instead of recognizing the role of luck/timing/innate characteristics, and a myriad of other things they have no control over.

University opens your mind and helps evolve the way you think and understand the world. It would be great if everybody was fortunate enough to go...if you have the opportunity you should do it. Many people are able to turn their degree into something marketable. That's not as true for your passions.

My experience in university was vastly different. I remember professors more concerned that you buy their book or get out of their hair so they can focus on research. I can turn my degree into more of a marketable tool than I can my passions, but I'd rather not. I'd rather make less doing what I enjoy than make more doing something I dislike.

Maybe it depends on the degree.

I like money so I'm happy with my career path. But who knows, if I had followed my passion maybe I'd be writing for a car magazine (that was originally my plan when I started my English degree), or snowboarding for a living (although I'm sure I'm too old now and my knee is way too crappy). Anyway, that's not the path I chose but I guess that would've been pretty cool.

Screaming babies = instant maximum stress lol.

[SeoulFire]

That you cannot rely on anybody and should expect to go it alone. Any help along the way is just an unexpected surprise.