This piece originally appeared on Quora: What are the top ten things I should experience in life?
1. Have at least one “big” win in your career. Something that you can look back and say, ‘that was a real game changer’. I’ve had a couple of these moments, and they continuously inspire me, because I know what I’ve done once, I can do again.
2. Pursue and be in deep and meaningful relationships. We are meant to be with people in intimate relationships. I refer to everything from your significant other/love of your life to friendships and everything in between. Learn how to really connect with others. No man or woman is an island. See that you make your “life continent” rich with human interaction.
3. Raise your own children, and/or be highly involved in the lives of other children. It’s an amazing thing play a role in helping a child to grow into a person who has the tools to live a good life. Be a mentor. Create a legacy of love and growth that will live for generations beyond you. And of course, children keep you young at heart, and create fun, spontaneous moments of joy that can fill your batteries for work and the struggles of life as an adult
4. Continuously read great books and learn their lessons. Most truly good books are the culmination of a lifetime’s experiences and wisdom. For $20 you can buy a great book that will inspire you for life, teach you how to make a million dollars, or connect you with a generation.
5. Challenge your body physically. This one’s difficult for me, and always has been. But I’ve found later in life that challenging my body physically on a consistent basis is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever dedicated myself to.
6. Meet your ideal mentor, and make yourself worthy of his or her guidance. Whatever you’re doing, in whatever stage of life you’re in, there are those who have been there, done that, and who want to share their experiences for the benefit of others. Be coachable/teachable, and apply what you learn.
7. Learn how to work hard. Some people are born with the right combination of genes and upbringing that, when put together, makes them into an instant presto hard worker. But most of us have to learn how to work hard, and be persistent, and achieve our goals. If you never really learn this one critical skill, then you’ll never really know what amazing heights you could have reached with your life.
8. Dream big. Regardless of what you believe happens to us after we die, this life that you’re living right now is the ONLY chance you’ll have to live it on Earth, today. Make the most of it. Create a bucket list. If you can’t think of one, steal one from someone else. Cross items off of that list! Set ridiculous lifelong goals and pursue them with zealous abandon.
9. Learn how to relax and be in the moment. Equally as important as hard work is the capacity for joy and appreciation of life’s little moments. Make time for rest, fun with friends and family, vacations, weekend excursions, and accepting occasional random adventures that life puts in your path.
10. Learn to allow yourself to be human. Perfectionism kills. It kills moments of victory “I wish I’d done that part better.” just as easily as it squashes dreams before they ever happen. If you’re too afraid of failure to try, or too dependent on a perfect result to be able to give or accept credit for a job well done, you’ve missed the whole point of living. Nothing is perfect: not you, your spouse, your kids, your job, your neighbors, your fiends—nothing. So stop beating yourself up, and start living with a little human abandon.
Related links:
How do I overcome the belief that I have to be a millionaire or billionaire to enjoy life?
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What are the key traits of mentally strong people?
Mac Bartine is an entrepreneur, student and Quora contributor. He is currently working on my most recent startup, Instartly. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.