Difficulties are a part of life. However, most people, when there is an upswing, are in euphoria, and when there is a downswing, get into depression. When they often get caught in this cycle, it makes life miserable for them. Here are eight harsh truths about life which are better to learn early in life.

1) Life is unfair

The sooner we understand and accept this, the better. This will help us overcome the downfalls in life. See failure as a teacher, not a dead end. Lost a job? Flunked a test? Life​ is throwing curveballs — swing back. Each fall toughens us up, proving we have got grit. We may have stumbled ​many times, but getting up​ instantly every time, built our belief​ and made us stronger than any fluke win. Luck can ditch us when the going gets tough. But resilience is our lifeline. When the next setback comes, tell yourself it’s just a lesson.​

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

Bounce back stronger, like a rubber ball, from setbacks.

2) People don’t owe us anything

We can be talented, have several skills, thorough knowledge and be hard-working, but it does not mean that people will give us opportunities. Never take anything or anyone for granted in life. It is better to do our best and leave the rest to fate.

3) We can’t control people

The tragedy is that our mind is not in our control, and with that uncontrolled mind, we want to control other people’s minds, which is not even in their control — an impossible task!!! This is a comedy!

We often have expectations of others, which lead to disappointments. Instead, accept people as they are, do what’s right for you and keep moving ahead in life.

4) Compete with yourself

Don’t be in the rat race because even if you win, you will end up as a rat only! It is easy to get caught up in comparisons with others. Don’t compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself. It gives rise to unnecessary jealousy. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don’t let your neighbors set your standards. Be yourself. Don’t imitate others. Instead of being a poor imitation, be a hundred percent original.

The ultimate competition is with ourselves and not others. Every time we perform, we need to outdo our own earlier performance.

5) Being busy is not necessarily being productive

It is easy to appear busy in life — Look busy, do nothing?! However, it’s not how busy we are, but how productive we are that is important. That alone will help us move forward in life.

6) Be brave enough to take risks

Life is full of risks. Knowingly or unknowingly, we keep taking risks throughout our lives.

Taking risks can help us grow as a person and move ahead in life. Many take calculated risks. The ones who never take risks should never hope for good returns. Remember, success and failures are a part of life. Have no fear of failure. Those who are afraid of failure never achieve anything significant in life.

Those who never made any mistakes only means that they never tried anything new in their lives.

“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.” — George E Woodberry

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” — Beverly Sills

“Being Unsinkable means you move from ‘what if’ to ‘no matter what.” — Lisa Nichols

7) Understand what freedom truly means

Freedom is not about how much money ​we have and what ​we can do with it. Instead, true freedom in life is about the choices we make to utilize our​ precious time.​ Remember, time is the only non-renewable, diminishing resource we have at our disposal.

Time is our most precious treasure because it is limited. We can earn lost money, we can produce more wealth, but we cannot produce more time. Time lost is gone forever.

​When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion of our life, which we can never take back. Our time is our life!

The best present that you can give to your family and friends is your time.

8) Money is not everything

While most people run after accumulating more money, one needs to understand that money is not everything in life. True wealth is all about having good relationships, being happy and content in life.

More important and valuable than wealth is our health — all the three: physical, psychological, and spiritual.

The most important and valuable thing is our own happiness. If we can always be happy, in all situations and circumstances — whether favorable or unfavorable — we have reached the highest goal of human existence.