Learn this BEFORE having to realize it on one's deathbed

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I  would recommend that you watch this brief 10 minute TED video on rethinking one's "bucket list" and on getting the wisdom of life and ability to appreciate life BEFORE being on one's death bed:

http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/rethinking-the-bucket/

As one looks back, one can see that there was actually no value in pride or "being right" or "looking good" or even in "impressing others with..." (how smart we are, how cool we are, how likable we are...)..  

But we don't have to look back at the end to realize what is true and valuable, we can do that much earlier - and reap the rewards over and over again in our lives.  

"But", people say, "I am just not a reflective person" or "I'm just not an intellectual like you" or some other rationale for not embracing the learning of wisdom about life.  The classic "I am not living an unhappy life" often justifies stopping well short of learning that which will create a magnificent life where one can say "I am truly happy.  My life is far better than I might have imagined.  I choose what is of value in life and I no longer let others or circumstances choose for me.  I am truly free.  I am calm, have no anxiety and no pressure, I am truly the master of my life and the captain of my ship."

Oddly enough, some people don't want to spend the time in "reflection" since they think they already do too much of it.   But spending time in worry and angst is not at all a form of, nor a substitute for, reflection.   It is the opposite - it is "non-thinking", it is the outside pushing in on oneself, it is erroneous beliefs creating internal suffering.   True reflection is simply saying "what happened today that indicated I needed to learn more and/or what happened today that was something I want to continue or to put into my life?"  (It is what all of those who Live Life As A Life Champion do:  use (and seek) frequent feedback and do immediate adjustments for the better. Put "Life Champion" in the search engine and consider being one, for your sake and for the sake of your family and the world.)

The payoff in gaining wisdom as earlier as possible and as quickly as possible is the highest payoff of anything you can do with your time.  

With wisdom fully in place, you will be living true to yourself and shedding what is false and/or extraneous.

You will be living the life at the level we might vaguely imagine as being the best, but not one we think is something we can truly attain.   But we can attain if we only "do our homework", do what is necessary to learn the wisdom and to apply it to our lives.   Nothing - absolutely nothing - can beat that!