Tell Us Now: 14 Lessons People Learned The Hard Way

This turned into a great resource for homeowners, carpenters, and blood donors alike.
Tell Us Now: 14 Lessons People Learned The Hard Way

We all learn lessons in life. Sometimes they're big, life-changing things that we only learn after years of experience. Other times, they can be smaller things that we pick up on every day. But whatever the case may be, learning and growing is an important part of life - and it's something that we should never stop doing.

It's always interesting to hear stories of people's mishaps and what they learned from them. It can be helpful to know that you're not the only one who has gone through something or to get some advice on how to avoid making the same mistakes yourself. In this article, we'll explore a few different lessons that people have learned - the hard way. Hopefully, you'll find something useful here!

We asked Cracked fans on Facebook and Instagram what life lessons they didn't need to learn twice, and we heard from an eclectic mix of savvy job-seekers, clumsy carpenters, and, uh… one guy who apparently has a mouthful of chips at all times?

TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY GRACKED Ryan V. doesn't know who needs to hear this, but: You can't blow a whistle with chips in your mouth.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Allow Bob W. to give it to ya straight: It sounds like a given but: you can't run from your problems. I was going through a rough patch a while back and I thought I'd do the whole 'new town, new life' thing you see people do in movies all the time and quickly realized it doesn't work like that. Sometimes--if not ALL times--it better to just face your sh*t head on than relocate and hope things get better somewhere else.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY GRACKED We'd argue that browsing comedy sites all day is a great way to become interesting, but Brad J. makes a valid point nonetheless: If you want to meet someone interesting, you have to *be* interesting. You're way more likely to have a successful dating life if you take up hobbies and do things worth talking about, rather than sitting on your ass playing video games and browsing comedy websites all day.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Steven C. risked it all for super powers: Sticking a nail-file into an electrical power outlet will *Not* give you the powers of the Flash. Summer 1990 , woke up on the floor, fingertips numb, pants ssed in, hair like Tim Burton...
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED David M. says there's no room for modesty in a performance review: If you have a self review portion, brag the sh*t out of yourself. Most of what you write will be used for or against you. May as well make yourself look good.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY GRACKED John N. learned that even the kindest of gestures requires a bit of prep: Don't give blood on an empty stomach. I did that once, and I passed out. When I came to, the room was spinning wildly while the nurse was elevating my feet. I recovered after a short while, and learned something about human physiology.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Erin W. realized you have to fight for what's right: Just because you are right, doesn't mean you'll win. Growing up with superhero movies made me believe that if I was right, and doing the honest/ thing, I would come out victorious. The real-world shot that theory down for me.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Emily H. has a dire warning re: the sunk cost fallacy: Don't stay with someone toxic because you've been with them for a long time. You have one life and you don't owe it to anyone.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Holly has a highly specific, but incredibly lucrative piece of advice: Never skip the independent inspection when buying a home! I learned the hard way when the city inspector said the CO was comprehensive enough. Ended up having to pay for a secondary sewer line out to the main line, firebreaks, and railings cuz the guy who signed off on the CO never actually came to the house. Then he retired.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY GRACKED Ashlee P. is learning about the magical world of personal credit and insurance: Even if you won't use them, get a credit card and driver's license asap. History length matters to credit bureaus and car insurance. Missed out on 5+ years of clean history because I didn't need it.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Trevor W. has some insider info for all the aspiring carpenters out there: Hold the hammer away from the face while pulling out a nail while standing on a ladder.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Robin M. learned a little something about how rich people get (and stay) rich: The guy in the trailer park MIGHT try to rip you off, but the guy with the 9-bedroom house is more likely to. Get a contract.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY CRACKED Brad J. has some clutch career advice: Don't bet the farm on a temp-to-hire job; you're more likely to get fired for arbitrary reasons than be made permanent. If you take the job because you need something *now*, don't stop looking for something more permanent.
TELL US NOW: LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY GRACKED Jaime M. has an important culinary tip: Don't fry ghost peppers on the stovetop. The only thing you will be making with them is pepper spray.
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