I recently turned 40, which many consider to be a pretty significant milestone. Entering a new decade of life sparked a few reflective moments where I thought about what truly matters and what I’ve learned over the years, both in my professional and personal life. To that end, here are seven key life lessons I’ve learned over my first 40 years.

1. Always have options: The best decisions are made when you feel that you have options. Never get too dependent on anything (be it a specific job, project, or idea) to the point where you feel like it’s your only path or opportunity.

2. Find your passion: You will only be successful in something that you are truly passionate about. If you haven’t found your passion yet, keep searching. It is worthwhile to find the one thing that you truly care about.

3. Avoid the assholes: Life is too short to spend time with people that show no respect to fellow human beings.

4. Don’t look for silver bullets: Success is ultimately the result of many small steps over a long period of time. If you believe in silver bullets, you should play the lottery.

5. History is underrated: History can teach us a great deal about the future, but we are often too lazy to go back and understand what happened in the past.

6. Spend your money on experiences, not stuff: Buying a new product will create a short burst of excitement and happiness. However, investing in an experience will remain with your forever.

7. It’s your family and friends that truly matter: You need a few great friends that you can truly rely upon. Choose them carefully and keep them for a long time. And, the most important life decision you’ll ever make is who to marry. Believe me, there can be no compromises on this decision…