If you grew up in the 1960s or 70s, you probably learned these 10 life lessons rarely taught today
by Farley Ledgerwood | June 22, 2025, 6:40 pm
Growing up in the 60s or 70s meant coming of age in a time of rotary phones, backyard adventures, station wagons, and a whole lot of independence.
Things weren’t always easier back then, but I’ll say this much—we sure picked up a set of life lessons that don’t seem to get passed down much anymore.
Some of these lessons came from parents or teachers. Others were learned the hard way, through scraped knees, missed curfews, and part-time jobs that paid in quarters.
And while the world has changed a great deal since then, a few of those old-school truths still carry weight.
So if you came up during those decades, see if these sound familiar—and if you didn’t, you just might find a few nuggets worth holding onto.
1. You don’t need a reward to do the right thing
Back in the day, we weren’t handed gold stars or participation ribbons for everything. You did what needed doing—whether that was shoveling the neighbor’s driveway, taking care of your younger siblings, or showing up on time—because it was the right thing to do.
I remember holding the door for an older woman at the hardware store once when I was about ten. She gave me a smile and a “thank you,” and that was it. No applause. No candy. And that was fine. Doing good for the sake of it was its own kind of reward.
Today, I sometimes wonder if we’ve gone too far in the other direction. We teach kids that everything must be incentivized. But integrity shouldn’t need a prize.
2. Privacy is a form of self-respect
There was a time when you didn’t broadcast your entire life to everyone. We didn’t overshare, not because we were hiding, but because we valued keeping certain things to ourselves.
Conversations happened face-to-face. Letters were handwritten. And you didn’t spill your deepest thoughts to someone unless they’d earned your trust.
I’ve mentioned this before, but a good friend of mine used to say, “Not everyone needs to know your business to care about you.” That one stuck with me.
These days, it feels like privacy is mistaken for secrecy. But there’s something powerful about knowing when to speak—and when to stay quiet.
3. Earning meant more than receiving
If you grew up in the 60s or 70s, odds are you had a job as a teenager. Maybe it was delivering papers, working the register at a corner store, or raking leaves for the neighbors.
We earned our own spending money—and it taught us a sense of value early on.
I got my first job stocking shelves at a local grocery store when I was fourteen. I still remember that first paycheck—$32 and some change. I felt like I was rich. But more than that, I felt capable.
Earning something always felt better than having it handed to you. And that lesson’s hard to teach in a world of instant everything.
4. Life isn’t fair—and that’s okay
We were told this early. Not as a way to discourage us, but as a way to prepare us.
You didn’t always get picked first. You didn’t always get what you wanted. Sometimes people were mean or opportunities passed you by. But you learned to keep going anyway.
A teacher once told me after I’d bombed a test despite studying hard, “Life’s not fair, but you still have to show up tomorrow.” That was the full pep talk—and strangely, it helped.
Resilience isn’t built by expecting fairness. It’s built by learning to move forward regardless.
5. Emotions are real—but they’re not always king
Now don’t get me wrong—feelings matter. But back then, we weren’t encouraged to wallow.
If you were hurt, you dusted yourself off. If you were sad, you kept moving. It wasn’t about repression—it was about learning that emotions were signals, not commands.
I’m no expert, but I’ve seen how too much emphasis on feelings can make people spin in place. Sometimes, the wisest move is to acknowledge what you’re feeling—then take action anyway.
6. You respect your elders—even when they’re not perfect
We were raised with the idea that older folks deserved a baseline of respect—not because they were always right, but because they’d walked farther down the road.
You held your tongue. You listened. You gave people the benefit of the doubt.
I once sat through a Thanksgiving dinner listening to my great-uncle ramble about his days in the Navy. Some of it was repetitive, and I’ll admit, I was itching to leave. But I stayed. Because listening was a small price to pay for what he’d lived through.
In today’s world of hot takes and instant rebuttals, I think a little more patience wouldn’t hurt.
7. Hard work doesn’t guarantee success—but it gives you a shot
Nobody promised us anything.
You worked hard, not because it guaranteed you’d “make it,” but because it gave you the best chance. And because work—real work—builds something inside you.
I’ve seen men who built lives with their bare hands and never made the front page. But they slept well at night. They knew they’d done right by their families, their communities, and themselves.
That kind of quiet success is rarely celebrated, but it’s deeply earned.
8. You don’t need to be the loudest to be respected
We were taught to listen before we spoke. To think before we jumped in. To weigh our words.
Not every disagreement turned into a shouting match. And you didn’t need to advertise your value—it was understood through your actions.
One of the most respected men in my town growing up was a mechanic named Len. Barely said a word. But when Len spoke, people listened.
It wasn’t because he had a booming voice. It was because his words always mattered.
9. Gratitude is quiet, but powerful
We were raised to say thank you—to our parents, our teachers, the man who fixed our car, the neighbor who lent us a tool.
Not because it was trendy. But because it was decent.
You appreciated what you had—even when it wasn’t much.
My father used to say grace at every meal, even if it was just meatloaf and green beans. It wasn’t about religion for him. It was about gratitude. About pausing to acknowledge the good.
These days, gratitude gets packaged into self-help hashtags. But the real thing? It’s a quiet, everyday practice. And it never goes out of style.
10. You don’t always need to be comfortable to be okay
We were used to a little discomfort. Cold car seats in winter. Long road trips with no air conditioning. Sitting through something boring without a phone to distract us.
And you know what? We survived. More than that—we grew a little tougher.
Discomfort isn’t a threat. It’s a training ground. And these days, I think a lot of younger folks are taught to eliminate any kind of friction the moment it arises.
But learning to sit with discomfort—even boredom—builds grit, patience, and self-awareness. Three things I’d argue are more valuable than most school subjects.
Final thoughts
Some of the most valuable lessons I ever learned didn’t come from a classroom. They came from life in a different time.
So here’s a question worth considering: Which of these lessons do you still carry with you—and which ones are you passing on?
Because the best parts of the past aren’t just memories. They’re blueprints. And we could all use a little more of that old-school wisdom today.
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