What life lessons are counter-intuitive or go against common sense or wisdom?

• The more you try battle an evil the more-likely you will end up as a preparatory of the same evil. • An absolute-stranger who has no idea about you is by far the most helpful person in your life and most effective-mentor for your decisions. • Friendship begets thanklessness, being selfish will get you faithful friends. • The more you fail the less likely you will be afraid of failure and more motivated you will be to try again. It’s the Gambler’s paradox • You’ll always find someone who doesn’t fit in your neat box of classification or prejudice; in fact; almost everyone around you will be like that. • The more you try to get away from a certain-kind of behaviour or people the more you will find yourselves surrounded by such people.