Learn from regrets

Regrets are a fact of life. Very few would be as fortunate as Frank Sinatra, who had only a few regrets as he spent his life doing things 'My Way'. Living in the fast lane leaves little time for regret when we are young. When we turn old, with the pace of life slowing down, we tend to reflect more on things we did and those we couldn't do. However, Bronnie Ware, a palliative nurse, writes that most people on their deathbeds have regrets invariably, only for things not done. And if regrets are a fact of life, should we wallow in self- pity on things we can do nothing about? Or should we adopt Jeff Bezos' 'regret minimisation framework formula' to lessen the number of regrets in life?

This means that when making a decision, you project yourself forward into the future. Then, look back at a decision you will likely take and ask yourself, 'Will I regret doing this or not doing this?' and act accordingly. This calls for imagination, honesty and introspection. Bezos says he used this to get a perspective on whether to leave the comfort of a hedge fund and venture into the uncertain world of a startup, which went on to become Amazon.

Kierkegaard said that life can only be understood backwards but must be lived forwards. So, yes, we should take responsibility for our words or actions but never let them weigh so much on our minds that they stifle our growth. We should learn from our regrets and move on a little wiser.