20 Words To Save You 20 Years Of Regrets
Life will not wait.
Mark Twain is said to have warned, "Twenty years from now you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do." These words are all we need to appreciate one timeless truth: the essence of life and the consequential regret from missed opportunities.
You are a life filled with choices, different paths to take, risks to take, or adventures waiting to be discovered and he is warning that your regrets later in life will, most likely, not come from the actions you took, but instead from the chances you failed to seize. In other words, it is the roads left untraveled or the dreams left unchased that will linger as haunting "what ifs!"
Fortunately, Twain’s wisdom is a call to action. A call that urges us to depart from the safe harbor of our comfort zones to take (reasonable) risks, and to pursue our dreams with fervor, because by always clinging to the familiar and playing it safe, we inadvertently plant the seeds of regret that germinate over time.
Just know that even if these actions lead to failure or hardship, the lessons we learn and the experiences we gain will outweigh the regret of never having tried. Those experiences can also be things that further enrich our lives.
“The things you didn’t do.”
I am aware of a number of such things that too many people have expressed regret over at various stages of their lives. They usually evoke feelings of remorse or disappointment long after the opportunities have passed and they include:
- failing to take chances in relationships, whether in friendship, love, or family connections, resulting in missed opportunities for meaningful connections and experiences that enrich our lives;
- ignoring learning opportunities by refusing to learn new skills or acquire knowledge in areas that interest us;
- failing to chase after your passions and aspirations like making a career change, engaging in creative pursuits, or ignoring a personal goal;
- when life presents you with various opportunities that come with some level of risk, avoiding these chances due to fear of failure or uncertainty;
- missing out on experiences like travel and exploring new places and cultures because travel broadens perspectives and offers unique insights that can shape or reshape your worldview; and
- not standing up for your sincere beliefs which, happens whenever you fail to advocate for your principles or not stand up for what you believe in thereby missing chances to make a difference in causes that really matter to you.
I am sure there are many other causes of unfulfilled potential and lingering regrets in later life that can contribute to our despair if really think about it.
However, at least from now on, as we go through life, we can heed Twain’s words. We can avoid dwelling on the 'what ifs' and be bold in our pursuits and know that in the end, we will be grateful for the risks we took, the adventures we went on, and the dreams we dared to chase.
