No Regrets
02/03/2022
I enjoy reading the Weekend Edition of the Wall Street Journal. After perusing Section A to catch the headlines, I flip to the Opinion and Editorial Pages for a quick assessment of current events. After that, I immediately go to Sections B and C, in which are printed some feature articles, reviews and essays written by people who have studied a subject in-depth and who have written an article that is thought-provoking and makes me reflect on the subject as it pertains to me.
This past weekend’s edition, January 29-30, has one such review on page 1 of Section C, the Review Section. The essay is titled ‘No Regrets’ Is No Way To Live by Daniel H. Pink, and is excerpted/adapted from his forthcoming book, “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward”.
This essay resonates with me deeply. In my recent blog post on January 6, title “Looking Forward, The Choice is Ours”, I talked about the need to focus on the future, not to wallow in the past.
We are in charge of our attitudes. How we respond to the things that happen to us in life will determine our success or failure in the time ahead of us. The past is past...it can’t be changed. Don’t forget it; get over it and plan your next step.
Mr. Pink has spent much of his time studying the science of regret. How many times have we heard (or stated ourselves) that “I have no regrets. I’ve done it my way”. Mr. Pink’s thesis is that, when we adopt the feel-good thoughts of only looking forward without accepting the responsibility and ramifications of past failures and shortcomings, we shortchange our ability to grow and learn from the past.
“If” is the longest two-letter word in the alphabet. “If only” I’d have done this or not done that, I would be better off, happier, more financially secure, healthier, smarter (?, eh.). Certainly, I may be able to say I’m no worse for the wear and tear, maybe not.
Mr. Pink mentions an idea attributed to Tina Seelig of Stanford University, that of compiling a ‘Failure Resume’, detailing your failures, flops and flubs. Won’t that look good on a job interview?! Many an interview process I’ve known or heard about asked about failures and what was learned from them. This, too, could be an internal exercise kept to yourself or shared with only those family members and friends. Writing things down and keeping a journal can be a powerful means to help one stay focused on improvement.
Thousands and thousands of books have been written, thousands and thousands of self-help gurus have attempted to make their fame and fortune pushing their version of the message, and untold numbers of psychiatrists and counselors have plied the profession of helping people sort through the angst and pain of their past. None of what Mr. Pink writes is groundbreaking to the point of discovering something new and never-seen-before. He simply puts a perspective on it that illuminates, to me, thought and reflection which hopefully will spur me to further action.
We all take (or should) lessons from the things we regret from the past. Too often, we allow the past to dictate our future. We just can’t let go of it.
I submit to everyone that these times that are so trying to society and our culture are no worse than they were in decades past – Depression, World Wars, Social Unrest and Upheaval, Economic Problems. We act as if the world has never suffered any pains until now. The fact is we are in better times than those gallant men and women who fought the murderous Nazi regime in World War II and liberated the European continent, our ancestors who survived the deprivations of the Depression and those who braved the elements and a hostile territory to settle this country from sea to shining sea.
Don’t let regret dampen your resolve to step up the pace and master the future. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. Use regret to shape your future. Learn from it. Pass along what you learn. Make a difference.
This article is the personal opinion and perspective of the author and may or may not be consistent with those of other ASAC Members. ASAC as an organization does not advocate positions on issues.
Pete Weisenberger
Weisenberger Agricultural Services, LLC
pete.weis0956@gmail.com
I enjoy reading the Weekend Edition of the Wall Street Journal. After perusing Section A to catch the headlines, I flip to the Opinion and Editorial Pages for a quick assessment of current events. After that, I immediately go to Sections B and C, in which are printed some feature articles, reviews and essays written by people who have studied a subject in-depth and who have written an article that is thought-provoking and makes me reflect on the subject as it pertains to me.
This past weekend’s edition, January 29-30, has one such review on page 1 of Section C, the Review Section. The essay is titled ‘No Regrets’ Is No Way To Live by Daniel H. Pink, and is excerpted/adapted from his forthcoming book, “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward”.
This essay resonates with me deeply. In my recent blog post on January 6, title “Looking Forward, The Choice is Ours”, I talked about the need to focus on the future, not to wallow in the past.
We are in charge of our attitudes. How we respond to the things that happen to us in life will determine our success or failure in the time ahead of us. The past is past...it can’t be changed. Don’t forget it; get over it and plan your next step.
Mr. Pink has spent much of his time studying the science of regret. How many times have we heard (or stated ourselves) that “I have no regrets. I’ve done it my way”. Mr. Pink’s thesis is that, when we adopt the feel-good thoughts of only looking forward without accepting the responsibility and ramifications of past failures and shortcomings, we shortchange our ability to grow and learn from the past.
“If” is the longest two-letter word in the alphabet. “If only” I’d have done this or not done that, I would be better off, happier, more financially secure, healthier, smarter (?, eh.). Certainly, I may be able to say I’m no worse for the wear and tear, maybe not.
Mr. Pink mentions an idea attributed to Tina Seelig of Stanford University, that of compiling a ‘Failure Resume’, detailing your failures, flops and flubs. Won’t that look good on a job interview?! Many an interview process I’ve known or heard about asked about failures and what was learned from them. This, too, could be an internal exercise kept to yourself or shared with only those family members and friends. Writing things down and keeping a journal can be a powerful means to help one stay focused on improvement.
Thousands and thousands of books have been written, thousands and thousands of self-help gurus have attempted to make their fame and fortune pushing their version of the message, and untold numbers of psychiatrists and counselors have plied the profession of helping people sort through the angst and pain of their past. None of what Mr. Pink writes is groundbreaking to the point of discovering something new and never-seen-before. He simply puts a perspective on it that illuminates, to me, thought and reflection which hopefully will spur me to further action.
We all take (or should) lessons from the things we regret from the past. Too often, we allow the past to dictate our future. We just can’t let go of it.
I submit to everyone that these times that are so trying to society and our culture are no worse than they were in decades past – Depression, World Wars, Social Unrest and Upheaval, Economic Problems. We act as if the world has never suffered any pains until now. The fact is we are in better times than those gallant men and women who fought the murderous Nazi regime in World War II and liberated the European continent, our ancestors who survived the deprivations of the Depression and those who braved the elements and a hostile territory to settle this country from sea to shining sea.
Don’t let regret dampen your resolve to step up the pace and master the future. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. Use regret to shape your future. Learn from it. Pass along what you learn. Make a difference.
This article is the personal opinion and perspective of the author and may or may not be consistent with those of other ASAC Members. ASAC as an organization does not advocate positions on issues.
Pete Weisenberger
Weisenberger Agricultural Services, LLC
pete.weis0956@gmail.com
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