How to Handle Regrets in Your Career and Personal Life

Do you have any regrets? 

If you’re like most people, there are dozens of things you look back on that you wish you had done differently. 

Wouldn’t it be great if you could hit the rewind button and fix the mistakes you made?

The problem is, we can’t do that. And no amount of regret or guilt will change the past. So, we’re forced to live with our mistakes.

Here are some of the regrets I have (that you may have, too):

1. Speaking Truth to Power: I wish I had spoken up and defended my ideas sooner, instead of staying silent to maintain consensus.
2. Ignoring Self-Promotion: I wish I had understood that being good at my job wasn’t enough; I needed to market my value.
3. Holding Onto the Critic: I wish I had stopped letting imposter syndrome paralyze me and started acting with certitude earlier.
4. Not Practicing Vulnerability: I wish I had been more open and vulnerable with my friends and loved ones, instead of trying to appear strong all the time.
5. Lack of Presence: I wish I had put down my phone and been more present for the small, fleeting moments of my life.

Here’s the good news — there’s a way to take your past errors and make amends. 

Here’s how: 

Action Step 1: Next time you have a quiet moment, sit down in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. 

Try to get centered by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth and focusing your attention on the space right behind your forehead that’s between your eyes. 

This is the prefrontal cortex, which is where your executive reasoning happens.

Action Step 2: Next, imagine yourself 20 years in the future looking back on today. 

The version of you 20 years from now is wiser, more thoughtful, has greater perspective, and has the added advantage of having time between the events you’re going through today and what happens next.

Action Step 3: Imagine what that older version of yourself would say to you about the events that are happening right now.

For example — that person who was rude to you in yesterday’s meeting? The older, wiser version of you would say “Don’t give it a second thought. It’s nothing.”

The anger you have at a friend or business partner who wronged you? The older wiser version of you would say “In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal. Let it go.”

That job promotion you’re so desperately seeking? The older, wiser version of you would say “If you don’t get it, don’t sweat it. There’s a better job it’s more suited to you it’s just around the corner.”

Final Thoughts: By imagining yourself 20 years older, you’re able to put some space between your present day reactions and instead focus on a more levelheaded, stable, sensible approach to the natural ups and downs of life.

This exercise should help you have a little more perspective and a little more peace around the events that are happening to you in this moment.

I hope that helps you. Let me know if it was meaningful to you. And I’ll catch up with you soon. 

About the Author: Jamie Turner is a preeminent visionary on the intersection of business and human culture. As an internationally recognized authority, author, and advisor, Jamie was recognized as one of the top 10 best speakers in the world by CareerAddict (along with Arianna Huffington, Daymond John, and Gary Vaynerchuk). His roster of market-leading clients includes powerhouses such as The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T, Microsoft, Verizon, SAP, T-Mobile, and Holiday Inn.

If you’d like to find out more, visit JamieTurner.Live JamieTurner.Live.