Dan Pink’s book The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward is a terrific tool for personal and professional growth. The book involves his extensive research in psychology, neuroscience, economics, and biology on human behavior and personal motivation.
In his book, he tells the story of a man who connected with a woman on a train. When the woman’s stop came, he bid her farewell. However, he spent the next 40 years wondering what the outcome would have been had he chosen to pursue a relationship with her. In many ways, his regret held him back.
“Connection regrets are the largest category in the deep structure of human regret. The only emotion mentioned more often than regret is love.”
Pink encourages readers to prioritize meaningful endeavors over energy-draining tasks. For instance, his personal to-do list includes not sending or responding to emails before Noon. This strategy allows him to focus on fitness, quality time with family, and morning meetings with colleagues, which he considers a valuable tool for working smarter.
Using the most extensive sampling of American attitudes about regret and his own World Regret Survey, Pink identifies the four core regrets most people have. These regrets operate as a photographic negative of the good life.
If you’re committed to moving forward, read his book for a science-based, three-step process for transforming your regrets into a positive force for a better life.
