The advice you might often hear is to never regret anything in life — because every experience is a learning lesson and something you grow from. However, there are some things in life you might wish you did or thought about differently in hindsight.
I came across a Reddit thread where u/Friendly_Lion165 asked: "What are the most common things that most people regret later in life?" and honestly, I agreed with a lot of the many responses in the thread. Here are some.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.
1. "Working too much and not enjoying your personal life more."
2. "Not saving and investing money starting in your 20s."
"When my wife and I got together I was flabbergasted she wasn't contributing to her retirement plan at work. The way I explained it to her which seems to have worked is by spending money meant for your retirement you're basically stealing from your older self."
3. "Listening too much to people who don't have your best interest at heart."
4. "Friends drifting apart and losing contact with each other over time."
5. "Hustle culture. More than a dozen successful, life-long entrepreneurs have told me the same thing. They spent too long chasing that next dollar. They regret missing out on time with their family, spouses, kids, and loved ones."
6. "Waiting for the right moment. Never comes, bud."
—u/Son_of_Plato
7. "Going to a university. I made some friends but the education was the same or even worse than what I would've gotten at a community college. I've been to both and the education I got at community college was way better. The professors seem to care more and not be pretentious at a community college."
8. "Opportunities not taken. I’d prefer to regret the things I tried and failed instead of regretting not trying at all."
9. "Specifically, at least for me, caving in to societal pressure and marrying when I was way too young. Hopefully, less social pressure aimed at women to marry nowadays will lead to more happiness and less divorce in the long run."
10. "Not keeping good credit health. So much in life depends on having good credit."
—u/Dirt_E_Harry
11. "Spending a fortune on your wedding instead of saving it or using it towards a house."
12. "Not saving for retirement earlier. If your company offers a 401K, at least sign up for the minimum matching amount, which is usually something like 50% of the first 3%. You’re honestly not going to miss 3% out of your paycheck but it really adds up if you start early."
13. "Staying with the wrong person too long. Not drawing boundaries with intrusive family members. Not believing in yourself enough to follow a dream."
14. "Listening to bad advice and taking it instead of thinking about it for themselves, especially when it comes to decisions based on jobs, careers, and love."
15. "I spent far too much effort thinking up ways things could go poorly and talking myself out of trying things at all. Ask someone out if you have any interest in the idea at all, apply to every job that seems even mildly interesting, take the day off when you can, and don’t worry about not being instantly good at a new hobby."
16. "Marrying the wrong person. Not only can it ruin you and cause large financial setbacks, but if children are involved it affects their lives, too."
17. "Missed opportunities. We miss 100% of the shots we don’t take. And yet most of us never learn and continue avoiding taking those shots for one reason or another. Then we look back at them years later and are struck with regret."
—u/Qyro
18. "Not taking care of your teeth."
