Regrets?

[denislawsbackheel]

I still have a chip on my shoulder about fucking up my A levels 52 years ago and missing out on uni.
Made up for it the long way and done OK for myself but it still rankles.

 

[threespires]

Regret is like many things, its a very natural thing to experience and exists for most of us but it's the response to the feelings of regret that is most important.

I have known people whose seemingly quite minor regrets have eaten them up as they ruminate on them ending up in them becoming quite bitter and then others who arguably have much bigger regrets but have turned these into positive action. There's a difference between regrets where there is still an opportunity to 'rectify' mistakes and those that cannot be revisited/redressed but in both cases the response is the most important thing. It's unclear why some of us respond and hold on to/resurface feelings of regret in a different way from others.

btw - interesting that a number of people here are citing education, research suggests its a hugely common regret with a wide range of responses to that regret.

A good tactic when making decisions is to consider, knowing yourself, how you might respond to any feelings of regret associated with the choice being wrong. I am the type of person that can have quite strong feelings of regret if I screw up, but knowing that is how I'll likely respond makes it easier for me to manage those feelings if they come, if that makes sense!

Assume the OP was really talking specific examples so...

1. losing quite a lot of money in a high risk business venture
2. telling City they could stick my season card up their arse in 2013.

Both of which I'd made my peace with until some bastard on here started a thread on regrets ;-)

 

[Stoned Rose]

Waiting until I was 48 before learning to tie my shoe laces.

 

[skillman]

I lost a family member to suicide and regret not seeing the signs (nigh on impossible, admittedly) or making the most of my time with them.

It's not a regret per se but something that sticks with me and will for the rest of my life.

 

[Silvercloud]

Like a few on here, should have continued my A Levels & gone on to Uni. Wanted to be a History teacher, but was once walking past the Army careers in town and popped in, just to have a look.
3 months later I was in Lichfield. It all happened so fast with both my mum & dad both telling me I was making a mistake. Joining up I don't regret, not one bit but I do regret not doing what I wanted to do.
I've been lucky and have had a few decent jobs, hopefully a decent pension when the time comes but I will always wonder, what if?

 

[Bluemoon dan]

I always say I don’t have any regrets, but deep down I do regret just coasting through my education.

I was a top set kid across the board and although I was never in trouble or caused any mither in school, I never pushed myself, never revised for exams, did the bare minimum, and came out with all Bs and Cs at GCSE, Cs at A-level and a 2-2 degree when I was capable of getting As and a First.

Socially, I had a good time though!

I've just had to double check that I hadn't posted that as it pretty much describes me to a T.
There was a line in one of my school reports from Primary School of all places that my parents used to throw at me regularly. I think they thought it would motivate me but like a dick I used it as a badge of honour. It just said 'could be brilliant if he could be bothered. He can't'.

 

[Cellarite]

Let’s not get into “investment mistakes” or this will be the longest BM thread ever!

Bought $80,000 of AAPL, sold it at $150,000 and invested the money elsewhere. That investment would be worth almost $4M today if I’d just left it alone!

Placed a trade for 3 shares of BRK.A at $72K, but required a broker due to the automation thinking $72,000.00 was an error. Broker said it was having a bad day and that I would probably do better to put in a limit order at $70K. Stock never touched $70K and barely dipped below $72K. It was my whole wad at the time, so I couldn’t afford 3 shares when I got back from my flight! It’s about $500K/share now!

Should I go on???? ;-)

No.

 

[Kompany Car]

I've just had to double check that I hadn't posted that as it pretty much describes me to a T.
There was a line in one of my school reports from Primary School of all places that my parents used to throw at me regularly. I think they thought it would motivate me but like a dick I used it as a badge of honour. It just said 'could be brilliant if he could be bothered. He can't'.

I was probably too far the opposite way, cared a bit too much academically and maybe didn't do enough being a dick as a kid and I do regret it a bit. Think its what made me go crazy when I hit 18.
Still feel Im a bit too conscientious these days and worry too much about how other people will perceive me which i think has held me back in my career.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I've just had to double check that I hadn't posted that as it pretty much describes me to a T.
There was a line in one of my school reports from Primary School of all places that my parents used to throw at me regularly. I think they thought it would motivate me but like a dick I used it as a badge of honour. It just said 'could be brilliant if he could be bothered. He can't'.

I went to the Sixth Form at the school I attended, and I applied to do Geography A-level but the Head of Geog said to me “you’re a lovely lad, but I’m sorry, I don’t have a hammock at the back of the classroom for you anymore”, and they declined my application to do Geog.

 

[Stoned Rose]

I've just had to double check that I hadn't posted that as it pretty much describes me to a T.
There was a line in one of my school reports from Primary School of all places that my parents used to throw at me regularly. I think they thought it would motivate me but like a dick I used it as a badge of honour. It just said 'could be brilliant if he could be bothered. He can't'.

Are you Mario Balotelli?