Regrets One of the principles of life that I…

Regrets One of the principles of life that I have tried to live by is not to have regrets. It is important to differentiate and/or define what a regret is. If I made a decision at a certain time in my life, and did not have any facts that would change that decision at the time, if I made a mistake, that is not really a regret. Because I would probably make the same decision today given the same information that I had.

— from The Heart in the Cockpit (Emotion/Awe/Anxiety/Regret/Empathy)

In the book

Second, you must define your terms. A mistake is not a regret. If I made a decision with the information I had at the time, and I would make the same decision again given that same information, then even if it turned out badly it is not a regret — it is just life. Living long enough turns everyone into a Monday-morning quarterback, armed with facts they never had on game day; that hindsight is not regret, it is just the cruelty of new information. — The Heart in the Cockpit (Emotion/Awe/Anxiety/Regret/Empathy)

When you are torn between options, set them side by side and ask of each one: if I do not choose this, will I have regret? — and then take the path that leaves you with no regret, because regret is the single hardest thing to get out of your system. Pair it with a definition that has freed me: a decision made wisely with the information you had at the time is never a regret, even if it turned out badly, because you would make the same call again. When a choice touches many people, write down who is affected and weigh it by the greatest good for the most of them. — Decisions & Choices (Decision/Choice/Focus/Forethought/Consequences)

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