⏳ The Regret Equation: Why You’re Thinking About Decisions the Wrong Way

Imagine this:

You’re 85 years old, sitting in a quiet room, thinking about your life.

You don’t regret the risks you took.
You don’t regret the times you failed.
You don’t even regret the embarrassing mistakes.

What haunts you? The things you never did.

💭 The job you never quit.
💭 The business you never started.
💭 The city you never moved to.
💭 The people you never told how you really felt.

And now? It’s too late to go back.

This is what psychologists call "The Regret Asymmetry"—in the short term, we fear making the wrong choice, but in the long term, we regret not choosing at all.

🚨 The biggest mistakes in life aren’t bad choices. They’re the choices you never made.

🔥 How People Get Stuck Making the Wrong Decisions

Most people think decision-making is about avoiding failure. But that mindset keeps them stuck.

❌ They optimize for comfort, not courage.
("This is safe. Why rock the boat?")

❌ They fear short-term failure more than long-term regret.
(*"What if this doesn’t work?" instead of "What if I never try?")

❌ They assume they have more time than they actually do.
("I’ll do it later.")

💡 But here’s the truth: "Later" is where dreams go to die.

Ask anyone over 70 about their biggest regret, and they’ll tell you it’s not what they did—it’s what they never did.

🚨 The Real Cost of Inaction: How People Ruin Their Own Lives Without Realizing It

You’ve seen it happen.

📌 The Would-Be Entrepreneur

• They had an idea. A good one.

• They spent years "waiting for the right time."

• Now? Someone else built it. And it’s a million-dollar company.

📌 The Person Who Settled for "Good Enough"

• They wanted to move, switch careers, take a leap.

• But they stayed in a job they hated because it was "stable."

• Now, 10 years have passed. And they feel stuck.

📌 The "Safe" Investor Who Waited Too Long

• They knew about crypto in 2012.

• They could’ve bought Bitcoin at $10.

• But they were scared of losing a few hundred dollars.

• Now? They lost the chance at millions.

🛑 What do all these people have in common? They made their choices based on short-term comfort, not long-term consequences.

🧠 The Regret Equation: How to Make Better Life Decisions

Next time you're stuck, ask yourself three simple questions:

🔹 "In 10 years, will I regret NOT doing this?"
🔹 "Is fear the only thing stopping me?"
🔹 "If I fail, will I still gain something valuable?"

If the answer to #1 is YES, and the worst-case scenario isn’t catastrophic—DO IT.

📌 Example: Imagine you’re 50/50 on starting a business.

Worst-case scenario? You lose some time and money.
Best-case scenario? You build something life-changing.
🚨 Real worst-case scenario? You NEVER try—and spend the rest of your life wondering "what if."

🚀 The Action Formula: How to Stop Regret Before It Starts

1️⃣ Stop Overthinking Two-Way Decisions

• Most choices aren’t permanent. You can change jobs, pivot businesses, move cities. Make the decision and adjust later.

2️⃣ Do the "Final Year Test"

• Imagine you’re in your final year of life.

• Would this decision feel important looking back?

• If yes—stop waiting.

3️⃣ Create "Regret Proofing" Habits

• Every month, write down: "What’s one thing I’ll regret not doing this year?"

• Then force yourself to take a step toward it.

🔥 Final Thought: The Time Will Pass Anyway

🚨 Five years from now, you'll be five years older no matter what.

The only question is: Will you be proud of the choices you made—or regret the ones you avoided?

So what’s something you KNOW you should do—but keep putting off?

👇 Reply and tell me—what’s your biggest “I should just do it” moment?

See you in your inbox,
— The WanderYak Team 🐂💨