Occasionally a question hits the sweet spot in a particular group.
“What do you think you’ll regret more in ten years–your failures or the things you didn’t try?”
Man, you could have heard a pin drop in the room across the hallway, that’s how silent it got. You could see the wheels turning for a few seconds that seemed like an hour before they agreed, nearly in unison “the stuff we didn’t try.”
I talk to a lot of people about long bike rides. I’ve never met someone who regretted doing an extended bike ride. I’ve met a LOT of people who regret not doing one.
This isn’t about regret
Regret is just worry about the past. There’s a reason the rear-view mirror is small compared to the windshield–we’re supposed to focus on the road ahead. Nothing’s gained by stumbling over obstacles we’ve already passed.
The point is: Don’t pass on opportunities. Try stuff.
I asked for examples and the youngest guy immediately blurted, “I hate it when I pass up the chance to talk to a cute girl.”
We all laughed, but one of the older men said, “Hey, that’s a great everyday example because we’ve all been there. And I remember that feeling of Man, why didn’t I just say HI?”
Everyone smiled and nodded. Another man said, “I was only here a few weeks when they announced your bike ride. I thought it kind of sounded fun, but 50 miles seemed really hard so I held back.
“But on ride day when everyone loaded up with their bikes and jerseys, I was really sorry I didn’t sign up.”
# # #
How often do we “not sign up” because we’re not sure about the schedule, or it might be a little too difficult, or it might stretch the finances, or …
And we look back and think, “That was silly, I could have made it work, it would have been a lot of fun.”
If it’s worthwhile, it’s always going to be inconvenient. If you wait for the right time, you end up in the rocking chair wondering how you missed out on all those opportunities.