A researcher analyzed 16,000 personal regrets from 105 countries and found four types: foundation regrets (not doing the work), boldness regrets (not taking chances), moral regrets (not doing the right thing), and connection regrets (not reaching out). These regrets reveal what people value most in a good life.
I ended up collecting about 16,000 regrets from people in 105 countries. People kept expressing the same 4 regrets. Foundation regrets: if only I'd done the work. Boldness regrets: if only I'd taken the chance. Moral regrets: if only I'd done the right thing. And connection regrets: if only I'd reached out. These 4 core regrets operate as a kind of photographic negative of the good life, because if we understand what people regret the most, We actually can understand what they value the most. And so in a weird way, this negative emotion of regret points the way to a good life. By studying regret, we know what constitutes a good life.
