Daniel H Pink Can Regret Help Us to Move Forward?

Is a life lived without regret a good life? Pink believes that ‘no regrets’ is not a good philosophy to follow and that our regrets form a fundamental part of our lives. He argues that by reckoning with them in fresh and imaginative ways we can enlist our regrets to make smarter decisions, perform better at work and school, and deepen our sense of meaning and purpose.

In his new book The Power of Regret, Pink draws on research in psychology, neuroscience, economics and biology to challenge widely held assumptions about emotions and behaviour. Using the largest sampling of attitudes about regret ever conducted from his own World Regret Survey which has collected regrets from more than 15,000 people in 105 countries – he identifies the four core regrets that most people have. These four regrets, Pink argues, operate as a ‘photographic negative’ of the good life. By understanding what people regret the most, we can understand what they value the most.

Drawing on his signature blend of big ideas and captivating storytelling, Pink discusses how looking backwards on what could have been can propel you forward to a happier, more productive, and principled life.

In conversation with Jenny Lacey.

Daniel H. Pink is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Drive, To Sell Is Human and When. His books have sold millions of copies, have been translated into forty-two languages and have won multiple awards. Follow him on Twitter @DanielPink

Image credit: Nina Subin

Jenny Lacey was for many years an award-winning radio presenter, working for LBC and for the BBC. She was the BBC’s Education Correspondent for the South West, and became Managing Editor of BBC Radio Gloucestershire and then BBC Radio Bristol.

View Jenny’s profile