10 Ways to Avoid Living With Regret

10 Ways to Avoid Living With Regret We often assume that other peoples successes have been easily achieved. They must be incredibly smart or lucky to do such great things, right?In reality, success is frequently the product of failure. Sheer determination to keep pushing past fears and failures is often the quickest road to success. One of the best examples I can give you is the story of the one and only Colonel Sanders, who bounced from job to job before eventuallyselling his first restaurant at age 65.Dont be embarrassed by failure embrace it. If youre leid failing at something, youre not stretching yourself. Spanx founder Sara Blakelys dad used to ask herregularly, What did you fail at this week? The result was that failure didnt become a taboo for Blakely it was something to be celebrated. That certainly had something to do with her eventual success in life.If you dont take chances, youll never find out what youre capable of. Looking for a new j ob? Want to get an advanced degree or certification? Do it.Need mora encouragement? Here are 10 tips to help you get out of your own way and live a regret-free life1. Recognize the Impact of InactionWere often afraid to make decisions because they feel permanent and we want to avoid making a mistake. However, not taking action is its own decision one that very often turns out to be a mistake anyway.2. BeClear About What You WantYou dont have to have it all figured out, but some clear direction is key. Know yourself and plan for what youd like to achieve. Create a vision board or meditation practice to help you focus on obtaining your goals.3. Ask Yourself WhatYoure Really Afraid OfIf you know what you really want but youre not going after it, you need to find out whats getting in your way. Worrying that you dont have enough time or the right connections is, more often than not, just an excuse based in fear.In fact, just about any reason keeping you from going after what you want is likely based in fear. So ask yourself What am I afraid of? Are you afraid of what others might think? Afraid of your own ability? Whatever the issue, define it, acknowledge it, and work toward overcoming it.As Mark Twainwrote, Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear. 4.Focus on the FutureOne way to overcome your fears is to focus on the future. Fears are rooted in the present, so throw yourself into the future. What has your future self accomplished? What does your future self hope youll do today? It may sound hokey, but give it a try. Taking yourself out of the present can be very gratifying, and it can give you a clear vision to work toward.5. MakeMore Time for Loved OnesSpend more time at home while you have young kids. Make more of an effort to visit your aging parents. Youll get just as much out of it as they will. I dont think Ive ever heard anyone say they regretted spending more time with loved ones, regardless of the impact it may have had on ot her areas of their life.6. Recognize the Value of TimeTime is our greatest and most precious asset. Unfortunately, its all too easy to overlook how valuable time is until we realize we didnt use it wisely.Remind yourself daily that whatever time you have is a gift. Spend it in ways that enrich your life and propel you forward.7. TakeCare of YourselfPersonal and work demandscan easily take over your entire life. Suddenly, you realize you cant remember the last time you exercised or ate a healthy meal. Taking care of your body helps you do everything else better. It takes commitment, but you are worth the effort.8. Let Go of Existing RegretsIt may sound obvious, but you may unknowingly be harboring regret for things that happened, or didnt happen, long ago.Once this regret gets internalized, it can hold you back from pursuing your goals which only leads to more regret.Let go of old resentments and anger. Make amends where you can,but sometimes you may have to accept that a situation will have no resolution. Be willing to let that go, too.9. Consider the Difference Between Failing and Not TryingIn the present, we often fear failure. In the future, the only thingwe regret is not having tried. Coming to terms with that fact that you never put yourself out there ismore painful than knowing you went for it and it just didnt work.10. DoThings for OthersIt hasbeen said that giving to others pays dividends back to the giver. Get involved in a cause youre passionate about. You might experience so much goodness as a result that your only regret will be you werent able to give more.With a little help and support, you can do whatever you put your mind to. Ask for help when you need it. Share your goals with your friends and support them on their journeys, too. Youll have nothing to regret if you do.A version of this article originally appeared on theAtrium Staffing blog.Michele Mavi isAtrium Staffings resident career expert.