This could be totally related to age, and there is a good chance many of you reading today’s article will not identify with what I am about to say. I am going to give it a shot anyway.
I am not calling them liars, but when I hear somebody say they have no regrets in their lives, I can’t help but think they are in the minority. I am fast to admit that I have had a memorable ride for the past 72-years, but I still have a boatload of situations where I would have played my cards differently. Full disclosure: I often wake up in the middle of the night asking myself, “what was I thinking!”
The truth of the matter is that the past cannot be undone, and hopefully we have learned something along the way that we would not have learned if we didn’t screw things up now and then. If I was paying closer attention as I traversed through life, I would probably be a candidate today for the “DLFF”… Dean’s List For Fossils.
A Frank Sinatra tune comes to mind titled My Way. “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do… and saw it through… without exemption.”
Here are my slightly altered lyrics for this same sound bite: “Regrets, I had quite a few, far too many to mention. I did what I chose to do… which I suppose… made me the exception.”
If you are not 72-years old yet, and you are lucky enough to get there, you need to brace yourself for the inevitable. Soon enough, you too will be reflecting over the years and wishing you had done a few things differently. But by then, it will be too late.
So, what’s my message today?
When you converse with a client who recently returned from a vacation, and you ask how things went, do you want to hear “Not bad.” “It could have been worse.” “It was okay.” Or would you prefer to hear, “Great!” “Fantastic.” Wonderful.” “It was a vacation of a lifetime.” “It could not have possibly gone any better.” (You need not answer this rhetorical question. I already know the answer.)
If you are looking to build a regret-free future, you must not do anything less than extraordinary today. You can’t undo the past. (Sorry!) But you can go the extra mile from this moment forward. Dot each “i”. Cross every “t”. Practice “lagniappe” when least expected. In short, do everything you can do today to avoid any reference of regret tomorrow.
Slow down. Think things through. And when asked next time, “Do you have any regrets?” you can look them in the eye and respond, “Regrets? Me. Too few to mention.”
Note: With any luck when you do celebrate your 72nd birthday you will enjoy many nights of peaceful sleep.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. mike@mikemarchev.com.
*** You want more to think about? Check out my weekly podcast (Mike’d Up Marchev). Also listed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, and iHeartRadio.
