Can regret be an ally in shaping better choices?

The Ethical Life

Episode 168: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the complex topic of regret and how it can shape our lives.

The discussion explores the distinction between regret and remorse, with Kyte explaining that regret involves wishing for different outcomes, while remorse is tied to actions that have hurt others. They emphasize the importance of learning from regrets to inform future decisions, rather than dwelling on the past.

They agree that consulting one's "future self" to avoid making choices that may lead to future regrets is helpful. One of the biggest regrets people can have, the hosts say, is not acting sooner and moving forward, instead spending too much time ruminating about the past.

Read more

It’s time to make peace with your regrets, by Vasundhara Sawhney, Harvard Business Review

What Is the power of regret? A conversation with Daniel Pink, by Josh Wright, Behavioral Scientist

World Regret Survey

The secret to living without regrets, by Jason Feifer, One Thing Better

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."