The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward

“Regret is not dangerous or abnormal, a deviation from the steady path to happiness. It is healthy and universal, an integral part of being human. Regret is also valuable. It clarifies. It instructs. Done right, it needn’t drag us down. It can lift us up.”

Contrary to the popular adage “No regrets,” this quote highlights the redeeming qualities of regret. Regret is not only a natural part of being human but an emotion that can improve people’s lives.

“Or take our far-flung tattooed tribe. Talk with them just a little and it’s clear that the outer expression of ‘No regrets’—the performance—and the inner experience diverge.”

Pink suggests that people who get tattoos that embrace the “No regrets” philosophy do have regrets and acknowledge them. He frames the philosophy as a performance that embraces toxic positivity, while regret is a natural human emotion that people experience despite performative claims to the contrary.

“About one of every five people who get tattoos (presumably including people whose tattoos read ‘No regrets’) eventually regret their decision, which is why the tattoo removal business is a $100 million-a-year industry in the United States alone.”

Pink points out the irony that even people who embrace the “No regrets” philosophy by getting tattoos that read “No regrets” eventually regret the decision. He also highlights the universality of personal growth and the role that regret plays in it. The volume of people who eventually remove their tattoos reveals that people “grow out of” some decisions and seek to reverse decisions if possible.