Book 17 | Week 17
The Power of Regret: How Looking Backwards Moves Us Forward
By: Daniel H. Pink
Daniel Pink's newest book is notable for several reasons: 1) it is the first time this year that I have read a book by the same author and 2) it is one of those rare non-fiction books that gets stronger and stronger to the final word. (an observation I've had over the years is that many books in this category share 80% of what they know in the first 20% of the book... and the remaining 80% of the book has 20% of the content... not this one).
Throughout the book, Pink masterfully shares how core (and non-core) regrets to impact our lives and also provides strategies for us to deal with all level of regret. Even the understanding of the four core regrets (foundation, boldness, moral and connection) allows the reader to better frame past and present situations to best deal with how to manage, and even grow through, our regrets.
One story which beautifully illuminates the power of regret and how it can shape our future is the one of Alfred Nobel. In short, Pink tells the story of Nobel's obituary being mistakenly published in a French newspaper. Upon reading the words, Nobel decides he needs to change the way he'll be seen when he is gone. As a result, we now have the Nobel prize. (there's a lot more to the story, but I hope this will wet your appetite to explore regret further in Pink's book)
To conclude, in his book, Pink navigates important topics such as self-compassion, decision making, and constraint versus redemptive personal narratives. In short, this book is another home run for Pink, and in my opinion, solidifies him as one of the great writers and researchers in this genre.
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