Hindsight is, of course, 20/20. And it’s impossible to live your life over again. But what if you had access today to the vast wisdom of a long life well lived? What if you could live your life according to what many others—with far more experience—know works best?
Maybe it’s time to listen to some older folks.
Older people, I think, often have knowledge—and clarity—about a great many important things in life. They certainly have the experience, and I believe there’s so much to learn from them.
I had that in mind when I read about Dr. Gerald Bell and his extensive research on leadership. Years ago, Dr. Bell, founder and CEO of the Bell Leadership Institute and a professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, published a study of 4,000 retired executives whose average age was 70.
He asked them one question: “If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?” Here are their answers:
- I would have taken charge of my life and set my goals earlier. “Life isn’t practice; it’s the real thing.”
- I would have taken better care of my health.
- I would have managed my money better.
- I would have spent more time with my family.
- I would have spent more time on personal development.
- I would have had more fun.
- I would have planned my career better.
- I would have given more back.
The No. 1 answer about taking charge of life and goals beat out all the other answers by far! I love the “life isn’t practice; it’s the real thing” quote. There’s a lot of wisdom in those words.
If I had been part of that study, I would have added one more answer to this exceptionally smart list: I would have taken more risks.
In fact, that would be my No. 1 answer. If I could go back in time, I’d take more chances—from asking that pretty girl to dance at the 8th-grade “sock hop” to meeting with businesspeople I wish I knew now. Here’s another piece of it: Rather than dwell on the reasons I couldn’t do something, I’d figure out how I could do it.
I’m not the only one with this idea.
Several years ago, The Birmingham Business Journal published an article about Jeanne Jackson, who, at the time, was the president and CEO of The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham (she retired from that position in 2018 and is now president of Jeanne Jackson Consulting). The writer asked Ms. Jackson this: “If you could tell your 18-year-old self something, what would you say?”
Her answer: “Be a risk taker. I think I am a risk taker, but to be comfortable with that role, not apologetic. That being adventuresome and willing to take chances and risk is good. There’s very little stopping you from doing that. It’s your determination to do that. Be a little more confident about choices.”
While none of us can live life over again, we all can choose to do things differently today. We can choose to take charge of our business goals as well as our finances and health and happiness. We can choose to have more fun and spend more time with family. We can choose to take more risks.
I challenge you to take risks and make the changes necessary to move forward in a way that leaves absolutely no room for regrets. This is how you do what you do better—both at work and in life.