Will I Regret Not Doing This?

Potential regrets tell us a lot about what to do today.

Doing what's comfortable today may lead to outcomes that are not so comfortable in the future.

But it's oh so easy to focus on the pleasure in the moment and put off until tomorrow (and then the next day, and then the next day) what needs to be done today. 

As Homer Simpson says before chugging a jar of mayonnaise and vodka, "That's a problem for Future Homer. Man, I don't envy that guy!"

A few years back, I made a video about one question that I find particularly helpful: Do I want the consequences of putting this off? 

More recently, I came across the "Young & Old Test" from Sahil Bloom:

Make decisions that your 80-year old self and 10-year-old self would be proud of.

Your 80-year-old self cares about the long-term compounding of the decisions of today.

Your 10-year-old self reminds you to stay foolish and have some fun along the way.

Finally (at least for now — the fight continues!) I have been reflecting on regret minimization. Our most significant regrets tend to be "sins of omission." Asking ourselves, "Will I regret not doing this?" can help us take some action today.