I’m taking advantage of this August to share a reflection that’s close to my heart and a small introspection you can do to activate your inner compass to live a life without regret!
I often talk about finding your flow and putting meaning into everything you do. Since time is my main theme, it’s essential that this time is spent on what matters, and here’s how to really clarify what matters to you!
⏳ The Haunting Truth About Life’s Biggest Regrets
There’s something that has haunted me ever since I read “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.”
Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, spent years alongside people who had no more time to waste on pretenses.
And you know what struck me most?
None of them regretted not being productive enough.
Nobody said:
- “I wish I had worked more.”
- “I wish I had earned more money.”
- “I wish I had answered more emails.”
Their real regrets were much deeper:
- “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself.”
- “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
- “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”
- “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
- “I wish I had let myself be happier.”
The Culture of “Always More” Is Lying to Us
We live in an era that applauds those who do more, faster, higher.
But we forget to ask the only question that really matters:
“Will this still matter… in 20 years? In 30 years? In 50 years?”
It took me a long time to understand this.
For years, I chased this version of “success” that’s sold everywhere. Optimizing every minute, juggling 15 projects, saying yes to everything for fear of missing an opportunity.
And then one day, I found myself exhausted, with the strange feeling of having been “productive” without being aligned. A hospitalization in the middle of summer three years ago forced me to reconsider my approach…
It’s like building a perfect ladder… against the wrong wall.
The Multipotentialite Trap
As a multipotentialite, you know this feeling, don’t you?
That permanent guilt of “never doing enough” because your interests are multiple, your projects varied, your energy scattered.
Society tells us we have to choose. Specialize. Be efficient.
But nobody teaches us to be aligned.
Nobody tells us that our “jack-of-all-trades” nature isn’t a flaw to correct, but a richness to organize intelligently.
How to Avoid Getting There: 3 Keys to Living Without Regret
Here are 3 keys to living your way, without any regret or apologizing for being yourself:
1. Define YOUR Success
Not the one they sold you in magazines or on LinkedIn.
The one that makes you vibrate. The one that makes you proud of your life, not just your resume.
I realized that my success was helping people like you find their flow. Not having the biggest revenue or the largest audience. It’s also about doing what I love: creating, writing, teaching, advising, researching. Being free enough with my time and geographically to respect my own rhythm.
And you? What really makes you proud when you turn off your computer in the evening?
2. Plan for What Really Matters
Time for the people you love, for creating, for breathing…
It doesn’t get scheduled “when we have time.”
It gets put first.
I know it’s counter-intuitive. But I’ve learned that when I block time for what really matters, the rest happens naturally. And better.
3. Measure Your Days by Alignment, Not Productivity
In the evening, don’t ask yourself: “Was I efficient?”
Ask yourself: “Was I true to myself today?”
This question changes everything.
3 Questions for Tonight: Your Regret-Prevention Audit
Before closing this article, take 5 minutes to think about this:
Question 1: If I were 80 years old and looking back at today, what would make me proud? (Spoiler: rarely my 47 processed emails)
Question 2: What am I sacrificing in the name of my “productivity”? Time with loved ones? My creativity? My health? My joy of living?
Question 3: Are my actions today building the life I really want to live? Or just an “acceptable” version of what’s expected of me?
Keep these 3 questions somewhere. Note them in your phone, stick them on your screen, whatever. They’ve changed my life more than all the productivity techniques I’ve ever tested.
Summer: The Perfect Time to Recalibrate
This summer, instead of feeling guilty about “working less,” what if it were an opportunity to work better?
To realign your multiple projects with what really matters?
To create an organizational system that respects your values AND your ambitions?
The goal isn’t to eliminate all your projects—it’s to ensure they serve the life you actually want to live.
The Alignment Revolution
Here’s what I’ve learned: productivity without purpose is just sophisticated procrastination.
You can optimize your calendar, use the best apps, follow every productivity guru—but if you’re climbing the ladder against the wrong wall, you’ll still end up somewhere you don’t want to be.
The most successful multipotentialites I know aren’t the most productive—they’re the most aligned.
They’ve learned to distinguish between:
- Motion and progress
- Busy and meaningful
- Efficient and effective
- Success and fulfillment
Your Next Steps: From Regret Prevention to Life Design
Starting today, you can begin designing a life you’ll look back on with pride rather than regret.
It doesn’t require a complete life overhaul—it requires conscious, consistent choices aligned with your deepest values.
Small shifts in daily decisions compound into dramatically different life outcomes.
The question isn’t whether you’re capable of living without regret—it’s whether you’re willing to prioritize what matters over what’s urgent.
Your 80-year-old self is counting on the choices you make today.
What would make your 80-year-old self proud of the life you’re building today? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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