5 Strategies to get what you want with no regrets
Bonnie Wan leads brand strategy at the renowned advertising firm Goodby and Silverstein.
Here, Wan presents five crucial takeaways from her latest publication, The Life Brief: A Guide to Living Without Regrets. The audiobook version to guide you to a live with no regrets, narrated by Wan, is available on the Next Big Idea App.
01. Embrace practice over planning
The Life Brief advocates for clarity in desires through active practice. It entails aligning your beliefs with your actions, a process that becomes smoother with repetition.
Renowned poet David White once remarked, “What you can plan is too small for you to live.” While plans have their place in finances and logistics, they often limit our ability to seize emerging opportunities in life. The Life Brief offers a practice of granting yourself permission to listen to your inner voice, serving as your life’s guiding force.
Begin a life with no regrets by experimenting with small changes, tuning into your intuition that may have been overshadowed by practicality. Through this process, distill your aspirations into concise statements that encapsulate your essence. These phrases act as reminders of your priorities, applicable across various aspects of life such as relationships, work, community, and self.
02. Clarity drives action with no regrets
Clarity serves as the cornerstone of effective action in a life with no regrets, guiding us away from fruitless endeavors and towards meaningful pursuits. It sharpens our focus, aligning our intentions with purpose and propelling us forward with momentum. By eliminating distractions like doubt and fear, clarity unveils what truly matters, igniting change.
As clarity emerges, perspectives shift, unveiling new possibilities in familiar situations. Attention naturally gravitates towards choices and connections that align with our life’s essence, prompting decisive action. This immediate response to clarity propels us towards our boldest visions, initiating transformation from within, leading to a life with no regrets.
03. Pursue questions, not solutions
Curiosity serves as the gateway to clarity, uncovering insights and pathways to a fulfilling life with no regrets. By embracing curiosity, we navigate away from overwhelm towards discovery. Questions redirect our focus from self-doubt to productive inquiry, monopolizing our thoughts in pursuit of answers.
To cultivate curiosity, start with a daily brain dump. This practice fosters introspection and unveils our desires and priorities over time. Set aside 10 minutes each day to free-write without judgment or censorship.
With pen and paper in hand, explore the question, “What do I truly want?” Let your thoughts flow freely onto the page, embracing drawings and doodles if they aid expression. This exercise is a journey of self-discovery in a life of no regrets, offering privacy and permission to explore without constraints.
04. Shift your perspective
The Life Brief encourages a shift in perspective, viewing familiar situations with fresh eyes and finding innovative solutions to old challenges. It prompts us to question the status quo by embracing new possibilities to be able to live a life with no regrets.
During brain dump sessions, you may encounter limiting beliefs that hinder progress. Reframing these beliefs involves challenging them from different angles. One effective technique is the “It’s not X, it’s Y” exercise. Take a limiting belief and brainstorm alternative perspectives for five minutes, pushing past initial resistance.
This practice improves with repetition. Dedicate five minutes to write as many reframed statements as possible for a specific belief. Explore different angles and challenge assumptions to uncover new insights.
For instance, consider reframing beliefs about money: Money isn’t a measure of self-worth; it’s a tool for independence. Advocating for fair compensation isn’t selfish; it’s self-respect. True wealth isn’t solely monetary; it encompasses freedom and personal empowerment.
05. Start small for big change
Contrary to popular belief, lasting change often stems from consistent small actions rather than grand gestures. The Life Brief advocates for focusing on daily micro-movements, taking tiny steps toward your goals that are so easy you can’t ignore them.
Embrace incrementalism by asking yourself, “What can I do in less than 10 minutes?” Create a list of manageable tasks, and if they still feel challenging, simplify them further until they become irresistibly easy for making a life with no regrets possible.
Take Sarah, for example, a writer who transformed her creative process by committing to the smallest action of opening her document daily. This tiny habit led to significant progress, ultimately enhancing her joy and productivity.
While the Life Brief is a personal journey, involving others can amplify its impact. Whether with loved ones or like-minded individuals, sharing experiences fosters communal growth and support. You don’t need formal arrangements; simply connect with someone who shares your journey and explore together.
