“When you think about the things that you will regret when you’re 80, they’re almost always the things that you did not do. They’re acts of omission. Very rarely are you going to regret something that you did that failed and didn’t work or whatever.”
— Jeff Bezos
Simplified Meaning:
As we get older, we often feel regret about things we didn't do instead of the things we tried but failed at. Imagine you're 80 years old, looking back at your life; you're more likely to wish you had traveled more, tried new activities, or told someone you loved them. Regret for missed opportunities is more common than regret for failed attempts. For instance, not applying for your dream job out of fear of rejection is likely to haunt you more than applying, not getting the job, and learning from the experience. Taking action and taking risks, even if things don’t always work out, usually feels better in the long run than never trying at all. So, to live without these painful regrets, it's better to take those chances and seize opportunities whenever possible.