Absolutes and regrets travel together. When we stick to our absolutes, then we have no cause for regrets.
The larger our list, the more likely we are to violate them. Keep a manageable list. It's much like the Buffett 25-5 core principles; distill the list and refine to purity of values. Actions and perception change, but values should have permanence.
- "Keep our priorities straight."
- "Share something great."
- "Always do your best."
- "Become a learning machine." Learning is work and knowledge is not wisdom. Experience teaches us, "this is where I went wrong." We're wired to believe what we hear, including distortion and lies.
- "Be flexible because we will be wrong." (Don't beat yourself up because there will always be someone around to do it for you.)