logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2017
28m 59s

Regrets, I Have A Few...

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

We all have regrets. By some estimates, regret is one of the most common emotions experienced in our daily lives. This week we'll hear listeners' stories of regret, and talk with psychology professor Amy Summerville. She runs the Regret Lab at Miami University in Ohio. Summerville says regret doesn't always have to be a negative force in our lives. Sometimes, it can be a hopeful emotion.

Up next
Jul 7
You 2.0: The Passion Pill
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” The idea is that pursuing your passion will feel invigorating — almost magical. But passions can easily wane over time. This week, behavioral scientist Jon Jachimowicz looks at how to ... Show More
49m 25s
Jun 30
You 2.0: What Is Your Life For?
What should you do with your life? There's no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. But there are scientifically-tested methods that can help you to feel more in harmony with yourself and the world. This week, and in a companion conversation for Hidden Brain+, researcher Vic ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 23
Win Hearts, Then Minds + Your Questions Answered on Identity and "Covering"
There’s a saying that’s attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher. It’s a nice idea. But when people don’t share our values, it’s hard for us to tolerate theirs. This week, we bring you a favorite episode with sociologist Robb Wil ... Show More
1h 25m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
How to learn from regret, with Robert Leahy, PhD
Regret is painful – but it can also be productive, pushing us to make better decisions and needed changes in our lives. Dr. Robert Leahy, author of the book “If Only…Finding Freedom From Regret,” talks about the difference between productive and unproductive regret, why some peop ... Show More
45m 50s
Sep 2022
A Conversation About Regret
Let's talk about regret... We discuss regret (what it is, why it is experienced, if it is avoidable), the idea of human potential and more. Finally, we read and dissect some of our listener's biggest regrets, as well as share our own. 
44m 1s
Feb 2020
How to Let Go of Your Regrets
Most people think regret is a universally bad thing. But if you look a little closer, regret actually serves a very useful purpose in our lives. 
12m 12s
Oct 2022
Why Living Without Regret is a Bad Idea
Regret sucks. Thinking back on things we should have done, or should never have done, can make us feel bad. But #noregrets isn't a philosophy for a happy and healthy life.    Regrets can be a great guide and can help us live a life that's true to our authentic selves. Illustrator ... Show More
30m 9s
Jan 2023
What Nice People Regret As They Die
Do you experience a lot of regrets? What if those regrets were to compound over your life and be there as you approach death? It turns out that most people end their lives with some pretty significant regrets... especially nice people. Join Dr. Aziz in this catalyst episode that ... Show More
23m 36s
May 2018
Regret
Aleks is looking at regret, that sinking, nagging feeling when we realise we have made the wrong choice or when things have not gone the way we hoped or envisaged. Ethan Zuckerman was one of the early architects of user generated content on the internet in the mid nineties. He cr ... Show More
27m 58s
Aug 2023
Find Freedom from Regret || Roberty Leahy
Today we welcome Dr. Robert L. Leahy, the Director of The American Institute for Cognitive Therapy NYC and clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at Weill-Cornell University Medical School. Dr. Leahy serves on a number of scientific committees for international conference ... Show More
45m 40s
May 2023
#350 - How to Deal with Regret
Knowing how to deal with regret helps you build a life that is authentic, ethical, and meaningful. Without regret, you wouldn’t have good information about who you are, what you need, and where you have opportunities to grow.  But if you don’t know how to deal with regret in a he ... Show More
1h 2m
Jul 2023
Regret
Coulda, woulda, shoulda… In Overthink’s long-awaited epsiode 82, David and Ellie fret over the meaning of regret, in everything from life-altering career decisions to sloppy teenage breakups. They consider the usefulness of regret — if it has one at all — and explore its relation ... Show More
54m 58s