Daniel Pink - The Power of Regret
It’s likely that if you listen to this show, you’re also a reader of business books. In which case, you’ll be very familiar with today’s guest. He is one of my favourite authors, and his books have probably influenced my work more than any others. I suspect many of you have experienced the same, so I’m absolutely delighted to bring you my conversation with Daniel H. Pink.
Dan is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, published this month. His other bestsellers include When and A Whole New Mind, To Sell is Human, and Drive, which brought the ideas of intrinsic motivation within business and management to the masses. His books have won multiple awards, have been translated into 42 languages, and have sold millions of copies worldwide.
Our chat was packed with insight, and like all the best podcasts I’ve hosted, I learned loads. We discussed why the philosophy of ‘no regrets’ neither reflects reality nor is desirable. As well as breaking down the main types of regret and how we respond to them, Dan explains how harnessing the lessons we learn from these experiences can serve us well in the future and why anticipating regret can be a useful mental model for decision making in the present.
We explore why so many people look back on their careers and wish they’d be bolder, whether by going it alone, starting a business or speaking up more. Dan also shares why he became fascinated by the topic in the first place, including what he wished he’d known about maintaining connections with people earlier in his career.
Finally, we cover some broader trends related to the future of work, including the pros and cons of remote and the office and whether our work/lives are destined to be defined by independence and autonomy.
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