Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward

Top positive review

Well crafted research on a misunderstood emotion

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2023

I enjoy how Daniel Pink devours a subject and sheds new light on a topic backed by substantial research. In "The Power Of Regret" the author provides a well crafted narrative of stories & research as he examines the misunderstood emotion of regret.

By breaking down the types of regrets and the severity of each type, he can provide alternative strategies to improve decision making and reduce regret as well as take post regret actions to improve one's current position.

As "Drive" changed our perceptions about motivation, Pink once again will change perceptions of "Regret" which the reader can harness for good.

Check it out.

2 people found this helpful

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love to read

This book was depressing to me

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2022

I do not like to write negative reviews, and maybe I should just keep my opinion to myself. After hearing the author on NPR, I immediately ordered this book. Listening to him in the car, I felt so inspired, I made a quick detour to visit with my kids/ grandkids, who were skiing nearby, to see them for the first time since COVID started. I felt that if I wouldn't do that, I might regret this opportunity later. The book doesn't talk about the little decisions that we make daily, it's more about education, and events from the past. I agree that education is very important, and I had some regrets myself, so I went back to college and got a degree in nursing at age 50. We hopefully learn from our mistakes. I do commend the author for all the research that was done. Reading about people's regrets was simply depressing to me. I can't live without a book, and I usually finish them, but this one I gave to Goodwill when I had about 50 pages left. The book was not what I had expected. We need to look forward and not back, to find joy in the good things in life, not where we failed.

22 people found this helpful

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From the United States

R Scheese

Well crafted research on a misunderstood emotion

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2023

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2 people found this helpful

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Deb

Good book!

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2023

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Provides insight into understanding regret and helpful ideas for how to work through them... Self disclosure, self compassion, and self distancing.

One person found this helpful

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Kevin Holtsberry

Pink helps you understand how regret actually works and how to make sense of it

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2022

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I am probably rounding up on this one as I like Daniel Pink so much (his Pinkcast is great). Again, why no half stars Goodreads? Say 3.5 or so.

There are two elements in this book. The academic part of the unpacking and structuring on regret. Lots of research, lots of anecdotes, etc. Pink helps you understand how regret actually works and how to make sense of it.

The second part is how to use this to live a better life. This is the hard part as it requires thinking about your life in often uncomfortable ways and making changes. Never easy.

Two insights 1) the basics matter: take care of your health, finances, relationships. Good eating and exercise habits go a long way. Save more, spend less. Connections with friends, co-workers and family are important.

2) Concentrate on the big decisions when thinking of regret. Good enough works for an awful lot of choices but some choices require a different lens. When in doubt, take the risk, reach out, do the right thing.

What makes this tough is that it is so easy to get lost in the details, to let bad habits carry you along. Years or even decades later you end up with regret even as you wonder what went wrong. Despite all the social science, I think there is an art to all of this. Some people just seem better at living into the big moments and learning from their mistakes.

Comically, I feel like I should have thought about these things 25 years ago...

15 people found this helpful

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Susan Jolly

Regret is powerful

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2023

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Really enjoyed reading this book to change the future way I look at regret. This really alters regret from a negative to a positive redemptive opportunity. Especially liked the ideas provided that are easy to understand and adopt everyday. Recommend Reading this book!

One person found this helpful

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Yorka

The Power of Regret is a real joy, a great read/audio.

Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2023

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One book at a time, one talk at a time and one creative "Bunko Bonus" at a time. Daniel Pink offers readers opportunities to personally participate in the building of each book. I consider myself fortunate to have a through line that moves through each book in tandem with my work year after year. (Uncanny!)
I frequently reference an earlier publication when describing the last book. Always new takeaways, media formats and giveaways.
The quality and quantity of the research (including the creation of The American Regret Survey a massive database of individual regrets - in their own words)
From the book cover design to the rich and valuable reference The Power of Regret is bookworm cool!
I discovered that I do have regrets. By understanding the four core regrets made this abundantly clear. Hearing individual stories (in the "voice" of the participants) adds flavor to the emotional tone of the survey.
I enjoyed the research studies measuring emotions of Gold, Silver and Bronze Olympic metal winners. Fascinating research design that reinforced the disappointing experience of winning Silver.
"Temporal Discounting" is one of numerous
concepts worth exploring in depth.
"Fortune Favors the Bold!" -- Affairs of the
Heart and The World of Work are "fertile soil'
for Boldness Regret
"....I could've been somebody!"

4 people found this helpful

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Amaz

Simply a must read (and learn)

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023

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In an age of no regrets, this challenge stands out. A clear understanding of the past allows a full embrace of the present (and future).

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love to read

This book was depressing to me

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2022

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22 people found this helpful

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Readerlady

Don't regret not reading this!

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023

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What a great way to understand regret and the power of how it influences our decisions. I will never look at regret and decision making in the same way. It makes the decision making better.

2 people found this helpful

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Frank

Think 「regret」again

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2022

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A book by a man who always finds special perspectives from the lives of ordinary people. This new book focuses on "regret," something that seems familiar to everyone but becomes a little bit abstract when you seriously think about it. We seldomly regard regret as a good word, but Pink does a good job of fighting for it through a group experiment he initiated and by citing a lot of solid research. He begins by thinking again about regret, then by classifying it as an integral part of our lives, an important way of enrichment and progress, and ends the book by giving ways and suggestions for dealing with it. Nice to know and easy to follow, a good book worth reading.

12 people found this helpful

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Dr. Larry

VERY Disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2022

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Let me begin this review by saying that I am a BIG fan of Daniel Pink. So much so, that I have assigned one of his books to the college psychology classes that I teach. I have liked ALL of his previous books. His books have typically been insightful, clear and to the point. And I REALLY wanted to like this book! But it is so far below his standard, I am surprised that he published it in its current form!

The first few chapters were painful to read...they reminded me of reading freshman college term papers...constant references that don't flow together smoothly and, in fact, break the flow of the book. Those first chapters don't build the case, which made me not want to read more.

Perhaps I expected too much based on his previous books. I don't think so. As he writes in one of his previous books, "Drive," people are motivated by Autonomy, Purpose and Mastery. If that is so, then Daniel has lost his motivation toward Mastery because this book is clearly below all of his previous. It is almost like his ability has regressed.

As I already wrote, I REALLY wanted to like this book. And it was very heavily promoted and advertised prior to release. Unfortunately the final result doesn't live up to the hype! By the way, I would have given it one star but I just couldn't do that to Daniel Pink, I like his previous work too much.

Signed, A Very Disappointed and very big Fan!

54 people found this helpful

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