---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who has regrets cannot look at himself…"
description: "\"He who has regrets cannot look at himself in the mirror.\" — Eric Cantona"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg"
---

#  He who has regrets cannot look at himself in the mirror.

![“He who has regrets cannot look at himself in the mirror.” quote by Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg)

> “He who has regrets cannot look at himself in the mirror.”

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Regrets trap self‑perception, preventing honest self‑reflection and growth.

**In simple terms:** Regrets block self‑view.

Key Takeaway

Release regrets to see clearly.

Themes

self‑acceptance reflection growth

Mood

introspective motivational

Type

philosophical self‑help

When to use this quote

- personal therapy
- career evaluation
- relationship repair

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What regret holds you back?
- Can regret be a catalyst?

A Different Perspective

Some regrets can motivate change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Look Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-mirror/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regrets/) [Regrets Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regrets-look-410790/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/)

## Related quotes

> [You can have immediate regrets, but if you look at stuff and say, 'Things happen for a reason', there's a fatalistic thing about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/you-can-have-immediate-regrets-but-if-you-look-at-stuff-and-say/)

[Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/)

> [I did it my way, and I have no regrets when I look back on my career that it was just a big focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sampras/i-did-it-my-way-and-i-have-no-regrets-when-i-look-back-on-my-career/)

[Pete Sampras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sampras/)

> [What man in his 40s would not like to look in the mirror and find Nolan Ryan?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/what-man-in-his-40s-would-not-like-to-look-in-the-mirror-and-find/)

[Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/)

> [When you look into a mirror it is not yourself you see, but a kind of apish error posed in fearful symmetry kool uoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/when-you-look-into-a-mirror-it-is-not-yourself-you-see-but-a-kind-of/)

[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

> [What would it be like to look in the mirror and actually accept what you see? Not loathe the reflection, or despise it, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-would-it-be-like-to-look-in-the-mirror-and-actually-accept-what/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's not fair that women look in the mirror and feel disgust because of what society has made them believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/it-s-not-fair-that-women-look-in-the-mirror-and-feel-disgust-because/)

[Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/)

> [There's that moment every morning when you look in the mirror: Are you committed, or are you not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/there-s-that-moment-every-morning-when-you-look-in-the-mirror-are-you/)

[LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/)

> [Sometimes you have to look into a mirror and look at the worst you could have been if you're ever going to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/sometimes-you-have-to-look-into-a-mirror-and-look-at-the-worst-you/)

[Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/)

> [A winner is someone who can look in the mirror at the end of the day and say in pursuit of my goal and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-vitale/a-winner-is-someone-who-can-look-in-the-mirror-at-the-end-of-the-day/)

[Dick Vitale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-vitale/)

> [ If you look into the mirror, you see that \[every part of you\] belongs there and you belong there, as you are. You begin… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/if-you-look-into-the-mirror-you-see-that-every-part-of-you-belongs/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [I don't like to look at myself in the mirror, which is why my eye makeup is always crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-guinness/i-don-t-like-to-look-at-myself-in-the-mirror-which-is-why-my-eye/)

[Daphne Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-guinness/)

> [If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don't like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/if-you-want-to-meet-someone-who-can-fix-any-situation-you-don-t-like/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [Sometimes you gotta look yourself in the mirror and say, 'You are the prettiest princess in all the land.' I do it once a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-barakat/sometimes-you-gotta-look-yourself-in-the-mirror-and-say-you-are-the/)

[Jack Barakat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-barakat/)

> [Look in the mirror and tell yourself how wonderful you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/look-in-the-mirror-and-tell-yourself-how-wonderful-you-are/)

[Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/)

> [Look in the mirror, and laugh at yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-glassman/look-in-the-mirror-and-laugh-at-yourself/)

[Bernie Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-glassman/)

## More by Eric Cantona

> [Children go where they find sincerity and authenticity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/children-go-where-they-find-sincerity-and-authenticity/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [A good goal is one that is important and beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/a-good-goal-is-one-that-is-important-and-beautiful/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I didn't study; I live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-didn-t-study-i-live/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [Every experience makes you a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/every-experience-makes-you-a-man/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I don't know where my medals are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-don-t-know-where-my-medals-are/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [Whatever happens, there are always things you could have done better. You score two goals and you usually feel you could have done better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/whatever-happens-there-are-always-things-you-could-have-done-better/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [Great businessmen are creators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/great-businessmen-are-creators/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I observe the world and the people surrounding me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-observe-the-world-and-the-people-surrounding-me/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [We can be eaten by techniques and forget what we have inside of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/we-can-be-eaten-by-techniques-and-forget-what-we-have-inside-of-us/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I want to look forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-want-to-look-forward/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I don't think the world of football is so serious. It's important to have distance about things and about yourself. If we believe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-don-t-think-the-world-of-football-is-so-serious-it-s-important-to/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I was always being creative. I could never have played a defensive role because I would have been forced to destroy the other player's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-was-always-being-creative-i-could-never-have-played-a-defensive/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I didn't want really to be involved in a normal soccer club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-didn-t-want-really-to-be-involved-in-a-normal-soccer-club/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I know that I have a face, a look, people aren't used to seeing. A presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-know-that-i-have-a-face-a-look-people-aren-t-used-to-seeing-a/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [I'm proud of what I achieved there, but a life built on memories is not much of a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/i-m-proud-of-what-i-achieved-there-but-a-life-built-on-memories-is/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

[Explore all 120 Eric Cantona quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

## More Cannot quotes

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/)

[Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/)

> [The book is not simply the object that one holds in one's hands, and it cannot remain within the little parallelpiped that contains it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/the-book-is-not-simply-the-object-that-one-holds-in-one-s-hands-and/)

[Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/)

> [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [Visaaranai' reflects a stark reality from which you cannot shut yourself out: that is its success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/visaaranai-reflects-a-stark-reality-from-which-you-cannot-shut/)

[Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/)

> [When you put more than a million kids in school, you take a plane today and go to Haiti, you cannot see the results.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martelly/when-you-put-more-than-a-million-kids-in-school-you-take-a-plane/)

[Michel Martelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martelly/)

> [We cannot stop anyone from criticising us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/we-cannot-stop-anyone-from-criticising-us/)

[Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/)

> [Once you publish a book, it is out of your control. You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [The Brazilians are amazing in their nature. You cannot describe it; you must feel that warmth when you're around them to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/the-brazilians-are-amazing-in-their-nature-you-cannot-describe-it-you/)

[Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/)

> [The two things you cannot do effectively on stage are pray and copulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-two-things-you-cannot-do-effectively-on-stage-are-pray-and/)

[Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/)

> [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/)

[Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/)

> [The reason I fight is to provide for my family, and I cannot risk having that taken away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/the-reason-i-fight-is-to-provide-for-my-family-and-i-cannot-risk/)

[Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/)

> [We cannot have players who don't give their soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-cannot-have-players-who-don-t-give-their-soul/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. I just don't want the argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/i-cannot-do-confrontation-you-know-that-fight-or-flight-thing-i-m/)

[Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/)

> [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/)

[Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/)

[Browse all 2,691 Cannot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "He who has regrets cannot look at himself in the mirror.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eric Cantona"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himself-in-the-mirror/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cannot"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himself-in-the-mirror/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/eric-cantona-3882_cannot_he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himsel_2470555.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“He who has regrets cannot look at himself in the mirror.” — Eric Cantona",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Eric Cantona",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "He who has regrets cannot look...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himself-in-the-mirror/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/he-who-has-regrets-cannot-look-at-himself-in-the-mirror/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
