--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I regret the things I didn't do, not what…" description: "\"I regret the things I didn't do, not what I did.\" — Ingrid Bergman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg" --- # I regret the things I didn't do, not what I did. ![“I regret the things I didn't do, not what I did.” quote by Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg) > “I regret the things I didn't do, not what I did.” [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret stems from missed opportunities, not from actions taken, highlighting the importance of trying. **In simple terms:** Regret comes from things not done, not from things done. Key Takeaway Take chances, avoid future regret. Themes life regret opportunity action Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - travel - creative projects Key Concepts existential reflection personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if fear vanished? - Which missed chance haunts you most? A Different Perspective Fear of failure can still inhibit action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [The only things you regret are the things you didn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-curtiz/the-only-things-you-regret-are-the-things-you-didn-t-do/) Michael Curtiz > [Always regret the things you did do, never the things you didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/always-regret-the-things-you-did-do-never-the-things-you-didn-t/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [I don't regret, the things I have done. I just regret the things I didn't do when u had the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-peaches/i-don-t-regret-the-things-i-have-done-i-just-regret-the-things-i-didn/) PrInCeSs\_PeAcHeS > [“You’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did do that turned to shit. So,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/you-ll-regret-the-things-you-didn-t-do-more-than-the-things-you-did/) [Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/) > [she wonders if we feel more regret for the things we do or for the things we didn't do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/she-wonders-if-we-feel-more-regret-for-the-things-we-do-or-for-the/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Sometimes you regret the things you do, but they're over and done. Regretting the things you didn't do is tougher because they're still out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elin-hilderbrand/sometimes-you-regret-the-things-you-do-but-they-re-over-and-done/) [Elin Hilderbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elin-hilderbrand/) > [I don't regret any of the things I've done, I only regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/i-don-t-regret-any-of-the-things-i-ve-done-i-only-regret-the-things-i/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [I regret nothing. There have been things I missed, but I ask no questions, because I have loved it, such as it has been,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-regret-nothing-there-have-been-things-i-missed-but-i-ask-no/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The only things I regret, and the only things I'll ever regret are things I didn't do. In the end, that's what we mourn.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-spencer/the-only-things-i-regret-and-the-only-things-i-ll-ever-regret-are/) [Scott Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-spencer/) > [I regret not the things I have done, only those I have yet to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-regret-not-the-things-i-have-done-only-those-i-have-yet-to-do/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [I regret things all the time. I've never regretted not saying something. I've only regretted saying something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/i-regret-things-all-the-time-i-ve-never-regretted-not-saying/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [“I would rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done. ~Lucille Ball”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-langston/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-i-ve-done-than-regret-the-things-i/) [K. Langston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-langston/) > [Time moves on and we later regret the things not done, the words not said, the love not shown, life's too short, do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/time-moves-on-and-we-later-regret-the-things-not-done-the-words-not/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I can't really regret things; you just have to move on and live your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-can-t-really-regret-things-you-just-have-to-move-on-and-live-your/) [Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/) ## More by Ingrid Bergman > [my life has been wonderful. I have done what I felt like. I was given courage and I was given adventure and that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/my-life-has-been-wonderful-i-have-done-what-i-felt-like-i-was-given/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [I have no regrets. I wouldn't have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-have-no-regrets-i-wouldn-t-have-lived-my-life-the-way-i-did-if-i/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [I have had a wonderful life. I have never regretted what I did. I regret things I didn't do. All my life I've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-have-had-a-wonderful-life-i-have-never-regretted-what-i-did-i/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [Be yourself. The world worships the original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/be-yourself-the-world-worships-the-original/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [Never again! I can see no reason for marriage - ever at all. I've had it. Three times is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/never-again-i-can-see-no-reason-for-marriage-ever-at-all-i-ve-had-it/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [A kiss is a lovely trick to stop speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/a-kiss-is-a-lovely-trick-to-stop-speech/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [Time is shortening. But every day that I challenge this cancer and survive is a victory for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/time-is-shortening-but-every-day-that-i-challenge-this-cancer-and/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [I can do everything with ease on the stage, whereas in real life I feel too big and clumsy. So I didn't choose acting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-can-do-everything-with-ease-on-the-stage-whereas-in-real-life-i/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [You don't act for money. You do it because you love it, because you must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/you-don-t-act-for-money-you-do-it-because-you-love-it-because-you-must/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [The best way to keep young is to keep going in whatever it is that keeps you going. With me that's work, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/the-best-way-to-keep-young-is-to-keep-going-in-whatever-it-is-that/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [I don't think anyone has the right to intrude in your life, but they do. I would like people to separate the actress and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-don-t-think-anyone-has-the-right-to-intrude-in-your-life-but-they/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [I made so many films which were more important, but the only one people ever want to talk about is that one with \[Humphrey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-made-so-many-films-which-were-more-important-but-the-only-one/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [I thank God who slowly dressed me in a heavy skin, otherwise I would now be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-thank-god-who-slowly-dressed-me-in-a-heavy-skin-otherwise-i-would/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [ In Paris, when the picture came out \[Casablanca\] they weren't too pleased with it. They didn't like the political point of view. The picture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/in-paris-when-the-picture-came-out-casablanca-they-weren-t-too/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) > [There's nothing like a love song to give you a good laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/there-s-nothing-like-a-love-song-to-give-you-a-good-laugh/) [Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) [Explore all 53 Ingrid Bergman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/) ## More I regret quotes > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [I regret that there aren't more short stories in other magazines. But in a certain way, I think the disappearance of the short-story template…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorin-stein/i-regret-that-there-aren-t-more-short-stories-in-other-magazines-but/) [Lorin Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorin-stein/) > [As an early adopter of the internet, I've changed as the internet has changed, and I regret a lot of the things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-chu/as-an-early-adopter-of-the-internet-i-ve-changed-as-the-internet-has/) [Arthur Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-chu/) > [I regret if my actions hurt anyone or harmed the United States. It was never my intent to hurt anyone. When I chose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-regret-if-my-actions-hurt-anyone-or-harmed-the-united-states-it-was/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [The only things you regret are the things you didn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-curtiz/the-only-things-you-regret-are-the-things-you-didn-t-do/) Michael Curtiz > [Of course I regret not having been able to spend time with my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/of-course-i-regret-not-having-been-able-to-spend-time-with-my-family/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Return to Shaoshan I regret the passing, the dying, of the vague dream: my native orchards thirty-two years ago. Yet red banners roused the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/return-to-shaoshan-i-regret-the-passing-the-dying-of-the-vague-dream/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [Many new churches, I regret to say, can be described from the design point of view only as holy terrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-boyd/many-new-churches-i-regret-to-say-can-be-described-from-the-design/) [Robin Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-boyd/) > [I regret profoundly that I was not an American and not born in Greenwich Village. It might be dying, and there might be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-regret-profoundly-that-i-was-not-an-american-and-not-born-in/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Only one marriage I regret. I remember after I got that marriage license I went across from the license bureau to a bar for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/only-one-marriage-i-regret-i-remember-after-i-got-that-marriage/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In the past, I've been reluctant to share any bits of truth about myself or to really let people in on my reality. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/in-the-past-i-ve-been-reluctant-to-share-any-bits-of-truth-about/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [People expect those in authority to take on big problems and to solve them. We had an opportunity to reform Social Security in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/people-expect-those-in-authority-to-take-on-big-problems-and-to-solve/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I regret nothing and fear less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/i-regret-nothing-and-fear-less/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [I do nothing I regret, man, because I try to do nothing abominable. As long as there is not an abomination, there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tosh/i-do-nothing-i-regret-man-because-i-try-to-do-nothing-abominable-as/) [Peter Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tosh/) > [Never do today what you can do tomorrow, because something may occur to make you regret your premature action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-burr/never-do-today-what-you-can-do-tomorrow-because-something-may-occur/) [Aaron Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-burr/) Browse all 234 I regret quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I regret the things I didn't do, not what I did.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ingrid Bergman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what-i-did/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "I regret" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what-i-did/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/ingrid-bergman-12601_i-regret_i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what_2956494.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I regret the things I didn't do, not what I did.” — Ingrid Bergman", "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": "Ingrid Bergman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I regret the things I didn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what-i-did/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/i-regret-the-things-i-didn-t-do-not-what-i-did/#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 } } ] } ```