--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to project myself forward to age…" description: "\"I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘OK, I’m looking back on my life. I want to minimise the number of regrets I have.’ And I knew th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg" --- # I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘OK… ![“I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘OK, I’m looking back on my life. I want to minimise the number of regrets I have.’ And I knew that when I was 80, I was not going to regret having tried this. I was not going to regret trying to participate in this thing called the Internet…” quote by Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg) > “I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘OK, I’m looking back on my life. I want to minimise the number of regrets I have.’ And I knew that when I was 80, I was not going to regret having tried this. I was not going to regret trying to participate in this thing called the Internet that I thought was going to be a really big deal. I knew that if I failed, I wouldn’t regret that. But I knew the one thing I might regret is not ever having tried. I knew that that would haunt me every day.” [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing a life with minimal regrets by embracing bold actions and accepting possible failure. **In simple terms:** Take risks to avoid future regret. Key Takeaway Act now, accept possible failure. Themes risk regret future legacy Mood motivational thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - technology adoption - personal projects Key Concepts decision theory long-term planning Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if regret was not an option? - How can you balance risk with responsibility? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to loss if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Big deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-back/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regret Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret-having/) [Regret Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret-knew-789237/) [Regret Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret-trying-607821/) [Regrets Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regrets-knew-1620188/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [I knew that if I failed I wouldn't regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-knew-that-if-i-failed-i-wouldn-t-regret-that-but-i-knew-the-one/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [“I think back to the day I stood before my wife's grave for the final time, and turned away from it without regret, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/i-think-back-to-the-day-i-stood-before-my-wife-s-grave-for-the-final/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [I don't regret trying acting. When I decided to stop, I don't regret that either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-lloyd/i-don-t-regret-trying-acting-when-i-decided-to-stop-i-don-t-regret/) [Danny Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-lloyd/) > [It seemed to me the way it must feel to people who cut themselves on purpose. Not pretty, but clean. Not good, but void…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/it-seemed-to-me-the-way-it-must-feel-to-people-who-cut-themselves-on/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Looking back, I can see that my life with David was molded by forces beyond my control and even my understanding. Still, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bowie/looking-back-i-can-see-that-my-life-with-david-was-molded-by-forces/) [Angela Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bowie/) > [“Never regret trying anything that makes you happy, even if it doesn't make sense to those around you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-middleton/never-regret-trying-anything-that-makes-you-happy-even-if-it-doesn-t/) [Kristen Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-middleton/) > [“It makes no sense that us humans are afraid of not succeeding when the regret of not trying in the first place can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-casino/it-makes-no-sense-that-us-humans-are-afraid-of-not-succeeding-when/) [Christina Casino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-casino/) > [To give up too easily leads to regret, yet trying and then failing can lead us to second chances if we do not accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-white/to-give-up-too-easily-leads-to-regret-yet-trying-and-then-failing-can/) [Karen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-white/) > [Some folks never try to grow beyond lives that have not realized that potential. And as long as they don't regret that, that's fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-evoy/some-folks-never-try-to-grow-beyond-lives-that-have-not-realized-that/) [Ken Evoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-evoy/) > [Regretting isnt a regret, having not to regret is the biggest regret. ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mysterio/regretting-isnt-a-regret-having-not-to-regret-is-the-biggest-regret/) [Mysterio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mysterio/) > [I'm one of those fellas who's got lots of regrets, but I don't regret having regrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-dobbs/i-m-one-of-those-fellas-who-s-got-lots-of-regrets-but-i-don-t-regret/) [Lou Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-dobbs/) > [“I don’t regret anything I was before because I still am. I only regret not having loved you. Put your hands in mine And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-caeiro/i-don-t-regret-anything-i-was-before-because-i-still-am-i-only-regret/) [Alberto Caeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-caeiro/) > [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/) > [Sorry you'll someday regret having too much or not enough fun in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-you-ll-someday-regret-having-too-much-or-not-enough-fun-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't regret having lost your money; maybe, if you kept it, it would have lost you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/don-t-regret-having-lost-your-money-maybe-if-you-kept-it-it-would/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Jeff Bezos > [I think technology advanced faster than anticipated. In that whirlwind, a lot of companies didn't survive. The reason we have done well is because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-technology-advanced-faster-than-anticipated-in-that-whirlwind/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The death knell for any enterprise is to glorify the past -- no matter how good it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-death-knell-for-any-enterprise-is-to-glorify-the-past-no-matter/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [People who are right most of the time are people who change their minds often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/people-who-are-right-most-of-the-time-are-people-who-change-their/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The human brain is an incredible pattern-matching machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-human-brain-is-an-incredible-pattern-matching-machine/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Work hard, have fun and make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/work-hard-have-fun-and-make-history/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-tolerate-critics-don-t-do-anything-new-or-interesting/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't feed a team with two pizzas, it's too large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-feed-a-team-with-two-pizzas-it-s-too-large/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you build a great product or service, people will talk about it. But it starts with having something that's worth talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-build-a-great-product-or-service-people-will-talk-about-it-but/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I think the definition of a book is changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-the-definition-of-a-book-is-changing/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you're truly obsessed over customers, it'll cover a lot of errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-re-truly-obsessed-over-customers-it-ll-cover-a-lot-of-errors/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [One of the things that I'm very excited about with New Shepard, which is our suborbital tourism vehicle, is using that to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/one-of-the-things-that-i-m-very-excited-about-with-new-shepard-which/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I wouldn't be surprised if history records Tim Berners-Lee as the second Gutenberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wouldn-t-be-surprised-if-history-records-tim-berners-lee-as-the/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Maintain a firm grasp of the obvious at all times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/maintain-a-firm-grasp-of-the-obvious-at-all-times/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Explore all 275 Jeff Bezos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘OK, I’m looking back on my life. I want to minimise the number of regrets I have.’ And I knew that when I was 80, I was not going to regret having tried this. I was not going to regret trying to participate in this thing called the Internet that I thought was going to be a really big deal. I knew that if I failed, I wouldn’t regret that. But I knew the one thing I might regret is not ever having tried. I knew that that would haunt me every day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Bezos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-age-80-and-say-ok-i-m-looking/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-age-80-and-say-ok-i-m-looking/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/jeff-bezos-1193_age_i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-ag_942425.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘OK, I’m looking back on my life. I want to minimise…” — Jeff Bezos", "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": "Jeff Bezos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wanted to project myself forward...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-age-80-and-say-ok-i-m-looking/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wanted-to-project-myself-forward-to-age-80-and-say-ok-i-m-looking/#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 } } ] } ```