--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the worst thing about regret is that it…" description: "\"“the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the chance of new regret, just as you get a glimmer that nothing is worth doing unless it has t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png" --- # the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the… ![“the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the chance of new regret, just as you get a glimmer that nothing is worth doing unless it has the potential to fuck up your whole life.” quote by Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png) > ““the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the chance of new regret, just as you get a glimmer that nothing is worth doing unless it has the potential to fuck up your whole life.”” [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret can paralyze, causing avoidance of new risks, yet also hints that meaningful actions involve risk of failure. **In simple terms:** Regret stops us from trying new things. Key Takeaway Accept risk as part of growth, despite fear of regret. Themes risk regret growth Mood reflective determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career changes - creative projects - personal relationships Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What risks are worth taking now? - How can you balance caution with boldness? A Different Perspective The quote may overemphasize risk, ignoring safe incremental progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [New Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-regret-1384806/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regret Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret-just-467500/) [Regret Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret-makes-1384805/) [Thing Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-regret-668920/) [Whole life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-life/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) ## Related quotes > [“Though finally the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the chance of suffering new regret just as you get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/though-finally-the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it-makes-you-duck/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I try to live my life free of regrets, but I do have one style regret that makes me laugh and cringe at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/i-try-to-live-my-life-free-of-regrets-but-i-do-have-one-style-regret/) [Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/) > [Never regret anything that makes you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/never-regret-anything-that-makes-you-smile/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [“He put a dark place in me and I can't forgive him for that. But it's a part of me now and how can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-martin/he-put-a-dark-place-in-me-and-i-can-t-forgive-him-for-that-but-it-s-a/) [Valerie Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-martin/) > [A ton of regret never makes an ounce of difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/a-ton-of-regret-never-makes-an-ounce-of-difference/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [i have no regrets. regret only makes wrinkles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/i-have-no-regrets-regret-only-makes-wrinkles/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [“Regret is just trying to be God in the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-mcclain-jones/regret-is-just-trying-to-be-god-in-the-past/) [Jeffrey McClain Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-mcclain-jones/) > [A Cinderella Story These movie quotes are making me regret not just having a movie weekend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-cinderella-story-these-movie-quotes-are-making-me-regret-not-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never regret anything... I just lie about it or change the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-never-regret-anything-i-just-lie-about-it-or-change-the-story/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I don't regret nothing. I just live my life to the fullest and count my blessings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-regret-nothing-i-just-live-my-life-to-the-fullest-and-count/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't regret you. I just regret thinking you were never gonna hurt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-regret-you-i-just-regret-thinking-you-were-never-gonna-hurt-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And I know this, too: that I owe nothing to Dave, that I owe nothing to anybody. You get where you are by yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-orozco/and-i-know-this-too-that-i-owe-nothing-to-dave-that-i-owe-nothing-to/) [Daniel Orozco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-orozco/) > [“Most of the time, everyone deserves more than one chance. We all do things we regret now and then. You just have to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/most-of-the-time-everyone-deserves-more-than-one-chance-we-all-do/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [Don't sweat it nor regret it, just move on and forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-sweat-it-nor-regret-it-just-move-on-and-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I dropped my phone on the floor and let the pain assail me. I'd given my heart away to someone who didn't want it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/i-dropped-my-phone-on-the-floor-and-let-the-pain-assail-me-i-d-given/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) ## More by Richard Ford > [Something will be there when the flood recedes. We know that. It will be those people now standing in the water, and on those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/something-will-be-there-when-the-flood-recedes-we-know-that-it-will/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [If you lose all hope, you can always find it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/if-you-lose-all-hope-you-can-always-find-it-again/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I started reading literature at 17 or 18, and I felt this extra beat to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-started-reading-literature-at-17-or-18-and-i-felt-this-extra-beat/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I don't hate children. My wife and I just didn't think we would be good parents, and also by the time we got married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-don-t-hate-children-my-wife-and-i-just-didn-t-think-we-would-be/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Writing never came naturally and I still have to force my hand to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/writing-never-came-naturally-and-i-still-have-to-force-my-hand-to-do/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“Conversations with adults other than a person's parents had more of an outcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/conversations-with-adults-other-than-a-person-s-parents-had-more-of/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Some people want to be bank presidents. 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It is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/there-are-more-people-in-america-that-love-guns-and-want-guns-for/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [That said, being dyslexic, I wasn't a great reader when I was kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/that-said-being-dyslexic-i-wasn-t-a-great-reader-when-i-was-kid/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I'm an equal opportunity reader - although I don't much read plays. And since I was raised a Presbyterian, pretty much all pleasures are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-m-an-equal-opportunity-reader-although-i-don-t-much-read-plays-and/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [The pace of life feels morally dangerous to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-pace-of-life-feels-morally-dangerous-to-me/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“to sit in the empty stands of a Florida ball park and hear the sounds of glove leather and chatter;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/to-sit-in-the-empty-stands-of-a-florida-ball-park-and-hear-the-sounds/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“And what there is to learn from almost any human experience is that your own interests usually do not come first where other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/and-what-there-is-to-learn-from-almost-any-human-experience-is-that/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“It was on such a night as this that the unhappy things came about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/it-was-on-such-a-night-as-this-that-the-unhappy-things-came-about/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) [Explore all 184 Richard Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the chance of new regret, just as you get a glimmer that nothing is worth doing unless it has the potential to fuck up your whole life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Ford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it-makes-you-duck-the-chance-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it-makes-you-duck-the-chance-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/richard-ford-2097_life_the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it_751575.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“the worst thing about regret is that it makes you duck the chance of new regret, just as you get a glimmer…” — Richard Ford", "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": "Richard Ford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“the worst thing about regret is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it-makes-you-duck-the-chance-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-worst-thing-about-regret-is-that-it-makes-you-duck-the-chance-of/#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 } } ] } ```