--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't go around regretting things that…" description: "\"I don't go around regretting things that don't happen.\" — Virgil Thomson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg" --- # I don't go around regretting things that don't happen. ![“I don't go around regretting things that don't happen.” quote by Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg) > “I don't go around regretting things that don't happen.” [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret should focus on actions taken, not on missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** Don’t regret what didn’t happen. Key Takeaway Embrace present choices. Themes regret possibility action Mood thoughtful encouraging Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - career planning - relationship choices - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism decision theory Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if fear vanished? - How do you differentiate regret from learning? A Different Perspective Fear of loss can paralyze decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Regretting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-regretting-4243941/) [Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regretting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regretting/) [Regretting Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regretting-things-887399/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) ## Related quotes > [Like everybody, I've stayed up at night regretting things - Why did I do that, say that - but at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-patton/like-everybody-i-ve-stayed-up-at-night-regretting-things-why-did-i-do/) [Paula Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-patton/) > [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/) > [Maybe I'd stop regretting things if I stopped making the same mistake over and over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-i-d-stop-regretting-things-if-i-stopped-making-the-same-mistake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I really have to stop regretting things and start looking towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-really-have-to-stop-regretting-things-and-start-looking-towards-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you spend your whole life regretting things in the past, you'll never get to enjoy the things in your present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-spend-your-whole-life-regretting-things-in-the-past-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I started with the firm conviction that when I came to the end, I wanted to be regretting the things that I had done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-started-with-the-firm-conviction-that-when-i-came-to-the-end-i/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I never regret anything. I always said that when I'm old, I want to be sitting there regretting the things that I did and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-never-regret-anything-i-always-said-that-when-i-m-old-i-want-to-be/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [“It's not the things that we did impulsively, without thought, without consideration of consequences that we end up regretting. It's the things we didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-gadziala/it-s-not-the-things-that-we-did-impulsively-without-thought-without/) [Jessica Gadziala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-gadziala/) > [If you spend your life regretting things in the past, before you know it... you will have wasted your life on regret .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-spend-your-life-regretting-things-in-the-past-before-you-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The only thing worse than regretting the things you've done is regretting the things you didn't do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-leahy/the-only-thing-worse-than-regretting-the-things-you-ve-done-is/) [Samantha Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-leahy/) > [There's no point regretting things. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Life's too short to worry about things I've said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-williams/there-s-no-point-regretting-things-if-you-can-t-do-the-time-don-t-do/) [Robbie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-williams/) > [I hate myself for doing the things I do, I hate that I wake up regretting the things I have done, I hate feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley/i-hate-myself-for-doing-the-things-i-do-i-hate-that-i-wake-up/) [Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley/) > [“There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you’re useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabaa-tahir/there-are-two-kinds-of-guilt-the-kind-that-drowns-you-until-you-re/) [Sabaa Tahir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabaa-tahir/) > [Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-brisbane/regret-for-time-wasted-can-become-a-power-for-good-in-the-time-that/) [Arthur Brisbane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-brisbane/) > [ \[When I die\], I will decidedly not be regretting missed opportunities for a good time. My regrets will be more along the lines of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/when-i-die-i-will-decidedly-not-be-regretting-missed-opportunities/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) ## More by Virgil Thomson > [I don't have to worry No matter what they do to it, it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-have-to-worry-no-matter-what-they-do-to-it-it-works/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I got myself into a lovely little shall we say controversy with André Breton, by pointing out that the discipline of spontaneity, which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-got-myself-into-a-lovely-little-shall-we-say-controversy-with-andr/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Every composer's music reflects in its subject-matter and in its style the source of the money the composer is living on while writing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/every-composer-s-music-reflects-in-its-subject-matter-and-in-its/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I let her alone and when she got that finished she left me alone. We trusted each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-let-her-alone-and-when-she-got-that-finished-she-left-me-alone-we/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I never learned to verbalize an abstract musical concept. No thank you. The whole point of being a serious musician is to avoid verbalization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-never-learned-to-verbalize-an-abstract-musical-concept-no-thank-you/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [In Paris, you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals, and in Florence you learn poise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/in-paris-you-learn-wit-in-london-you-learn-to-crush-your-social/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I listened to the pure crystalline notes of one of Mozart's concertos dropping at my feet like leaves from the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-listened-to-the-pure-crystalline-notes-of-one-of-mozart-s-concertos/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I don't care what other critics say, I only hope to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-care-what-other-critics-say-i-only-hope-to-be-played/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I seem to write an opera about every 20 years; if you live long enough you can write four operas. I finished my third in 1970.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-seem-to-write-an-opera-about-every-20-years-if-you-live-long-enough/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Musicians own music because music owns them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/musicians-own-music-because-music-owns-them/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Let your mind alone, and see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/let-your-mind-alone-and-see-what-happens/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Verbal communication about music is impossible except among musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/verbal-communication-about-music-is-impossible-except-among-musicians/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Whatever deceptions life may have in store for you, music itself is not going to let you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/whatever-deceptions-life-may-have-in-store-for-you-music-itself-is/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/the-description-and-explanation-is-the-best-part-of-music-reviewing/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I look at you and I write down what I hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-look-at-you-and-i-write-down-what-i-hear/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) [Explore all 23 Virgil Thomson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) ## More Happen quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [“More, much more, will happen after this. Things involving maps and books and true love and tragedy, tragedy like you wouldn't believe. But fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/more-much-more-will-happen-after-this-things-involving-maps-and-books/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“What would happen if you didn’t do the thing you “have to” do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brodie/what-would-happen-if-you-didn-t-do-the-thing-you-have-to-do/) [Richard Brodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brodie/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [“But if that was going to happen, it was going to happen whether or not he worried about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/but-if-that-was-going-to-happen-it-was-going-to-happen-whether-or-not/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [I'm an American, and always will be. I happen to love that big, awkward, sprawling country very much - and its big, awkward, sprawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/i-m-an-american-and-always-will-be-i-happen-to-love-that-big-awkward/) [James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/) > [Kittens can happen to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/kittens-can-happen-to-anyone/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [I've been working with a holistic specialist, trying to bring my body into balance, and part of making that happen is putting my mom's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/i-ve-been-working-with-a-holistic-specialist-trying-to-bring-my-body/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [Nothing bad can happen to a writer. Everything is material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/nothing-bad-can-happen-to-a-writer-everything-is-material/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [If you do what you're supposed to do, it will come to you - it will happen on its own. I don't count numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-chubb/if-you-do-what-you-re-supposed-to-do-it-will-come-to-you-it-will/) [Nick Chubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-chubb/) > [“History mattered. But it could not guarantee what might happen next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-gable/history-mattered-but-it-could-not-guarantee-what-might-happen-next/) [Michelle Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-gable/) > [When I went to New York to try and make it, I never thought it wouldn't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/when-i-went-to-new-york-to-try-and-make-it-i-never-thought-it-wouldn/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [“Everything changes, sweetheart. The universe loves to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-olsen/everything-changes-sweetheart-the-universe-loves-to-happen/) [Lance Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-olsen/) [Browse all 2,776 Happen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't go around regretting things that don't happen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Virgil Thomson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that-don-t-happen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that-don-t-happen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/virgil-thomson-25552_happen_i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that_2918976.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't go around regretting things that don't happen.” — Virgil Thomson", "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": "Virgil Thomson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't go around regretting things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that-don-t-happen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-go-around-regretting-things-that-don-t-happen/#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 } } ] } ```