Quotes About Regret

Regret is a feeling we all know too well. It whispers in our quiet moments and can weigh on our hearts. Whether it stems from missed opportunities or words left unsaid, regret reminds us of our humanness.

In this article, we’ll share some of the best quotes about regret. These words from thinkers, writers, and leaders capture the essence of our regrets, offering wisdom and comfort.

Timeless Quotes On Regret

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.'” – Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle

“Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs.” – Charles Dickens

“One regrets more what one hasn’t done than what one has done.” – Theophile Gautier

“we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll

“Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t done.” – Chad Michael Murray

“Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart.” – Basil Rathbone

“The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!'” – John Greenleaf Whittier

“I have no regrets in life, just lessons learned.” – Unknown

“To live without regret is to live without reflection.” – Gordon Atkinson

“Regret is insight that comes a day too late.” – Unknown

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

“The past is a ghost, the future a dream, and all we ever have is now.” – Bill Cosby

“Don’t regret knowing the people that come into your life. Good people give you happiness. Bad ones give you experience. The worst ones give you lessons, and the best people give you memories.” – Unknown

“The mistakes are all there waiting to be made.” – Savielly Tartakower

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.” – Jim Rohn

“Regrets and recriminations only hurt your soul.” – Armand Hammer

“No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

“Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield

“Regrets, I’ve had a few; but then again, too few to mention.” – Frank Sinatra

“One regret dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough.” – Hafiz of Persia

“The regrets of life are like a forest: more than one can see, endlessly grown and infinitely tall.” – Original

“No man can be happy without a friend, nor be sure of his friend until he is unhappy.” – Thomas Fuller

“To regret deeply is to live afresh.” – Henry David Thoreau

“Regret is a form of punishment itself.” – Unknown

“Our present sufferings are the fulfillment of past regrets.” – Marcel Proust

“Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it.” – Katherine Mansfield

“Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason.” – Unknown

“Regret, which is guilt without the neurosis, enables us to move forward instead of backward.” – Jane Adams

“Lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin

“At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets.” – Steve Maraboli

“Never regret your past. Rather, embrace it as the teacher that it is.” – Robin Sharma

Famous Sayings About Regret

“we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll

“Regret for wasted time is more wasted time.” – Mason Cooley

“Never regret anything that made you smile.” – Mark Twain

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.’” – Kurt Vonnegut

“Regret is not when you could have done better, but when you know you should have done better.” – Anonymous

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.” – Jim Rohn

“To live in regret is to die every day.” – Brené Brown

“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” – Jonathan Larson, Rent

“Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t done.” – Chad Michael Murray

“Regret is the worst human emotion. If you took another road, you might have fallen off a cliff. I’m content.” – William Shatner

“A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” – John Barrymore

“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” – Shannon L. Alder

“The only things you regret are the things you don’t do.” – Michael Curtiz

“You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.” – Anonymous

“Regrets and recriminations only hurt your soul.” – Armand Hammer

“There are no regrets in life, just lessons.” – Jennifer Aniston

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield

“Regret doesn’t remind us that we did badly. It reminds us that we know we can do better.” – Kathryn Schulz

“Never regret anything that has happened in your life, it cannot be changed, undone, or forgotten. So, take it as a lesson learned and move on.” – Anonymous

“We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us.” – Lucy Maud Montgomery

“Regret is the only wound the soul does not recover from.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

“Regrets over the past should chasten the future.” – James Ellis

“The pain of regret is far worse than the pain of discipline.” – Nathan Whitley

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“Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.” – Robert Hastings

“I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations – one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice are this: do it or do not do it – you will regret both.” – Søren Kierkegaard

“Regret is just life’s afterthoughts.” – Amy Harmon

“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” – Mercedes Lackey

“Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret, and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.” – Swami Sivananda

“The regrets in life are the things we didn’t do when we had the chance.” – Unknown

“Regret is the echo of missed opportunities.” – Anonymous

“What is deferred is not avoided.” – Thomas More

Quotes on Regret from Celebrities

“Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs.” – Charles Dickens

“Never regret anything because at one time it was exactly what you wanted.” – Marilyn Monroe

“Regret is mostly caused by not having done anything.” – Charles Bukowski

“we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll

“Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

“One regret dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough.” – Hafez

“I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person.” – Rita Mero

“I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end.” – Drew Barrymore

“Regrets are the scars of wisdom.” – Beverly Sills

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine

“Regret is not when you could have done better, but when you know you should have done better.” – Anonymous

“The only thing I regret about my past is the length of it. If I had to live my life again, I’d make all the same mistakes, only sooner.” – Tallulah Bankhead

“If you are afraid of fear, you will never risk regret.” – Ritu Ghatourey

“Regret for wasted time is more wasted time.” – Mason Cooley

“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future.” – Steve Maraboli

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.'” – Kurt Vonnegut

“I regret those times when I’ve chosen the dark side. I’ve wasted enough time not being happy.” – Jessica Lange

“Regret is an expensive emotion. It robs you of the present moment while replaying a past that cannot change.” – Anonymous

“We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us.” – Lucy Maud Montgomery

“Sometimes I wish life was written in pencil so we could erase it and write it all over again.” – Anonymous

“Regret is a call to reflection and learning.” – Anonymous

“Don’t regret knowing the people that came into your life. Good people give you happiness. Bad ones give you experience. The worst ones give you lessons and the best people give you memories.” – Zig Ziglar

“I don’t regret the things I’ve done, I regret the things I didn’t do when I had the chance.” – Anonymous

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.” – Jim Rohn

“Regrets are like a rear-view mirror. They are there to remind you of what you did wrong, not to guide you forward.” – Anonymous

“Living with regret is like driving a car that only moves in reverse.” – Jodi Picoult

“Regret is an inevitable aspect of life, but it should never overshadow the joy of living.” – Anonymous

“A man is not old until his regrets take the place of dreams.” – John Barrymore

“The only regrets we have are the chances we didn’t take.” – Anonymous

“Regret is the birthplace of learning.” – Anonymous

“Regret for not doing something can lead to a lifetime of ‘what ifs.'” – Anonymous

Powerful Regret Quotes from Literature

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.'” – Kurt Vonnegut

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.” – Steve Maraboli

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!'” – John Greenleaf Whittier

“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” – T.S. Eliot, ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’

“Regret is something you build every day, not something you can fix.” – David Arnold, ‘Mosquitoland’

“The only thing worse than regretting the thing you did is regretting the thing you didn’t do.” – Unknown

“I regretted not being able to do anything for my mother, yet I did nothing. That was my greatest regret.” – Haruki Murakami

“There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy.” – Dante Alighieri, ‘Divine Comedy’

“Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets.” – Arthur Miller

“Regret is the most tiresome feeling in the world.” – Oriana Fallaci

“It’s better to regret what you have done than what you haven’t.” – Paul Arden

“To regret deeply is to live afresh.” – Henry David Thoreau

“I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both.” – Søren Kierkegaard

“No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of worrying can change the future.” – Unknown

“Regrets are idle; yet history is one long regret. Everything might have turned out so differently.” – Charles Dudley Warner

“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean

“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” – Shannon L. Alder

“Every day I feel is a blessing from God. And I consider it a new beginning. Yeah, everything is beautiful.” – Prince

“Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart.” – Basil Rathbone

“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” – Mercedes Lackey

“Regret is a form of punishment itself.” – Nouman Ali Khan

“I regret those times when I’ve chosen the dark side. I’ve wasted enough time not being happy.” – Jessica Lange

“Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield

“No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.” – Charles Dickens, ‘A Christmas Carol’

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones who don’t and believe that everything happens for a reason.” – Dr. Seuss

“Regret, which is guilt without the neurosis.” – Carrie Fisher

“There are so many wrong decisions that regret becomes a permanent feeling.” – Unknown

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.” – Jim Rohn

“We do not regret the things we did so much as the things we wish we did.” – Unknown

“The regrets of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow can kill you.” – Dan Brown

“I wish I could roll back the clocks to when things were the same. But then I would remember how it was and realize that things were never really the same.” – Unknown

Inspirational Quotes to Overcome Regret

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” – Henry Ford

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“we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

“Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield

“No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of worrying can change the future.” – Umar Ibn Al-Khattab

“When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place.” – C.S. Lewis

“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” – Jonathan Larson, “Rent”

“Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t done.” – Chad Michael Murray

“You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.” – Anonymous

“Never regret anything that made you smile.” – Mark Twain

“Regret for wasted time is more wasted time.” – Mason Cooley

“Each heartbreak teaches us a little more about how to love.” – Leo Buscaglia

“We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us.” – Lucy Maud Montgomery

“Cry not for what you’ve lost, but rejoice for what remains.” – J.M. Barrie

“Turn your wounds into wisdom.” – Oprah Winfrey

“The cost of regret far exceeds the price of discipline.” – Anonymous

“Every regret you feel is a door you’ve closed on yourself. Open them. Walk through.” – Yulia Lipatova

“Regret doesn’t remind us that we did badly. It reminds us that we can do better.” – Kathryn Schulz

“The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.” – Mary Pickford

“Growth begins where the comfort zone ends.” – Roy T. Bennett

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.'” – Kurt Vonnegut

“Regret is not when you could have done better, but when you knew you could have done better.” – Anonymous

“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future.” – Steve Maraboli

“A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” – John Barrymore

“Regret is an inevitable aspect of human life, but it is also a powerful motivator for change.” – Paulo Coelho

“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” – Mercedes Lackey

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

“Your past is just a story. And once you realize this, it has no power over you.” – Chuck Palahniuk

“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” – Bruce Lee

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss

“The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Successful people don’t spend their time looking backward unless it’s to gain lessons from their mistakes.” – Zig Ziglar

Heart Touching Quotes about Regret and Forgiveness

“Regret is an inevitable aspect of life, yet it is also an opportunity to learn and grow.” – Jane Austen

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes

“Never regret anything that made you smile.” – Mark Twain

“Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.” – Hannah Arendt

“The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Regret for wasted time is more wasted time.” – Mason Cooley

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“No amount of regret can change the past. No amount of worry can change the future.” – Roy T. Bennett

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t done.” – Chad Michael Murray

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“Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

“Regret is mostly caused by not having done anything.” – Charles Bukowski

“Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.” – Suzanne Somers

“It’s better to cross the line and suffer the consequences than to just stare at the line for the rest of your life and always regret it.” – Paulo Coelho

“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.” – Desmond Tutu

“Life is too short for regrets.” – Ella Whelan

“Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.” – Les Brown

“Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it – it’s only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield

“To err is human, to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope

“Don’t regret the past, just learn from it.” – Ben Ipock

“Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.” – Nelson Mandela

“Regret is the only wound the soul does not recover from.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

“True forgiveness is not an action after the fact, it is an attitude with which you enter each moment.” – David Ridge

“No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.” – Charles Dickens

“To forgive is wisdom, to forget is genius.” – Joyce Cary

“Regret is a shallow, self-inflicted wound that corrodes over time. Forgiveness is the salve that heals.” – Anonymous

“The past is a place of learning, not a place of living. Don’t allow regret to imprison you.” – Steve Maraboli

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” – Bryant H. McGill

“We must forgive those we feel have wronged us, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because we deserve peace.” – Mark Twain

Stirring Quotes on Regret and Lessons Learned

Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, “It might have been.”
– Kurt Vonnegut

Regret is not when you could have done better, but when you know you could have done more.
– Unknown

we only regret the chances we didn’t take, relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.
– Lewis Carroll

Never regret anything that made you smile.
– Mark Twain

The only things you regret are the things you don’t do.
– Michael Curtiz

We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us.
– Lucy Maud Montgomery

Regret for wasted time is more wasted time.
– Mason Cooley

One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.
– Shannon L. Alder

Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t done.
– Chad Michael Murray

Accept everything about yourself – I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end – no apologies, no regrets.
– Henry A. Kissinger

Yet, it is better to feel something, even if it is regret, than to feel nothing.
– Margaret Atwood

Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been.
– Hilary Clinton

It’s better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.
– Jackie Joyner-Kersee

We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.
– Jim Rohn

To regret deeply is to live afresh.
– Henry David Thoreau

Never regret thy fall, O Icarus of the fearless flight. For the greatest tragedy of them all is never to feel the burning light.
– Oscar Wilde

There are no regrets in life, just lessons.
– Jennifer Aniston

To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes, the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
– Plutarch

The future is too bright to dwell on the past. Life moves forward, so must we.
– Unknown

Perhaps the only thing worse than having a stubborn heart is having a regretful one.
– Unknown

I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both.
– Søren Kierkegaard

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.
– Helen Keller

Regret is the most tiresome of companions, always looking backward.
– Richelle E. Goodrich

Regret is insight that comes a day too late.
– Anthony T. Hincks

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
– Elbert Hubbard

Our scars tell the story of our journey, not of our mistakes.
– Unknown

To regret one’s own experiences is to arrest one’s own development. To deny one’s own experiences is to put a lie into the lips of one’s own life. It is no less than a denial of the soul.
– Oscar Wilde

If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.
– Henry David Thoreau

I have no regrets in my life. Even if I could, I would not erase anything. I am the product of my experiences.
– Sumner Redstone

The mistakes we regret the most are the ones we were too scared to make.
– Unknown

Regret is the fair price paid for the wisdom gained through life’s trials and errors.
– Own Creation

Life is full of regrets, but it doesn’t pay to look back.
– Zinedine Zidane

Final Thoughts

Regret is a part of life that everyone faces at some point. These quotes have shown that while regret can feel heavy, it also offers lessons and growth. By reflecting on these wise words, we can find comfort and motivation to move forward.

Instead of letting regret hold us back, we can use it as a stepping stone to make better choices in the future. These quotes remind us that it’s never too late to change and make amends. So, keep these thoughts close, and let them guide you toward a brighter tomorrow.

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