Any regrets? These are the most common things Americans wish they had done differently

Americans are more likely to regret the things they didn’t do than the things they did.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 American adults evenly divided by generation, which found that only 11% of Americans have no regrets.

Between not talking (40%), not visiting family or friends enough (36%), and not following their dreams (35%), these missed opportunities add up.

Over the course of their lifetime, Americans average three missed chances to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip, four missed opportunities to pursue their passion, and six times they don’t have the perfect comeback in an argument.

On the other hand, the top actions Americans regret doing include spending money or buying something (49%), arguing with friends or family (43%), and making an inappropriate comment (36%).

Over the years, Americans also regret an average of five angry texts and two breakups.

In fact, nearly a third (32%) of adults have a regret that spans three decades and still crosses their mind an average of three times a month.

While millennials’ oldest regret is only about 11 years old, they worry about it on average almost once a week, more than any other generation.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Mucinex, the results found that Americans are almost twice as likely to make bad decisions at night (41%) than in the morning (22%).

Additionally, Americans tend to regret something more at night (43%). Nighttime decisions, such as not going to bed at a good time (47%), eating too much or overeating (36%) and arguing with a loved one (35%) are most likely to negatively affect Americans the next morning. .

For Gen Zers, failing to do their nightly routine (29%) or forgetting to turn on the alarm (22%) will almost always ensure morning worries.

These poor choices not only cause regret, but also put Americans in a bad mood (39%), leave them unable to face the day (29%) or even prevent them from fulfilling the day’s responsibilities (20%). ).

But what factors are contributing to these bad decisions?

According to the results, being tired (40%), sick and desperate for relief (20%) or after a long night out (15%) are the most likely culprits.

“We don’t make the best decisions when we’re sick or tired, especially at night,” said Albert So, Marketing Director, Upper Respiratory at Reckitt. “And while no one is going to get it right every time, it’s important to have products you can rely on to help you make better decisions so you don’t wake up with regrets.”

For all the bad decisions made and opportunities missed, 48% of Americans still agree with the common saying, “never regret anything because, at one point, it was exactly what you wanted.”

This may be because almost two-thirds (64%) believe their decision-making has gotten better as they get older.

The results also revealed that some “bad” decisions do not always result in feelings of regret.

Staying up late with friends (24%), leaving work (23%), taking a chance on a new food (20%), moving somewhere new (17%) and going to a concert on a weeknight (10%) are all the choices that Americans consider to have been “valid.”

“Few things are worse than starting the day regretting a choice you made the night before, especially when you’re suffering from cold and flu symptoms and have a busy day ahead of you,” said Albert So. “Feeling better starts with a good night’s sleep and making smart decisions before bed so you wake up feeling ready to go without regrets.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans evenly divided by generation; the survey was commissioned by Mucinex and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between August 16 and August 22, 2024.