The road not taken: What do Americans regret most in life?

NEW YORK — A new poll finds that Americans are more concerned about the road not taken in their lives. When it comes to regrets, people are more likely to dwell on things they didn’t do than the things they have done.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults split evenly by generation, which found that only 11% of Americans don’t have any regrets. Between not speaking up (40%), not visiting family or friends enough (36%), and not pursuing their dreams (35%), those missed opportunities add up.

In their lifetime, Americans average three missed chances to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip, four lost opportunities to ask their crush out on a date, and six instances of not having the perfect comeback in an argument. On the other hand, the top actions Americans regret doing include spending money or purchasing something they later regret (49%), fighting with friends or family (43%), and making an unnecessary comment  (36%).

Over the years, Americans also regret an average of five angry text messages and two break-ups. In fact, nearly one-third (32%) of baby boomers have a regret that spans three decades and still crosses their minds an average of three times per month. While millennials’ oldest regret is only about 11 years-old, they fret about it on average almost once per week, more than any other generation.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Mucinex, results also revealed that Americans are almost twice as likely to make bad decisions at night (41%) than in the morning (22%). Moreover, Americans tend to regret something more at night (43%).

Nighttime decisions such as not going to bed at a decent time (47%), eating too many snacks or too much food (36%), and arguing with a loved one (35%) are the most likely to negatively impact Americans the next morning. For Gen Zers, failing to do their nighttime routine (29%) or forgetting to turn on their alarm (22%)  will almost always ensure morning distress.

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

So, what factors are contributing to these bad decisions? According to the results, being tired (40%), sick or desperate for relief (20%), or enduring 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,” says Albert So, Marketing Director, Upper Respiratory at Reckitt, in a statement. “And while no one is going to get it  right every single 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 moment, it was exactly what you wanted.” This may be because almost two-thirds (64%) believe that their decision-making has gotten better as they’ve gotten older.

Results also revealed that some “bad” decisions don’t always result in feelings of regret. Staying up late with friends (24%), quitting a job (23%), taking a chance on a new food (20%), moving somewhere new (17%), and going to a concert on a weeknight (10%) are all choices many Americans consider to have be “worth it.” 

“Few things are worse than starting your 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,” says Albert So. “Feeling better starts with getting a good night’s sleep and making smart decisions  before bed so you wake up feeling ready to go with no regrets.”