[THIS IS EXTREMELY POWERFUL AND SHOULD BE READ WHEN YOU HAVE THE TIME TO ACTUALLY READ IT.]
I recently came across an article called the top 5 regrets of the dying. It was a very powerful article because it confronts you with this harsh reality … You may be living a life of regret.
The article speaks to you and says… If you don't shape up you will waste your life and you will regret it just like these dying men.
But there is some good news…
These dying men came from a different era. They didn't have the opportunities we have.
Today, right now, opportunity is abundant and I will show you how that opportunity available will allow you to live a life with no regrets.
The possibilities we have today are limitless so there's no good reason why any man reading this has to go to his deathbed and feel regret.
This list of regrets should light a fire under your ass and show you that if you don't get to work RIGHT NOW you will regret it when you're dying.
And that would be a damn shame to die full of regret when you didn't have to. In fact, the solution is quite simple…
The Cure For Living Without Regret Is Being An Entrepreneur And Working 7 Days Per Week.
I know that probably sounds kooky but give me 3-5 minutes to explain to you and it will all make sense. Deal?
The worst thing that could happen is you waste a few minutes today that could save you countless minutes in the future.
The best thing that could happen to you is you go to your death-bed knowing you gave life your all and had no regrets about living well.
Let's get started…
“Taking the advice of ordinary people is the best way to become an ordinary person. And ordinary people die full of regret.” -Victor Pride
The Top 5 Regrets Of The Dying
The top 5 regrets of the dying are in bold text.
“The reasoning from the original article is in italics and quotes.”
Vic's notes — and the solution to living life without regret — are below each section in normal text.
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
“This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”
The only way you can ever live true to yourself is by being an entrepreneur because that's the only way you will be in charge of your own time schedule.
How can you live true to yourself when you're punching a timeclock every Monday through Friday, doing something that you don't want to do?
The key to happiness is doing something you like every single day.
Employees are more like double agents. They spend 8-10 hours per day pretending they care about their work, then they spend all evening drinking alcohol and dreading the next day.
You cannot be true to yourself when you live like a double agent. The only way to be true to yourself is to spend time doing the work you like to do and doing it every day.
Doing what we like makes us happy and doing what we dislike makes us miserable. It's a very easy choice to start a business, do what you like and be true to yourself.
Online businesses are the best types of business to start for 3 reasons: Startup cost is insignificant, profit potential is staggering and the fulfillment factor cannot be overstated — you can do exactly what you want to do every single day.
Online business gives you the freedom, flexibility and time that so many men died without knowing. Here is a great resource for starting an online business.
[If you're new to B&D, click here and input your email address and we'll email you weekly entrepreneurial and motivational articles.]
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
“This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.”
You can bet these men were not entrepreneurs. When you live the entrepreneur life you have the freedom to do as you please and spend time with anyone you like.
When you work 7 days per week it's because you're happy doing what you do. People who work 5 days per week are not happy doing what they do.
Why would a man need 2 days of rest for every 5 days worked? How lazy must a man be to require 2 days rest for every 5 days worked?
He doesn't physically need a rest, he needs a mental rest. Why though? He needs a mental rest because he hates the work he does.
If you hate what you do so much that you must take 2 full days off every week, you're in the wrong position. Any man who hates his job takes 2 days off out of every 7.
Spending 5 days out of every 7 days doing something you hate to do is madness.
Doesn't that seem a little silly to you? I don't mean taking 2 days off from something you hate, I mean spending 5 entire days out of every 7 doing something you hate.
If you hate your job so much you have to take 2 days off in every 5 worked then maybe working those 5 days is a big mistake.
What's the solution?
The solution is to do something you like to do and spend every day doing it. That's life happiness.
When you're an entrepreneur, you get to do what you like to do every day. Fulfilling work is what brings joy to life.
The only men and women who age well are the ones who spend every single day doing what they love to do.
Be like Donald Trump and do something you like every single day that you're alive. Trump is 70 years old but has the energy, stamina and vibrancy of a 20 year old, because he does the work he loves 7 days per week.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
“Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.”
If you don't say what you're feeling, no one else will never know. We can't guess what's going on in your head, you have to say it.
No one knows what's in your mind except for you.
The only way anyone else will learn what is on your mind is by you telling them.
You must learn how to communicate but think about it like this: I don't know unless you tell me. They don't know unless you tell them. No one knows unless you tell them.
Learn this rule: IF YOU DON'T SAY IT, NO ONE KNOWS IT.
Got it? Good. Learn the tools of effective communication here.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
“Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.”
This is what no one tells you about “working on the internet”…
You have more free time as a busy entrepreneur who works 7 days a week than you ever had as an employee.
Wait a second, how can you have MORE free time when you work more days?
When you work for yourself you make your own schedule and you work from wherever you want to work.
When you have a job, you have to physically go to that job for 8 hours a day and be away from your family.
As an entrepreneur you make your own schedule (or no schedule at all) and you have the time and ability to do whatever you like.
Entrepreneurs can spend MORE time with their families than men with jobs can.
Entrepreneurs can spend MORE time with their families than men with jobs can because the type of work you do as an entrepreneur is different.
Men with jobs say “I do it for my family” which is baloney, if you really did it for your family you'd work in a way that let you spend time with them.
If you actually “did it for your family” you'd be an entrepreneur so you could spend every extra second with them.
Like I explain in the video below… Your family doesn't want you gone all the time, they want your TIME. If you don't give it to them, you will regret it.
Your family and friends want your time. They don't want you to give your time to a job instead of to them.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
“This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”
Do you know what the #1 barrier to happiness is? Go look in the mirror.
What you see in the mirror is the #1 barrier to happiness… YOURSELF.
Humans are self-sabotaging creatures that try to “play by the rules” and stand in the way of their own success and happiness.
Playing by the rules leaves you on your death-bed full of regret.
Really, it all comes down to you to make the choice and to make it right now.
If you don't let yourself be happy now, then when?
- When you're older?
- When you're on your death bed?
That's when you'll magically become happy?
Or maybe…
Maybe…
Maybe if you delay you will pay.
Maybe it's better to let yourself be happy right now.
Maybe it's best to break the rules, unshackle yourself and be the man or woman you actually want to be.
If you don't, you might have some regrets on your death-bed.
… And those regrets cannot be corrected so you'd really better start right now.
How To Live And Die With No Regrets
The cure for living without regret is being an entrepreneur and working 7 days per week. Here's why:
The only way you will work 7 days per week, 365 day per year…
IS IF YOU LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
If you love what you are doing then you cannot possibly have regrets when you are dying… because you spent every single day doing exactly what you were born to do.
Fulfilling work is what brings joy to life. No one is going to give you fulfilling work, it's up to you to create it. These 5 resources will help you create that life.
Here are your top 5 resources for becoming an entrepreneur, being true to yourself, not working so hard, staying in touch with friends and family and letting yourself be happier.
1. How to become an entrepreneur: Take Off the Mask and Expose Your Inner Entrepreneur
2. How to be true to yourself: How to Make Money By Being Yourself
3. How to not work so hard: The Lazy Man's Guide to Wealth
4. How to stay in touch with friends and family: Why You Should Have Ass-Kicking Friends
5. How to let yourself be happy right now: The #1 Legal Mood Enhancing Supplement That Actually Works, Relieves Stress and Kills Social Anxiety
If you liked this article you are going to love New World Ronin. New World Ronin is the entrepreneur's cure to self-sabotage. Drop your email below and I'll send you a note when it's available.
Until next time.
Your man,
-Victor Pride
To start a blog you need to use Badnet. It’s free & easy + you get a ton of benefits. You will meet like-minded friends and fans. It’s a no-brainer. Here’s how to take advantage: How to Start a Blog Overnight – Use Badnet and Follow These Easy Directions
Great work Victor!
It looks like you are ‘working’ overtime this month… ;)
Keep up the great work!
-Shyam M
Thank you Shyam!
Every man over the age of 50 needs to absorb this article.
Every man under the age of 50 needs to absorb this article.
If you don’t know the difference between ‘read’ and ‘absorb’, look up the definition of absorb.
Regrets, I have a few;
Dropped out of the Boy Scouts.
Dropped out of high school.
Dropped out of the Navy after 4 years.
Dropped out of college six times.
Dropped out of my career.
Dropped out of my first marriage
Didn’t speak to mom for twelve years and she passed away.
Buried one of my teenage boys.
Got fat, diabetic, blood clots, stretch marks, vericose veins, wrinkles, grey hair.
Current marriage in trouble (no duh..)
I’m 54 years old. Lots of regrets. Wasted DECADES of life.
Well, what I have is: EXPERIENCE.
I’m dieting, 27lbs gone. Lost 5″ off my waist. Got a killer tan. Working out 30 mins, 2x a day. Eating VERY clean.
Told the troubled wife to get her shit together, get counseling, and figure out
what she wants. She knows that one more issue out of her and I’ll leave without saying goodbye and replace her in 15 minutes on match.com
I’ll be 55yo in 5 months, and in better shape with more to offer than I did at 25 years of age.
I’m not too old, and NEITHER ARE YOU!!
Victor, thank you for this article; it resonated deeply with me.
Getting my shit together, launching my blog on my 55th birthday.
I’m going to take all those regrets, all those life experiences, and help my fellow man.
GreyWolf, we’ve talked about your experiences and hardships in the past and I’ve got much respect for the strength you’ve shown to overcome everything that you have. I am really looking forward to your website. Slainte, friend.
Thank you GreyWolf, excellent comment.
GreyWolf,
Keep the fire alive my friend, you will arrive.
Yes! Amazing article. Makes me think of my time. My time is the most valuable thing I have so why would I ever waste it doing something I loathe?
There’s is no damn point in sitting around feeling sorry or thinking that you aren’t intelligent enough or blah, blah, blah…
You do whatever it takes! Period.
You live truly and from the heart, the way most others are sadly afraid to live.
For many of us, there’s a hole that we must work ourselves out of. Call it the “hole of fakeness” that you find yourself in.
And you don’t want to live like a fake, do you? Hell No!
You do whatever it takes and so then when you smile it will be from a place of honesty. When you laugh it will it will come from true amusement. Never again will you spew forth with these artificial emotions simply for the sake of politeness or uniformity. That’s crap and you know it.
You might say “B-but I don’t where to start!”
Start here! Start now. Because time’s running out…
Thank you Cody. Great comment.
The difference I see between you and Cernovich is complete dedication and focus, which reflects in your writings. Not so much of that in Mike’s stuff. You’re better (I think). You filter out noise. You get to the real deal.
Victor,
I’m 19 years old, not very experienced with women, lifting or really life in general (like 97% of 19 years I think).
I don’t have a blog I work on everyday day because I feel like I don’t have enough to say yet. I need to read more, train more, fuck more and basically experience more.
I’m in college studying Business, training hard , reading books and dating women but do you think I’m being a bitch and pussying out by now blogging or should I wait until I’m older?
I just don’t think an 19 year could have the wisdom of someone like you or Mike or Chris.(from GLL)
Why blog if you have nothing to say. Instead, keep a journal.
Thank you for this great wisdom, Vic! These all should be the core thoughts of people, but they lose themselves in the banal “bread and circuses” kind of thoughts instead. They don’t make the vitamin choices, they make the painkiller choices instead.
Thanks Aleks
This one really hit home with me Vic. This article will be on B&D’s “Must Read” list for years to come, I guarantee it.
Also, I’ve noticed throughout the history of this website, articles are almost always published on a Monday. Is that just a coincidence, or have you purposely done that to light a fire in all your readers that are stuck 9-5 Hell? Sort of as a way to show them there’s a light at the end of the tunnel?
Thank you as always,
Monday is the best and most important day of the week. Start it right, ONLY… at B&D.
I remember reading your articles in 2014. You’re the first person I started learning from on my entrepreneur journey. You gave me the basics that I needed to change my mindset. I’m now 100% self employed. You’re also the first person that taught me about Thailand. Now I’m going there next month with a one way ticket and my laptop.
Thanks Vic,
Christopher Longo
Thank you Cristopher
Victor,”you’d be an entrepreneur so you cold < "U" spend every extra second with them."
Thanks!
When you look back yourself five years ago and realize some things you did in the past. The thing you did however paid off and you were rewarded with hard work. That was five years ago; let’s say.
You don’t say… “Man I regret doing that”. No because you don’t regret it. You know even though it was hard work (mentally hard), the work paid off and you were rewarded with either money, learning new skills, and/or both.
Even if it’s mentally challenging task but it has reward, you are not going to regret it one, five or ten years from now. You will look back and realize it’s a part of your past that helped you become what you are today.
So when you are on verge to make a choice to do something, picture yourself in the future. Will you regret it or is it something worth for you. If it’s something that will pay off to help you in current situation and for your future, you won’t have ounce of regret. Then you know you can proceed on.
But better hurry because that time is ticking. The more you wait, the more time you waste.
Like you thought you wasted your time with two years of working as mechanic and you learned to change your own oil, change the brakes, rotate tires, flush out transmission fluid, and, etc…
One day, you go through road trip and one of your tire pops off. Instead of panicking like most people, you are calm because the situation seems familiar. You get basic tools (that happened to be in the back of your trunk) and replace the tire with the spare one and you proceed one. You were able to do this with ease because you done it (change tires) multiple of times in your previous job. You feel relieved. You aren’t going to say “Man I regret working as a mechanic; can’t believe I wasted time”. No because that situation just reminded you the importance of a skill that you learned through a job you had few years ago. You also didn’t panic because those situational skills came to you like second hand nature.
If you happened to not been able to apply that skill, perhaps you might have felt that you wasted your time but if it’s a skill that you can use in the future one day, then it shouldn’t fill your thoughts with feelings of regret. A lot of us (at least in the West) drive all the time and if we happen to know or learn the skills of basic automotive then it’s not something you should regret on.
Whatever goal, a mission and a purpose that you may have. If what you are doing right now is helping you achieve the goal faster and get their then you won’t have any thoughts of regret years later when you look back at yourself.
People usually get that feeling of regret when they wasted their time goofing off, letting their time slip by, and not taking any challenges and opportunity. For Men, missing out challenges and opportunity will bring us great misery and regretful feelings later on.
Watch how lions hunt gazelle, they run after the gazelle, grab it and bite it at its throat and don’t let go until the gazelle dies. If at any moment during the initial attack, the lion lets loose, the gazelle can run and the lion may lose opportunity for a meal. The lion bites and doesn’t let go.
Your life mentality should follow that and if that BITE helps you reach towards your goal, then you won’t have any regret whatsoever.
“You have more free time as a busy entrepreneur who works 7 days a week than you ever had as an employee.”
Pure gold.
Thanks Victor!
Memento Mori.
i’ve been an avid reader of your blog but sometimes it just seems like the dream isnt reachable i used to read your stuff when i was jus 16 and kept following you and GLL. Now im 19 and Yes i am a douchebag live in the city having fun but what you mainly insinuate is starting a blog now there have been young guys before me AKA Boytoystory and Mike chagares and couple of others that have TRIED but they end up shutting down the website. what is it that you and Mike cernovich and Christopher Deoudes do differentently that makes you actually make some bucks. BEcuase the dream feels FAKE after you see these guys who have nice websites and potential shutting their websites down.
Why would Mike delete all his posts, social media, and contact info>
Mike had an accident and he’s been in and out of the hospital. Why his accounts were deleted, I really don’t know.
You are not reading the words I write if you think writing a blog is the only way.
Some fail. Some give up. Some never approach it with their heart in the game in the first place.
The same is true no matter which road you take: Be it a musician, scientist, blogger, artist, youtuber, inventor - whatever. The truth is, few people genuinely fail. Most either give up before they put in the work necessary, or they only ever half ass it in the first place.
Three years ago I became very present to what I would think about or perhaps feel on my death bed. That was a very intense experience that woke me up.
The next day, I got out of bed called the realtor told her that I was putting my condo on the market, sent in my resignation letter that ended a 20 year career, packed a suit case and left it all behind.
Literally I walked away from my life and began the life that I was too afraid to begin as I had excuse upon excuse to not start and too many people holding me back.
I got out of the bleachers and into the GAME. No past knowledge or experience just a UNSHAKABLE WILL to succeed.
I am now a successful entrepreneur and financially free in just 3 years - Victor is right, do this exercise with HEART and it WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE - Wake UP DEAD MEN, the TIME IS NOW
Nikko
Hey Victor,
I really liked this article. You really hit home some good points on how to live without regret.
Most people that I coach, hate their jobs and are just in it for a pay check. That’s why they feel drained on a five day work week.
As an entrepreneur, I get to spend more time with my daughter. I get to watch her grow up. Even though I work longer hours and spend more time at work. I’ve learned over the years, that quality time spent is the most important. When I’m with my family, I’ve learned over the years to give 100% of my time to my family and not stress out about the business.
Victor - question on BADNet as I am thinking of trying it. I already have a domain registered through godaddy, can I transfer it to my badnet hosting?
Yes you can.
Well, it’s like this: if you DIE in your SINS and end up in HELL… Unfortunately you will REGRET NOT trusting on JESUS CHRIST the SON OF GOD: http://jesus-is-savior.com/how_to_be_saved.html
The absolute #1 “regret of dying” is to DIE without be SAVED by JESUS…
Hopefully no one here will have to face that horrible fate… Amen.
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed
Thank you for your unsolicited religious advice. You have not died yet, so I will not take your “#1 regret of dying” advice.
Killer. Number 5 is the killer. Very true! Going to start being happier, right now, today!
I made a summary of your article and framed it in my office as a daily reminder. PLEASE EVERYONE - Pursue your passions & stay true to yourself. You will not be good to others unless you are 1st good to yourself!
Yet another mind blowing article.
Thank you Yogesh
I wouñd LOVE to be Deejay. I know it’s not a career man but dam I like playing music for people. It doesn’t come with health insurance, my family won’t think it’s silly, etc. What are your opinions if I do pursue this? Neef advice…is it still considered entrepreneurship in your opinion? Thanks in advance
As always - a very good article. Very thought provoking.! Number 4 on the list is so true. I am blessed to have four very close guy friends - all but one Ive known for over twenty years. Loyal, non -toxic friends are rare. They should be cherished like gold. Ive been self employed for over 10 years. At times the money has been less than previous corporate jobs - but the freedom and independence has been priceless. Today was my Birthday. My wife and I got up late ( 800am) , had breakfast, then went out and hiked a local 3500 ft. mtn. We then came home, sat on the porch drinking a beer and then followed up with a great dinner. I didn’t have to ask anyone for the day off in advance, got to spend time with someone I love and just enjoyed the day. Tomorrow I look forward to working hard in the morning before heading off on a mini vacation over the weekend. This is the type of freedom that being your owns boss brings. Its awesome !
Thanks Silas!
Great article Vic! Thanks.
The world would be way better if every single person understood only this: To be happy do only things you love doing, but for a cause.
Keep it rollin’ Vic!
Thanks Mike!
Yo Victor,
I’m already a successful seller on Amazon. But I wanna start my OWN site.
What recommendations/sources do you have for starting your own e-commerce store?
I’ve read your badnet page. Badnet?
What about Shopify?
Thanks!!!
I like this website. It is rich and educational