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Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

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Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#81

Post by cmrdporcupine »

I would redo all of my time in high school. Personal and academic. Not getting the grades I needed in math then stopped me from being able to pursue a CS degree in post-secondary. And that meant spinning my wheels running uphill in my career for a long time trying to get employers to consider me. It still affects me, 20+ years into my career.

And I made 'choices' (are adolescents truly making choices?) in my personal relationships and actions at the time that I think were selfish and at times unethical that I wish I could go back and change.

Amazing that we let these years be such a critical fulcrum for individual's lives even though most adolescents are not at all ready to make the important decisions and sacrifices.

I am a parent of two teens now. It's hard.

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#82

Post by qwerty456127 »

My only regret is I never cared to exercise physically. I hate exercising with passion but I probably would be terrifically fit and flexible if I had been putting just some very-very small but systematic effort throughout my whole life. Not a serious regret though, just a missed opportunity (I still am reasonably fit).

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#84

Post by Aeolos »

dankai wrote: post #78

Perhaps a more simple regret, but not buying bitcoin when it was at ~8USD. In hindsight it would've been the easiest way to not have to think about money anymore for the rest of my life.

I mined a few bitcoins on a GPU back in the beginning, but threw them away as useless.

In hindsight...

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#85

Post by theow7384iri »

mjthrowaway1 wrote: post #11

I let a divorce ruin me mentally during a pivotal year of my company. Had a rough valuation of ~100MM and blew my top 3 market position because I let my ex convince me that it was all my fault that our relationship failed. In reality she was just struggling with being gay. I stopped paying attention at work for about 18 months in an attempt to “save my family” but I just ended up losing everything. Oh well.

Been there, employee #12 in 2016 at startup that created one of top ten cryptocurrencies. Was not crypto nut, I worked in research, friend gave me a gig. Disposed all crypto assets a few months before 2017 peak, bcos wanted simple divorce. Friends were telling me to convert everything to coins and run into Thailand LOL.

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#86

Post by epmatsw »

dankai wrote: post #78

Perhaps a more simple regret, but not buying bitcoin when it was at ~8USD. In hindsight it would've been the easiest way to not have to think about money anymore for the rest of my life.

Gotta be this. Spent hours and hours on Folding when Bitcoin was just getting started, if I’d spent a single day mining I’d be retired now. Doubt I’ll see an opportunity like that again in my lifetime.

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#87

Post by philliphaydon »

Staying at my previous job too long. 9 years. At 5 years it started to turn toxic. I always hoped it would get better but it didn’t. I should have left sooner but I wanted to finish the project I was on because I wanted to leave behind something to feel proud of.

In the end the company screwed my over. But I have a better job now so it worked out ok.

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#89

Post by derekp7 »

gberger wrote: post #79
dankai wrote: post #78

Perhaps a more simple regret, but not buying bitcoin when it was at ~8USD. In hindsight it would've been the easiest way to not have to think about money anymore for the rest of my life.

You would have sold at $100 ;)

If only I would have had the foresight to buy a lottery ticket with the correct winning numbers.

Yes, there was Bitcoin, however there are always millions of investment opportunities that may or may not pan out. Most don't.

Re: Ask HN: What's Your Biggest Regret?

#90

Post by l33tbro »

THENATHE wrote: post #12

I wish I had asked my dad more things and recorded/wrote them down . My old man is in for stage 4 cancer and it gets harder to ask him things. Every little tidbit of info he gave me over the years I cherish greatly, but I often times (read: nearly always) forget the context or nuance of the statement, meaning that, of the thousands of moments I’ve had with him, only a select few are ones that provide me any insight i…

Forget nuance, what I would have given for one meaningful moment from my largely aloof old man. You are lucky to have that relationship in ways you'll never know.

Either way, sorry to hear about his condition.

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