In retrospect, I should have worked my ass off so that I'd be retired now. Or learned a bunch of languages. Or spend a lot of time practicing guitar and piano.

In retrospect, I should have worked my ass off so that I'd be retired now. Or learned a bunch of languages. Or spend a lot of time practicing guitar and piano. In other words, it's easy to imagine what you should've done when you also imagine the entire cost being in the past but all the benefits still being enjoyed in the present. You might, of course, be right - but you also might not be, and it's hard to tell when fantasising about all the benefits and not actively living through paying the cost. Which is also the reason why we shouldn't put much stock in what people on their death beds say they wish they've done differently.