Friday, December 10, 2004
Before this week, I saw this interesting yet meaningful result of a survey. As the site was in Chinese, for the beneficial of non-chinese readers, I tried translating the article based on my poor English. Thankfully, Joselyn replied to the email that I send out to share the story and improved the translation to the below. For all to enjoy or rather food for thought. Original traditional chinese article is posted thereafter.
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What is your greatest regret?
A Belgium magazine company conducted a nation wide survey with a group of elderly age over 60 on the topic - "What is your greatest regret?" Below are some of the results that appear in the top 10 greatest regrets that are easily erred.
Ranked Top: 75% of the participants who took the survey feels regret that they did not work hard enough during their younger days and as a result does not have a successful career.
"The fruit of success blossom what you have seeded". If you want to have things that others can't get it, you have to put in the extra effort that others did not put in. when you are young you still have the competitive edge and would put in the extra mile to work harder.
Ranked Second: 70% of the participants revealed that they regret that they have chosen the wrong career during when they were young.
There is nothing wrong with choosing the wrong career, but many would prefer a steadfast career. The ideal job mindset that the young had was to have "less working hours with higher wages and having a job close to home". However, they have forgotten that without stress there will not be with motivation and drive to succeed. Without the drive to succeed, the hidden potential will not be unleashed. The world does not lack of rewarding employers but filled with buried potentials that have chosen to tuck away their hidden talent.
Ranked Third: 62% of the participants regrets that they did not enforce adequate education to their children or used the wrong educational method.
Many parents did not regret and feel that their way of educating their children was correct and adequate. It was only after many years later, they realized that their method of educating the children was based on their individual way and experience and it does not benefit their children. Therefore, they regret that the method was inappropriate or seem to not provide adequate education for their children.
Ranked Fourth: With the 57% of the participants, they regret that they did not cherish their partner
It was only when you lose your missing piece that you realized how much you need it badly. The young couples got married to accompany each other till eternity. Realizing the missing piece in life does not allow you to undo the mistake.
Ranked Fifth: 49% of the participants regrets that they did not exercise enough or did not maintain a good state of health.
Before 60, many dream to change every part of their body. After 60, many wish to trade everything they have for a good health. The richest wealth that man can hope for is to have a good state of health.
Ranked Tenth: About 15% of the people regrets that they did not earn enough money.
To the young and middle age adult, this might seems wholesomely true. Being rich can guarantee a lot of stuffs, however, money is not the most important goal in life.
After thoughts
When you are young and have regrets, you still live the chance to correct the MISTAKES. Once you reach OLD AGE, life does not provide you with much opportunity to undo your regrets. Thus we should reflect upon ourselves to see the path that we have taken and ask ourselves conscientiously - "What is your greatest regret that you have done?"
Taken from the following post on Yahoo TW
http://tw.letter.yahoo.com/preview.php?letter_id=38228&date=2004-12-03
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比利時一家雜誌，曾對全國60歲以上的老人作了一次問卷調查，調查的題目是："你最後悔的是什麼？"並列出了十幾項生活中容易後悔的事情，供被調查者選擇。以下是調查的結果。
【第一名】75%的人後悔年輕時努力不夠，以至事業無成。
凡事沒有不勞而獲，胡適說：”要怎麼收穫，先怎麼栽”。 你想得到別人得不到的，就得付出別人不願付出的。 尤其是在你還年輕，還有機會競爭的時候。
【第二名】70%的人後悔年輕時錯誤地選錯職業。
錯誤不在選擇了什麼職業而在於選擇了安穩。 現在年輕人的擇業觀念，要”錢多事少離家近”，
但他們卻忘了沒有了壓力也就沒有了動力，沒有了動力也就發掘不出潛力。不是天下伯樂太少
而是自己埋沒了自己。
【第三名】62%的人後悔對子女教育不夠或方法不當。
很多父母當時並不後悔甚至認為自己教養子女做得「很對」直到多年以後，發現按照自己的「模式」、自己的「經驗」和自己的「方法」，並沒有使子女成才和受益的時候，他們才會後悔『教育不夠』或『方法不當』
【第四名】57%的人後悔沒有好好珍惜自己的伴侶。
有人說醉過方知酒濃，愛過才知情真；但感情之事永遠是失去才知珍惜。
俗謂年少夫妻老來伴，年輕時不能忍，老來才後悔已經來不及了。
【第五名】49%的人後悔鍛鍊身體不足。
「60歲以前想用身體換一切，60歲以後想用一切換身體。」
世界之上，還有什麼東西能比身體健康更寶貴？
【第十名】只有15%的人後悔沒有賺到更多的錢。
對於還沒有賺到很多錢的年青人和中年人來說，這也許是個很好的安慰。有錢雖然能夠辦很多事情，但賺錢顯然並不是人生最重要的目的。
【後語】
年輕的時候後悔還可以改進；年老的時候後悔，想補救也來不及。所以，我們每個人都應該經常回頭看看自己走過的路捫心自問：『我什麼事情最後悔？』
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