What if the biggest career regret isn’t quitting—but staying too long? Nirit Cohen, Contributor on Forbes and a leading voice on the Future of Work
We all know someone who dislikes their job but sticks with it, distracting themselves with vacations and hobbies. Maybe they regret not leaving a bad job, not asking for a raise, or ignoring their true passion. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Regret is common. A survey by Resume Now found that 66% of workers have career regrets, like not negotiating salary, ignoring work-life balance, or staying in a job too long. You might think regret grows over time, but research from VU Amsterdam found that young adults aged 18 to 25 actually report the highest career regret. This shows how important it is to deal with regrets early before they become harder to fix.
But regret isn’t the real problem—it’s what you do about it that matters. A 2022 study on career choices found that people handle regret in different ways. Some take action by changing jobs or learning new skills. Others try to escape the feeling by keeping busy with vacations or fun activities. While distractions might help for a while, they don’t solve the actual problem and can keep you stuck in regret.
As we enter a new year, it’s a great time to face regrets, learn from them, and take action. It’s better to make a mistake—taking a chance that doesn’t work out—than to live with regret, wondering what could have been. Mistakes, while uncomfortable, often lead to better decisions and smarter career moves because they teach valuable lessons. For example, staying too long in a job you’ve outgrown is a common regret. But trying a career change that doesn’t work out is just a mistake—and mistakes can be fixed. Interestingly, Resume Now’s survey found that more people regret staying in a job than leaving one.
Actionable Framework: From Regret to Resilience
Regret isn’t inherently negative. As Nirit Cohen explains: “Regret is an invitation to reflect, prioritize, and act.” Cohen, who bridges trends with solutions in the evolving work landscape, has spent years researching how individuals can navigate career transitions with confidence. To transform regret into growth, she highlights three actionable strategies:
1. Address the Root Cause
Start by identifying the root cause of the regret. “Are you dissatisfied because you stayed too long in one role? Or because you chose a career path that didn’t align with your values?” Cohen asks. A finance professional who felt stuck in her role realized her regret stemmed from neglecting her passion for sustainability. Her reflection helped clarify what needed to change, turning regret into a guide for action and setting the foundation for what would later become a transformative career pivot.
2. Redefine Success
Success isn’t static—it evolves alongside your career and personal priorities. “The transforming world of work now offers more freedom to define success in ways that go beyond the traditional corporate ladder of the past,” Cohen explains. Today, success can include prioritizing what matters most to you—flexibility, fulfillment, learning opportunities, or the ability to integrate personal passions into your professional life. For someone who regrets neglecting work-life balance, success may now mean embracing roles with flexible schedules or remote work options. For someone who stayed in a job too long, it may mean exploring opportunities for growth and development in emerging fields. For the finance professional, redefining success meant acknowledging that incorporating her passion into her life was essential, even if it started as a volunteer effort.
3. Take Small, Intentional Steps
Once you’ve identified the root cause and redefined success, the next step is to act. But action doesn’t mean you have to take bold steps like quitting your job. Cohen emphasizes the power of small, intentional actions, saying “Incremental progress can lead to significant transformation.” Start by exploring new ways of working, such as portfolio careers, independent roles, or flexible schedules. Whether it’s enrolling in a course, expanding your network, or volunteering in a new field, these steps build momentum for meaningful change. For the finance professional, small but intentional steps—like volunteering for a nonprofit in her spare time—eventually led to a transition into a finance job at an organization aligned with the nonprofit’s mission. This allowed her to merge her financial expertise with meaningful work that fulfilled her values and aspirations.
The Best Time to Start Is Now
The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity for a career self-assessment. The changing world of work offers more tools than ever to address past regrets and make bold new choices. Flexible work opportunities, such as independent work or portfolio careers, provide ways to diversify income and pursue passions. Flexible schedules accommodate diverse needs, while platforms for continuous learning enable skill development without relying on a single employer. By acting on reflection, you can move past regret and build a career aligned with your values.
Regret may be inevitable, but dwelling on it serves no purpose. As Cohen puts it: “Use regret as the spark to rewrite your story. Dream big, take bold steps, and create a future that aligns with your aspirations.” This new year is the perfect time to start.