Why People Regret Decisions They Think About the Longest

"I'll be the first to admit that, as a decision scientist, I've spent years encouraging people to approach decisions with intention and deliberation. You probably have been taught the same way. Think carefully, evaluate all options and risks, and don't rush. It sounds sensible, and usually it is. Yet sometimes we see a confounding experience-those choices they agonized over most are often the ones they later regret."

"But this can lead to inaction, as many of us are horrified at the prospect of making the wrong decision, and we might regret it if we rush through the process. Psychological research, however, suggests that regret is not driven solely by the quality of the outcome. Instead, it is shaped by how vividly we imagine the alternatives we didn't choose."

Extended deliberation can increase regret for subjective life decisions by intensifying mental simulations of the unlived alternatives. People who ruminate on options imagine vividly how other choices might have unfolded, which makes foregone paths feel more real and amplifies regret even when outcomes are similar. Excessive analysis can produce inaction or prolonged uncertainty and does not guarantee better emotional outcomes. Limiting alternatives, accepting a chosen course, and committing to it reduces the salience of what was not chosen. Practicing commitment and letting go of counterfactual imaginings helps lower retrospective regret and supports satisficing in complex personal decisions.

Read at Psychology Today