Thursday, August 23, 2007

What If Games

There are people who appear to be haunted by the words What if. What if I had done X instead of Y. What if I had got up the nerve to ask her out. What if I had made a different decision. What if I had paid more attention. The list can go on and on if we choose to let it.

But talk about a waste of time. We made decisions and took actions or failed to take action and decisions based on moments in our past. Those moments are written in stone and cannot be changed. Regretted or learnt from but unchanged forever.

To continue to play the What if game serves no purpose but to occupy our current moments in wishful thinking about some possibility for a more positive result. No matter what we think we cannot change the past it is beyond our ability.

We need to focus on creating our future with our actions right now. In the next moment it will be our past and so our future unrolls from a series of present moments. Don't waste them.

Your thoughts?

Technorati tags: , ,

9 conversations:

Sandee said...

As you know this is a tough one for me. Must be that Virgo thing. I don't do is as much since I retired, but still do from time to time. I too know that I can't change it so why fret. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda... Excellent advice Peter. Have a great evening my friend. :)

Peter Haslam said...

I still play this game a little too much myself Sandee

Sandee said...

We are alike on this issue. Have a great weekend Peter. Off to the boat shortly. :)

Peter Haslam said...

Have a great weekend Sandee :)

Anonymous said...

Occasionally time doesnt pass so quickly that you can't take advantage of a what if. For instance, if I was dithering over buying say, a car, and held back, and saw the price rise. I could be negative, curse, and just think I missed out. But if I am smart, I should think, "I was right to pick that car, it may be a bit more expensive, but what if I buy it now?" and do it!

Peter Haslam said...

You are still in the present Ed and not the past. An essential difference

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

this is hard for me right now with the medical things staring me in the face. sigh...

smiles, bee

Peter Haslam said...

Bee you have my best wishes and hopes for a good conclusion to your health problems.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

thanks peter... i need all the help i can get right now!

smiles, bee