How to Avoid Regretting The Way You Spend Your Time in 2024
100 Things #014 - Find a Passion Project
Philosophy surrounding the concept of “regret” varies widely, but many thoughts around the idea center around two main camps — it is either an inevitable pain or an avoidable consequence.
A Brief History
In Either/Or: A Fragment of Life, Kierkegaard has it that whether you pick this thing or that thing in life “you will regret both.”
Every choice has its pros and cons, and if you are consciously making the decision of one route over another, you will inevitably miss out on the road untravelled.
What I believe to be the ultimate takeaway from this revelation though is that one needs to take a sense of pride in the path they choose to take. Even if that path is in some way chosen for them, it is still the path they get to walk, and that in itself is a privilege in some capacity. This idea relates well to the idea of JOMO (or the Joy of Missing Out phenomenon) which I first discussed here, if you’re curious to take a look.
In other words, I think one can imagine the “joy” one derives from the “joy of missing out” to be a sort of general feeling of life fulfillment. And in my mind, that feeling of life fulfillment is unquestionably one of the highest aims one can have in their lifetime. So it follows then that by trying to concentrate on intentionality when making decisions, or, according to Kierkegaard, choosing to “either do this or that,” a person significantly improves their odds of living a life that they can at least be content with.
Channeling JOMO in Your Passion
Now, once it's been decided to do something with intention, the question of what to do with their time does come up, and I think one’s best bet is oftentimes to find a passion project that one personally can derive that sense of fulfillment from.
For me, that’s photography. I used to think it would be writing, but I quickly realized that I wanted to pursue writing professionally, making it not much of a hobby. Photography for me gets to be a much more low-stakes, enjoyable way to spend time.
No stress of deadlines, no expectations, no concern of how to try and make a living from it.
I think the difficult part for most people is finding something that strikes that balance. It takes time and a self-awareness of what makes someone tick from purely a place of passion.
And it’s worth stating that a passion project doesn’t always need to be an art form. It could be coding, or it might be weight-lifting.
It can truly range any number of pastimes, as long as it's done with intention and tickles that part of the human psyche that creates that sense of fulfillment we all crave so much.
I’ll leave you here with a few journaling prompts for those who want to do a bit of guided thinking around this topic:
Reflect on Kierkegaard's perspective that regret is inevitable regardless of the choices we make. How does this idea resonate with your own experiences? Have you ever felt torn between two options, knowing that you might regret either decision?
Explore the concept of the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) and its connection to living a fulfilled life. How can embracing intentional decision-making help cultivate a sense of contentment and fulfillment? Can you share an example from your own life where you experienced JOMO?
Consider how passion projects contribute to a sense of fulfillment and purpose in life. What is your passion project, and how does it bring you joy? How do you prioritize spending time on your passion project amidst other responsibilities?
Whatever your choice, I’d love to hear how your next passion project goes. Feel free to let me know in the replies or the comment section below.
For now, have a good week, and I’ll see you at 100.
Great point! I think everyone needs to think like Da Vinci for something, he painted the Mona Lisa over 17 years because he was having fun.