Anticipated Regret

Anticipated regret describes the fear of making a decision that will later be regretted. It occurs when we worry about the potential negative consequences of our actions.

This can lead to inaction and a lack of decision-making. It can improve caution for high-stakes, irreversible choices, but it also overweights low-probability downsides.

To prevent anticipated regret, it's important to carefully consider the potential consequences of our actions. Use it deliberately: imagine future you after each option, note what would truly trigger regret, then balance with expected value and reversibility.