In this enlightening discussion, best-selling author Bronnie Ware, known for 'The Top Five Regrets of the Dying', shares profound insights from her experience in palliative care. She addresses common regrets like the longing for authenticity and nurturing relationships over work. Bronnie emphasizes the courage needed to express feelings and the importance of living in the moment. The conversation encourages listeners to prioritize meaningful connections and choose happiness amidst struggles, reminding us all to embrace life fully.
01:03:04
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Grace's Regret
Bronnie Ware shares the story of Grace, who stayed in an unhappy marriage due to societal expectations.
Grace regretted not living for herself and urged Bronnie to live authentically.
insights INSIGHT
* societal pressure*
Many people prioritize jobs they believe they should do over those aligned with their empathy and true selves.
This societal pressure contributes to the regret of not pursuing fulfilling work.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Prioritizing work over family
A client prioritized work and status over his wife's desire to travel.
He regretted not honoring her dreams after she died before his planned retirement.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In 'Strong Female Character: What Movies Teach Us,' Hanna Flint combines her personal memoir with insightful commentary on the impact of cinema on her life. As a feminist of mixed-race heritage, Flint discusses her experiences growing up, her struggles with identity, body image, and ambitions, all through the lens of film. The book is divided into sections such as Origin Story, Coming of Age, Adult Material, Workplace Drama, and Strong Female Character, each exploring different themes and how films have helped her process and understand these aspects of her life. Flint's writing is witty and engaging, filled with personal anecdotes and film recommendations that highlight the importance of diverse representation in cinema.
From Strength to Strength
Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
Arthur C Brooks
In 'From Strength to Strength', Arthur C. Brooks addresses the inevitable decline in abilities that comes with aging and provides a practical guide on how to transform this period into an opportunity for growth. Drawing on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, as well as interviews with everyday men and women, Brooks advocates for refocusing on priorities such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, connection and service to others, and spiritual progress. He argues that by adapting our expectations and focusing on these areas, we can achieve increased happiness and purpose in our later years.
The top five regrets of the dying
Bronnie Ware
In this book, Bronnie Ware shares her experiences from working in palliative care, where she identified the five most common regrets of the dying. These regrets include: 'I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me,' 'I wish I hadn’t worked so hard,' 'I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings,' 'I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends,' and 'I wish that I had let myself be happier.' The book provides a heartfelt and inspiring account of how these regrets can be addressed while there is still time, promoting a life of greater compassion, honesty, and happiness.
There will come a time for all of us (unless we REALLY make some improvements with bio-hacking) where we are faced with our own mortality.
Who is at your hypothetical bedside? Are you happy with how you’ve lived? Do you have any regrets?
In this Summer School edition of the Academy of Imperfection, we are joined by Bronnie Ware.
Bronnie found herself in palliative care, caring for, and listening to, the dying. And boy, are we glad she did.
Bronnie collated, and published, the Top 5 Regrets of the Dying (listed below for your convenience), and this episode is devoted to talking through what each of these might mean for Hugh, Ryan and Josh.
I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
I wish I hadn’t worked so hard
I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
I wish that I had let myself be happier
Perfectly timed for the New Year, we hope you get as much out of this episode as we did.
Bronnie, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us.
The Imperfects 
