4.22 Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Stay Ready and Prepared

“It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret.” - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Do you focus more on the past or the future?

Someone once told me, “There is a reason the windshield of a car is much larger than the rearview mirror. This is because your future matters more and what is in front of you is more important than your past and what is behind you.”

Sure, we learn a lot from our past; this is where wisdom comes from, but we can’t do anything about our past.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee won 6 Olympic medals, including 3 gold medals. She once said, “It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret.” 

"Look ahead and prepare" means focusing on the future - planning, setting goals, and taking action now to be ready for what’s coming. "Look back and regret" refers to feeling remorse or disappointment over missed opportunities or poor decisions in the past.

Instead of wasting your time and energy regretting a past you can’t do anything about, spend your time preparing for your future. Another good quote says, “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret." Have the discipline to focus on and plan your future, then have the discipline to stick to the plan.

Who do you want to be, and what do you have to do to make this happen? Think, plan, and prepare today for your future.

Regret doesn’t change the past, but preparation can shape your future.

Question of the Day: How can you focus more on spending your time and energy preparing for the future you want instead of regretting the past?