The Quotes canon
Sourced and curated.
Every quote has been curated by hand and carefully authenticated.
Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Regret23 quotes
You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. — Terry Malloy · 1954Remorse sleeps during a prosperous period but wakes up in adversity. — Jean-Jacques Rousseau · 1781I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations-one can do either this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it-you will regret both. — Soren Kierkegaard · 1843For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: "It might have been!" — John Greenleaf Whittier · 1856Things said or done long years ago,
Or things I did not do or say
But thought that I might say or do,
Weigh me down, and not a day
But something is recalled,
My conscience or my vanity appalled. — W.B. Yeats · 1933I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on.
A chicken hawk floats over, looking for home.
I have wasted my life. — James Arlington Wright · 1961All 23 quotes →Remorse3 quotes
Remorse sleeps during a prosperous period but wakes up in adversity. — Jean-Jacques Rousseau · 1781Things said or done long years ago,
Or things I did not do or say
But thought that I might say or do,
Weigh me down, and not a day
But something is recalled,
My conscience or my vanity appalled. — W.B. Yeats · 1933Of all means to regeneration Remorse is surely the most wasteful. It cuts away healthy tissues with the poisoned. It is a knife that probes far deeper than the evil. — E.M. Forster · 1910Missed opportunities2 quotes
You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. — Terry Malloy · 1954No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused! — Charles Dickens · 1843Taking risks2 quotes
Do you want to take a leap of faith or become an old man filled with regret waiting to die alone? — Saito · 2010You gotta pay attention to the signs. When life reaches out a moment like this, it's a sin if you don't reach back. I'm telling you its a sin if you don't reach back! It'll haunt you for the rest of your days like a curse. — Pat Sr. · 2012The road not taken2 quotes
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: "It might have been!" — John Greenleaf Whittier · 1856Nothing haunts like the things we don't say. — Mitch Albom · 2009Broken relationships1 quote
I wish I had stayed, too. Now I wish I had stayed. I wish I had done a lot of things. I wish I had... I wish I had stayed. I do. — Joel Barish · 2004Carpe diem1 quote
No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused! — Charles Dickens · 1843Conformity1 quote
I've never done a single thing I've wanted to in my whole life! I don't know 's I've accomplished anything except just get along. — Sinclair Lewis · 1922Decisions and choices1 quote
I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations-one can do either this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it-you will regret both. — Soren Kierkegaard · 1843Dwelling on the past1 quote
What can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished? The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of you and I, there is little choice other than to leave our fate, ultimately, in the hands of those great gentlemen at the hub of this world who employ our services. What is the point in worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one’s life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that is in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment. — Kazuo Ishiguro · 1989Facing death1 quote
When you die, you're gonna regret the things that you don't do. — Ricky Roma · 1992Going for it1 quote
Do you want to take a leap of faith or become an old man filled with regret waiting to die alone? — Saito · 2010Guilt1 quote
Of all means to regeneration Remorse is surely the most wasteful. It cuts away healthy tissues with the poisoned. It is a knife that probes far deeper than the evil. — E.M. Forster · 1910Inflection points1 quote
You gotta pay attention to the signs. When life reaches out a moment like this, it's a sin if you don't reach back. I'm telling you its a sin if you don't reach back! It'll haunt you for the rest of your days like a curse. — Pat Sr. · 2012Living inauthentically1 quote
You live all your life on lies, and then maybe when you're ready to die, it comes to you-that there's nothing, nothing but yourself and what you could have done. — John Williams · 1960Lying to oneself1 quote
You live all your life on lies, and then maybe when you're ready to die, it comes to you-that there's nothing, nothing but yourself and what you could have done. — John Williams · 1960Motivation1 quote
Have regrets. They are fuel. — Geoff Dyer · 2010Nature scene1 quote
I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on.
A chicken hawk floats over, looking for home.
I have wasted my life. — James Arlington Wright · 1961Nothing to lose1 quote
You've got nothing to lose, and you'll always regret it if you don't. — Daniel · 2003Personal growth1 quote
Of all means to regeneration Remorse is surely the most wasteful. It cuts away healthy tissues with the poisoned. It is a knife that probes far deeper than the evil. — E.M. Forster · 1910Relationships1 quote
I wish I had stayed, too. Now I wish I had stayed. I wish I had done a lot of things. I wish I had... I wish I had stayed. I do. — Joel Barish · 2004Sadness1 quote
Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it come to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh. — Henry David Thoreau · 1839Self-improvement1 quote
Of all means to regeneration Remorse is surely the most wasteful. It cuts away healthy tissues with the poisoned. It is a knife that probes far deeper than the evil. — E.M. Forster · 1910Special moments1 quote
You gotta pay attention to the signs. When life reaches out a moment like this, it's a sin if you don't reach back. I'm telling you its a sin if you don't reach back! It'll haunt you for the rest of your days like a curse. — Pat Sr. · 2012The human condition1 quote
Marry, and you will regret it; don’t marry, you will also regret it; marry or don’t marry, you will regret it either way. Laugh at the world’s foolishness, you will regret it; weep over it, you will regret that too; laugh at the world’s foolishness or weep over it, you will regret both. Believe a woman, you will regret it; believe her not, you will also regret it… Hang yourself, you will regret it; do not hang yourself, and you will regret that too; hang yourself or don’t hang yourself, you’ll regret it either way; whether you hang yourself or do not hang yourself, you will regret both. This, gentlemen, is the essence of all philosophy. — Soren Kierkegaard · 1843The past1 quote
What can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished? The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of you and I, there is little choice other than to leave our fate, ultimately, in the hands of those great gentlemen at the hub of this world who employ our services. What is the point in worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one’s life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that is in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment. — Kazuo Ishiguro · 1989Wasted life1 quote
I've never done a single thing I've wanted to in my whole life! I don't know 's I've accomplished anything except just get along. — Sinclair Lewis · 1922What motivates people1 quote
Have regrets. They are fuel. — Geoff Dyer · 2010World War II1 quote
Now, there's one thing that you men will be able to say when you get back home and you may thank God for it. Thirty years from now, when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks you, "What did you do in the great World War II?" you won't have to say, "Well...I shoveled shit in Louisiana." — General George S. Patton · 1969