CEO speaks: The Career Regret That Echoes the Loudest
Whenever I meet our alumni, one theme keeps coming back. Surprisingly, it is not about starting salaries, missing out on promotions, or even choosing the “wrong” specialization. The one career regret I hear most often is far simpler, yet far more profound: “I wish I had taken more risks early on.”
Most students enter university with curiosity bubbling inside them. They want to join new clubs, launch projects, apply for internships abroad, or maybe even start a venture of their own. But as graduation nears, something changes. Many begin to retreat into what feels like a “safe zone.” They follow the herd, accept the first stable job offer, and silence the inner voice that whispers, “What if?” Years later, when they look back, their greatest regret is not failure… it is the absence of trying.
A mix of cultural, social, and personal factors conspire to nudge young professionals toward caution. Parents and society often reinforce the message: “Get a stable job first, then think of passion later.” Fear of failure looms large and the possibility of “what if it doesn’t work” outweighs the excitement of “what if it does.” The short-term comfort of a predictable pay check feels safer than the discomfort of uncertainty. And in the absence of mentors, who have dared to pursue unconventional paths, it becomes easier to conform than to explore. What feels like safety at 20 often transforms into regret at 40.
When alumni reflect, they often speak with a mix of clarity and longing. Many confess they wish they had explored interdisciplinary learning instead of confining themselves to one subject silo. Some regret turning down internships in smaller firms or start-ups, places where learning is faster, responsibilities greater, and the thrill of experimentation much more alive. Others wish they had pursued international opportunities when they had fewer responsibilities tying them down. Quite a few recall suppressing the urge to launch their own venture, artistic pursuit, or creative project, only to watch someone else succeed in that space years later. And almost all agree they could have invested more time in building networks and relationships beyond their immediate circles.
This regret need not be repeated by the next generation. Avoiding it starts with rethinking what we mean by “risk.” Taking a risk does not mean being reckless. It simply means giving yourself permission to experiment. Your early professional years are a kind of prototype phase, when the stakes are lower and the lessons learned are invaluable. Approaching them with this mindset changes the equation: instead of fearing what could go wrong, you begin to see how much you could grow.
Embracing a growth mindset is central to this shift. Failure is not the opposite of success, it is its foundation. Those who dared early, even if they “failed,” often describe these experiences as the crucibles that prepared them for bigger successes later in life.
A second way to sidestep regret is to broaden your horizons deliberately. Too often, students remain locked within the narrow walls of their syllabus. By seeking courses, projects, or experiences beyond your comfort zone—whether in design, coding, public speaking, or psychology—you collect more dots to connect later. These seemingly unrelated skills and exposures often become the very building blocks of innovation and adaptability.
The presence of mentors and networks also plays a crucial role. Having people around you who have walked less conventional paths can give you both courage and direction. Their guidance works like a compass, reminding you that the unknown is navigable and that others have found fulfilment by venturing into it!
Most importantly, risks don’t have to come in dramatic leaps. They can start as small, calculated experiments—a side project, a short internship, or even a blog or podcast. Each small success builds confidence, each failure teaches lessons, and together they prepare you for bigger ventures ahead.
When alumni look back, what haunts them is not the missteps—they almost laugh at those—it is the unexplored paths that still echo with unanswered “what ifs.” We glorify unicorn founders, global CEOs, and star performers, but we rarely speak about those who had the courage to try, stumble, and rise again. More than 90% of startups fail. Yet, it is in those quiet acts of daring that the most meaningful growth happens. Narayana Murthy’s first venture, Softronics, shut down within a year. Bill Gates’s first venture, Traf-O-Data, which recorded traffic movement data, failed as a business. How many of you have ever heard of these failures? But they made these men what they are today!
“Success” will come and go, but regret lingers longer than failure. So, get out of your comfort zone. Apply for that programme abroad. Launch that idea you’ve been holding back. You may stumble, you may fail, but you will not have to live with the haunting question: “What if?” 20 or 30 years down the road!
The author is the Vice-Chancellor of Sister Nivedita University and Group CEO, Techno India Group. A visionary leader, he is shaping future-ready institutions and inspiring students to lead with purpose
