The 80-Year Test: Regret Minimization Hack

What will you regret at 80?

It’s a brutal question — one most of us avoid.

And it can change the course of your life.

Around 15 years ago, my dad was asked to move from Dubai to London for work.

For months, he worked in London five days a week, then flew back every second weekend.

I still remember him walking through the door on Friday mornings...just before I left for school.

Over the course of a year, the team was so impressed with him they offered to relocate the whole family permanently.

It was a golden opportunity: career growth, international exposure, a new life that many would kill to have at that stage.

But my dad? He declined it.

My dad knew the real regret wouldn’t be missing out on London.

It would be missing his father’s final years.

So he said no.

At 80, he wouldn’t regret turning down the promotion.

But he would regret not being by his father’s side.

That clarity made the decision simple.

Years later, I faced the same test my dad once did.

I had built a successful career in the UAE.

Surrounded by my parents, my friends, my comfort zone.

But I kept tossing and turning at night, battling a decision:

Should I move to Canada?

I remembered the 80-Year Test.

I asked myself:

Would I regret leaving comfort for uncertainty?

Or would I regret not giving my future wife and kids a more secure life?

The answer was clear.

I said goodbye to my friends and family and packed my bags.

Canada became home.

My first morning in Canada

Jeff Bezos’ Regret Minimization Framework

In 1994, Jeff Bezos faced the same dilemma.

A safe, lucrative job on Wall Street.

Or a crazy idea: selling books online.

Fear screamed at him:

What if I fail?

What if I look stupid?

So he ran the 80-Year Test.

Would he regret trying and failing?

Or never trying at all?

The answer was clear.

He quit.

Amazon was born.

Here’s how to apply The 80-Year Test next time you’re at crossroads:

Picture yourself at 80.

Ask: Will I regret not doing this?

Let that answer steer the choice.

"Fear makes decisions for today. Regret makes decisions for your life."