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Jeff Bezos - Regret Minimization Framework

Micky Thompson · 553.1K views · 2008-12-20 · 2:39

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Overview

A three-minute clip of Jeff Bezos describing his Regret Minimization Framework: imagining yourself at 80 to decide whether to leave a Wall Street job to start Amazon.

On Hacker News

HN commenters cite it whenever someone asks whether to quit a job or start a company, as a simple decision heuristic.

Recommended by 5 HN people across 5 months · HN mentions 2010–2024

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What people said

hartleybrody · 2020-05 · Strong recommendation

Jeff Bezos has a great interview where he talks about his decision to leave his cushy Wall Street job and start a website selling books. He talks about how he used a "regret minimization framework" where he projects himself into the future and imagines which decision he would regret the least. I have used this technique multiple times myself to help with otherwise fraught or overwhelming decisions, and I think it's a great way to shift your frame of reference. Interview where he describes it here: [VIDEO]

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drawkbox · 2018-04 · Recommendation

Use Jeff Bezos 'Regret Minimization Framework' to decide [1]. Basically, when you are 80, will you regret having tried and possibly failed or regret having not tried at all? Granted you aren't going to be Amazon probabilistically but it will definitely make your life more interesting and put you in control of it and fully responsible for it. Personally I'd rather try and succeed or fail on my own than just be a cog in the machine and possibly be on a ship that sinks out of my control or merely latching onto success. I'd rather be the captain whether she sinks or sails smoothly, hopefully the latter. I went fully independent six years ago, originally just planning on a year, and there have been times of awesome and times of rough waters, but she is still sailing and it has been an adventure I know I won't regret having embarked on. Three of my six years are the highest revenues/income I have had annually in my career but one was the lowest ever, prepare for more volatility if you do. If you do, my recommendation is make good habits early, cut your costs, be disciplined, aim for revenues as early as possible, work hard but work smart, be sure to take time off, and especially enjoy your successes and learn from your failures. Ship on the regular, and if you aren't, kick it in gear to go all in. [1] [VIDEO]

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npostolovski · 2016-11 · Recommendation

This question is eerily similar to my current situation: hoping to go on a 6 month sabbatical starting in 2017. My goal is to, basically, work on things that I've always dreamed of doing but haven't pursued because of the demands of everyday life. See Jeff Bezos' regret minimization framework for inspiration: [VIDEO] . Imagine yourself at 80. What would you regret not doing?

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