Home » Education & Career » College Success Strategies » Overcoming the 20/20 Hindsight Syndrome

Overcoming the 20/20 Hindsight Syndrome

© Elizabeth Trego

As graduation day approaches, the topic of hindsight can often be a sore spot in the lives of many. What you did that you wish you hadn't; things you wished you'd done, but didn't try. While we've all heard the phrase that hindsight is "20/20" and thus, perfect, the impressions it leaves can often be a source of stress, anger, and overall frustration.

We've all had times in our life where we thought we made the right decision, only to see it come back and bite us. Like you, I've dwelt in the "would've, could've, should've" thoughts that invade the brain like a computer virus. However, in letting this cycle of thought become embedded in your daily routine, you forfeit your own sense of power and worth and instead, live in a past that cannot be changed.

It can become somewhat addictive to think in the past and, in a sense, blame it for your current situation. By focusing on the past, you don't have to step out of your 'comfort zone' and take an active role in changing the present. However, this way of thinking calls for a great deal of energy and takes a huge emotional, physical and even spiritual toll. One begins to think in 'why me?' terms and thus anxiety, depression and other negative emotions are allowed to thrive.

I remember reading a magazine article in which a woman gave a useful business-related remedy to the idea of hindsight that can certainly be expanded into one's daily routine. Owning her own small public relations firm, this person couldn't afford to make big mistakes. Whenever mistakes did happen, however, she wrote down what went wrong and placed them in a "Hindsight File." She could then go to this file whenever a similar situation arose in the future. In this way, she wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

This type of system can be effective in the day-to-day activities that many find themselves sucked into, such as taking sides in family arguments, extending themselves too thin with family, business and community obligations as well as the inability to say 'no.' If such instances have left you wishing you had said or done something differently, get out a sheet of paper and list the following:

1. The reasons why you were led into the situation.

2. The reasons why you stayed in the situation.

3. Why you don't want to be in that situation again.

Similar to a 'playbook' in sports, this file will become your reference point whenever you find yourself stepping into territory you don't feel particularly comfortable in. What is most important in this exercise is that you see the past as a learning experience. If everything were smooth sailing then we wouldn't know the parameters we need to set or when engaging in certain actions is not in our best interest. When life seems to be nothing but one huge mess, however, this type of "Hindsight File" can also be important; letting us become aware of the patterns of thought and behavior we keep repeating that need to be changed. This is often what the bad times in our life are for; wakeup calls that something needs fixing.