10/12/2026
Hindsight makes old decisions look obvious. At the time you made them, they weren't.
Your mind has a habit called hindsight bias, the tendency to believe that an outcome was predictable once you already know how things turned out. That's why replaying a past choice can feel so harsh. You judge the earlier version of you using information, experience, and self-awareness that only exist now. 🪴
The version of you who made that decision was working with what they had: the stress they were under, the options they could see, the understanding they'd built up to that point. Within those limits, they were usually doing their best.
Here's a practical way to ease the self-criticism. The next time you catch yourself thinking "I should have known better," ask a different question: "What did I know then, and what did I need at that moment?" Then write down one thing that earlier version of you did well, even if it was simply getting through a hard stretch. Treat them the way you'd treat a friend who was doing their best with limited information.
What you know now exists partly because of that earlier version of you.
Send this to someone who's still being hard on their past self.
