--- title: Choosing Your Future Regrets | The Sales Blog description: I give politics a wide berth here. But occasionally you have to swerve into them a little bit to make a point. Last night I came across a fascinating interview with Christopher Hitchens whose political views tend to ruffle feathers right, left and middle. Regardless of your political leanings, Hitchens is a brilliant writer, and […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/The%20Sales%20Blog-2.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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But occasionally you have to swerve into them a little bit to make a point. Last night I came across [a fascinating interview with Christopher Hitchens](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/nov/14/christopher-hitchens-cancer-interview) whose political views tend to ruffle feathers right, left and middle. Regardless of your political leanings, Hitchens is a brilliant writer, and he makes an important observation that goes well beyond geopolitics. #### When You Have to Make a Choice I don’t need to restate the geopolitical situation that is the subject of Hitchens’ point; you are free to read it yourself, should you wish. The point he makes applies to all kinds of potentially unpleasant tasks, and it is this: You have to choose your future regret. Sometimes you have trouble reaching the contact you need to reach within your dream client company, and you are forced to choose between regretting the fact that you [pushed a little harder ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/six-principles-for-cold-calling)than you would have liked to and ended up a tiny bit sideways with someone there, or regretting that you have lost the opportunity to a salesperson who found [a way in](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/just-get-in). You have to choose between regretting not having [asked](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/ask-sometimes-the-answer-is-yes) for additional access to the buying committee who could inform your solution and improve your chance of winning or regretting losing the opportunity altogether to a salesperson who was [fearless](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/to-win-in-sales-you-must-face-your-fear) about asking for what they needed to win and to succeed. You have been disqualified from a competition early. You know you are the right choice to help your dream client get a better result than they are presently, but you didn’t have an opportunity to demonstrate your passion. You can decide to accept it and live with the regret of losing the opportunity; in sales, someone has to lose. Or you can [pick up the phone](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/why-you-have-to-love-a-good-fight) and call your dream client to sell them on the idea that they should reconsider. You may end up regretting putting someone on the spot and making them feel that they have to defend their decision. Should your dream client reject you, you will have much better chance of being considered when your [opportunity is reborn](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/be-there-when-the-opportunity-is-reborn) in the future. Passion sells. You have to choose your future regret. But only one of your choices has a potential upside. Choose wisely. #### Questions 1. 1. Will you regret trying and losing more than you regret losing without having put up a fight?   1. 1. Will you regret firing every weapon at your disposal to win your dream client more than you regret losing without so much as a whimper?   1. 1. Will you regret missing the water cooler discussions at work and on the Internet more than you regret missing the opportunity to develop the opportunities that you need to develop to succeed?   1. 1. What are the decisions that you take that you are willing to regret and why?   For more on increasing your sales effectiveness, subscribe to [the RSS Feed](https://www.thesalesblog.com/feed/) for The Sales Blog and my [Email Newsletter](http://thesalesblog.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=76cf0c62588f9f49b6d04a3d9&id=ecb6981006). Follow me on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/iannarino), connect to me on [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino), or friend me on [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/iannarino). If I can help you or your sales organization, check out my coaching and consulting firm, [B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy](http://www.b2bsalescoach.com/), [email me](mailto:anthony@gmail.com), or call me at (614) 212-4729. Read my interview with Tom Peters ([Part One](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-sales-blog-interview-tom-peters-on-the-little-big-things-part-one) and [Part Two](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-sales-blog-interview-tom-peters-on-the-little-big-things-part-two)). Read my [Blogs.com](http://www.blogs.com) featured guest post on the [Top Ten Sales blogs](http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-sales-blogs/). Read my monthly post on [Sales Bloggers Union](http://www.salesbloggers.com/author/iannarino/). ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2010](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2010) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on November 14, 2010 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2023-02-22T3:37:43 PM", "datePublished" : "2010-11-14 20:51:50", "description" : "I give politics a wide berth here. But occasionally you have to swerve into them a little bit to make a point. Last night I came across a fascinating interview with Christopher Hitchens whose political views tend to ruffle feathers right, left and middle. 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