Six Reasons Why Looking Backwards Can Be Beneficial

Everyone has heard the phrase, “Don’t look back.” Personally, I’ve said it (and written it) lots of times. And I still fully believe in its validity. However, because today, January 31st, is National Backwards Day, it is an excellent opportunity to consider why looking back can be good. I will be suggesting six reasons why taking a look backwards could be beneficial.

Why Looking Back Can Help

1. It allows you to strategically think long-term.

We can plan and forecast all we want, and while those are very useful and worthwhile endeavors, we still can never know for certain what the future will hold. However, we already know what happened in the past, and that data is based on facts. If we learn how to utilize those facts in the process of our strategic planning, we have a much better shot at developing an accurate portrayal of what might occur in the future. This allows us to look long-term.

2. It reminds you of good outcomes that you want to replicate.

Looking back allows you to process your past experiences so that you can figure out how to repeat the ones you want to replicate. It is a means to connect the past to the present. Rather than forge a new path every time you are trying to accomplish something, try looking back. Perhaps you’ll uncover the very thing you’ve been looking for?

3. It teaches you how to learn from bad outcomes that you want to avoid repeating.

Conversely, sometimes it’s important to look into the past in order to avoid repeating it. It’s often said that history repeats itself. If you revisit something from your past that is unpleasant, you’ll know how you got into (and out) of that situation, which can help make sure you don’t find yourself in a similar one anytime soon. As philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Sometimes we keep repeating a certain outcome or situation because we still have a lesson to learn from it.

Along with not repeating an adverse result, looking back can also help us confront a situation head-on so we can deal with it and finally move past it. After all, the past can’t be avoided forever. It has a funny little way of creeping up and raising havoc, often when we least suspect it.

4. It shows you how far you have already come.

I know, yeah… right… But really – yeah, right!! There have been so many things in my life I feel like an absolute failure about because I am not where I thought I would (or should) be at my age. But we all have different timelines to live out. Perhaps we are only midway in our journey, which is why we still have so much further to go. Also, there have actually been specific instances where I have looked back on certain things and been pleasantly surprised by how far I have already come.

Progress most often comes in stages. We’re not meant to tackle it in one big leap, but instead with many unwavering steps.

5. The things that don’t make sense in the present will make sense one day when we look back.

As Søren Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Isn’t it infuriating how when things happen to us, we often have no idea why? It is not until we look backwards that we can connect the multitude of dots that brought us into a current situation. I’ve certainly had instances when I’ve been thoroughly exasperated by something that occurred to me, and then when I actually look back on it, I end up feeling quite foolish I hadn’t seen it coming.

It’s because hindsight is behind us that we can’t change it or see it coming.

All we can do is learn from it.

6. Looking back drives us to make a better future for ourselves.

No matter what we did, no matter where we have come from, we always have an opportunity to become the best version of ourselves. Believe me, it’s never too late to create a better future. Contrary to popular belief, while there’s still at least a little breath flowing, then we never can go too far to still come back. In a society where “cancel culture” is commonly the norm, let’s stand up and say no more to writing people off because they messed up. No one should be cancelled forever.

If we only keep trying, any one of us can be a light that cuts through the darkness.

It’s Good to Know Where We’ve Been

We must first understand our histories before we can successfully rewrite our futures. This is why I suggest that every so often we take that all-important look backwards, in order to truly move forwards. After all, there’s nothing wrong with taking a little trip down memory lane. Just make sure to not get stuck there.

Questions, comments, or just need to chat? Send me a direct message via LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.

Cheers until next time,

Crystal