What leadership has to do with the five regrets of the dying? Everything. Inspired by Bronnie Ware’s profound work, here are the five regrets she uncovered while caring for people at the end of their lives — and how each one is a mirror for the kind of leader, human, and legacy we want to leave behind.
1. “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
How many of us are still performing? Still shrinking? Still chasing someone else’s version of success?
At my keynote, I said:
“Leadership isn’t a title. It’s how you show up when no one’s clapping.”
Legacy begins when we stop leading to impress and start leading to impact — with truth, heart, and authenticity.
2. “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
No one at the end says, “I wish I spent more time on Zoom.” They say, “I wish I had more moments that mattered.”
In leadership? It’s easy to fall into the trap of productivity over presence. But the leaders we remember are the ones who made time — to listen, to celebrate, to pause and see us.
Your legacy won’t be how many hours you worked — it’ll be the life you infused into those around you.
3. “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”
I asked my audience:
“Are you leading from fear or from feeling?”
Because courage isn’t just about bold decisions. It’s about emotional bravery — saying the hard things, showing vulnerability, and giving people permission to do the same.
Leadership that leaves a mark is heart-first. The story people tell about you will be shaped by how safe they felt around you.
4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
In leadership? We’re often taught to network, not nurture. But legacy is human. It’s connection. It’s how many people felt seen, valued, uplifted in your presence.
I told the room:
“If leadership isn’t rooted in love and service, then what is it?”
Don’t let busy become your excuse to disconnect. People will forget the speech, the strategy, the project — but they will never forget how you showed up for them.
5. “I wish I had let myself be happier.”
Too many leaders wear stress as a badge of honour. But what if joy is the leadership edge we’ve all been ignoring?
The most powerful leaders I know laugh loudly, celebrate fiercely, and give others permission to love what they do.
Happiness isn’t a distraction — it’s a legacy in motion.
So… What Story Will They Tell About You?
Will they say you were kind? Will they say you were real? Will they say you made them feel brave, seen, heard?
That you lifted them?
Leadership is your daily love letter to the world. Your legacy is being written right now — in the emails you send, the pauses you take, the decisions you make, and the people you choose to lift.
Here’s what I believe:
You don’t need to be famous to leave a legacy. You just need to be fearlessly you — with love, courage, and consistency.
Your life is a story. Make it a damn good one. Your leadership is your legacy. Lead like it matters — because it does.
Just Rock It.
— Sonia x
Learn more at – soniamcdonald.com.au
