Original art by Author, and currently on display at LACMA

A good friend of mine says, “Never regret the things you didn’t do.” Then she adds a coda, “But, it’s OK to regret the things you DID.”

Once I sussed out the implications of the double negatives in her word structure, I came to embrace their meaning. Not only does she believe in the “why not” approach to life, she also believes that you need to trust yourself—that even your worst mistakes aren’t actually that bad. And that most 100+ IQ individuals make good decisions most of the time.

Of course, this could inspire living a bolder personal life, whether it means parachuting out of airplanes or ditching that lame boyfriend. But, I’d like to also offer a suggestion about how this little bit of philosophy can have significant implications for business.

Most organizations operate in an environment of tentativeness and hierarchy, some of which is needed for basic structural type of stuff and legal/financial protection. However, whether overt or subconscious, indecision is rewarded. And slow, laborious planning and multilevel approvals sometimes get in the way of actually bringing cool new things to market. What if we trusted ourselves … and each other … a little more? What if we trusted our instincts more? What if we surrounded ourselves with really smart, inspiring people and decided to say “yes” more often than “no?”

I suspect we would find ourselves in a much more rewarding place for trying, for doing, and for making … versus just talking.

I’m planning to make 2012 the year of yes. And my encouragement to anyone who is reading this little blog post goes something like this: Although something might feel really risky, the bigger risk is that your personal brand or your company’s brand just stands on the sidelines wrapped in a blanket of “smart” and “safe”—yet totally ignored. And being ignored really stinks.

Here’s to no regrets. 2012. Let’s go. Yes.