I spent almost 40 years in the association management and trade show business. It was an exciting, stimulating adventure. There were, of course, some ups and downs, but all in all it was a great fulfilling ride.

Do I have any regrets? Yes, I do, but only two. First, I regret that I did not continue some kind of regular exercise program. You know the story: I was always too busy. Even though I constantly lectured people that there were 168 hours in a week and if you broke it down there was time to do anything you really wanted to do, I did not follow my own advice.

There were those middle years when I was still full of energy and woke up at four or five in the morning and started to jog. It lasted for a while and then I got “busy.”

A little further along I played some tennis, but just playing once a week with no additional program to say in shape wasn’t very effective.

Then, in my later years, I said, “I’ll really do it when I retire.” I have tried but quite honestly I’ve developed too many handicaps and you can’t, at this late date, get in the kind of shape you always thought you could.

My wife had a very long and active career in the apparel industry—no easy gig. At the same time she made the time to swim a mile four or five days a week. In semi-retirement, she added weight training and other aerobic exercises and cut back on swimming. The difference in her conditioning and physical shape has been overwhelming.

The other regret was that in looking back I think I short-changed my family somewhat. Yes, work was my first priority, but like the exercise program I was always too busy for, I didn’t set aside regular time with the family. It doesn’t even take days or weeks. It can be simple things like spending some time alone with each child—going to breakfast, seeing a movie, visiting a museum, anything.

There is another idea that I believe has a lot of merit: family night. Any night will do. Everyone comes home for dinner and spends the evening together, playing games and talking—no TV.

It’s a pretty good life when all you can come up with are two regrets.

What do you think?

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