The 10-Year Test
Ask future-you at ten years out whether you'll regret not going for it.
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 92%
The 10-Year Test is a regret-minimization tool for high-stakes decisions. You imagine yourself ten years in the future, look back, and ask whether not going for the opportunity would become one of your biggest regrets. A strong regret signal means move forward despite present fear; genuine indifference means it's fine to pass. It works by shifting perspective off today's anxiety and onto a lifetime horizon where timing worries lose their grip. Forleo used it to override the fear that she was 'too old' to start dancing.
Origin
At 25 or 26, Forleo wanted to audition to teach dance at Crunch gym despite having no formal training in a world where dancers peak in their teens. Convinced she was over the hill, she sat herself down and imagined being 35 looking back on not trying — and realized it would be one of the biggest regrets of her life. She auditioned, and became one of Nike's first elite dance athletes.
Core principles
- 01Fear about timing shrinks when weighed against a lifetime of regret.
- 02Trying on the perspective of your future self clarifies what actually matters.
- 03If future-you wouldn't care, it's genuinely fine to pass.
- 04Regret is a sharper decision signal than short-term risk or discomfort.
How to run it
- 1
Frame the decision
Identify the specific opportunity you love but are afraid to pursue because of risk, timing, or self-doubt.
- 2
Project ten years forward
Close your eyes and vividly place yourself ten years into the future, then look back on the choice you're facing now.
Pro tip Make it concrete — picture your actual age and life a decade out.
- 3
Read the regret signal
Ask whether not going for it would be one of the biggest regrets of your life. Strong regret means go; genuine indifference means it's fine to pass.
Pro tip If future-you honestly wouldn't give a shit, that's a valid no — the test protects against forcing pursuits too.
In the wild
Believing she was 'over the hill' to start dancing with no training, Forleo imagined herself at 35 having never auditioned at Crunch. The imagined regret was overwhelming, so she auditioned despite the fear.
→ She built an extraordinary parallel dance career, becoming one of the world's first elite Nike dance athletes and teaching hip hop, salsa and house around the world.
Common mistakes
Letting present timing-fear decide
Deciding from today's 'it's too late' or 'this is risky' feeling keeps you small. The test deliberately swaps that vantage for the future-self view where regret becomes visible.
Is it for you?
Best for
People weighing a bold, unconventional move they're afraid is impractical or too late.
Not ideal for
Reversible, low-stakes choices where deep future-self reflection is overkill.
From the transcript
“If you imagine yourself 10 years in the future, looking back and realizing you didn't go for this... are you gonna regret it?”
“Leaning into my future and trying on a perspective of future me is the 10 year test. And anyone can do it.”
From the episode
Marie Forleo: Everything is Figureoutable, How to Trust Your Intuition and Build the Life of Your Dreams
Marie Forleo