The most common regret people have when they die, according to a former hospice worker—and how to avoid it.

The most common regret among people on their deathbed is not having the courage to live a life that was true to themselves, rather than the life others expected of them.

According to Bronnie Ware, who wrote the 2011 book "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying," she spent eight years as a hospice worker, caring for people with serious illnesses that often resulted in death.

She observed that her patients, after forming close relationships with her, often wished they had made more decisions for themselves rather than pleasing others.

"As Ware stated in his blog post, when individuals realize that their life is almost over and reflect on it clearly, it becomes evident how many dreams have remained unfulfilled. The majority of people had not even accomplished half of their dreams, and they had to die knowing that it was due to the choices they made or did not make."

According to Ware, here's how you can avoid regret earlier in life.

'Your life's work is to find your life's work'

Living authentically can be challenging if you lack clarity on your life goals or feel uncomfortable in your own skin, as Ware shared on the "Happy Place" podcast last year.

Finding your life's work can be stressful, but as the Buddha once said, 'Your life's work is to find your life's work.'

Rainer Strack, senior partner emeritus at Boston Consulting Group, recommends evaluating daily activities on a scale of one to 10 based on importance and satisfaction.

According to Strack, the exercise can help you understand what you're passionate about and how much time you spend on it. You may discover that you're not devoting enough time to something you love or that you're investing too much energy into a career that's exhausting you.

According to Strack, a great life must be defined individually and cannot be determined by using a predetermined framework.

Give yourself permission to 'slow down'

Discovering your passions is a marathon, not a sprint, according to Ware.

"Giving yourself permission to slow down and tune in to yourself takes a lot of courage, she said, and for some people, it can take a lifetime to figure out what they're truly meant to do."

Many highly successful individuals have pursued long and winding career paths. Debra Lee, for example, spent years as a lawyer due to her father's wishes before eventually finding her calling in the television industry. She rose through the ranks at BET, eventually becoming the network's CEO and helping it grow into a household name.

Ware stated that in order to say, "I know I've got all these responsibilities, but this is really important to me. And if I can honor myself more, I'm going to show up better for everyone whose space I hold," permission from oneself is required.

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