You look into the rear view mirror while driving your motor car. Doing it every now and then helps you navigate forward. Doing it a little too often tends to slow you down. Being fixated on it draws your attention away from what is in front of you.
I think the same holds true for life. Introspection is a necessary thing so long as it is in a limited quantity. You can look back every now and then to help you on your way forward. Too much of it just gets you stuck where you are.
The rear view mirror is not provided to look back all the time. The past is not embedded in our memories to keep thinking about it too often. The only purpose of the past is to enable us to face the future better prepared.
