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Original poster

Tell me about risks you've taken that have paid off!

41 replies

WhatDoesMyFutureHold · 20/03/2023 14:46

Just as the title says really... Maybe not even risks, but like, chances/opportunities that you've seized if that makes sense.

I've done some online stalking of an old friend today and have seen some 'risks' that she's took that have paid off, own business/self-publishing/properties bought that needed work doing that she's made beautiful.

I always knew she'd achieve big things, and it's got me thinking of things I'd like to do and change in my own life to feel like I'm doing something with myself.

Would love to hear what chances you've grabbed, or risks you've took, that's paid off Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
WhatDoesMyFutureHold · 20/03/2023 19:29

Anyone?

OP posts:
Didgerydoo · 20/03/2023 19:40

Lots!!!!!!!

  • Ad in Students Union for au-pair job paying peanuts in obscure place. Terrific summer and met lifelong friends then had amazing hols on later life with family
Various gamblers in career that worked out b well. Bought a cruiser boat on a whim - random purchase that led to the end of my marriage and a much better man Bought a house on a whim that changed cy life to a million percent better. As Lord FlashHeart said.. ‘Just doooooooo it!’
IhateJan22 · 20/03/2023 19:46

Quit a toxic job without another lined up, joined an agency, did a few shifts at various places then landed a job at current place, experienced four different roles and been promoted twice.

Shininghope · 20/03/2023 19:57

I also quit a toxic job without anything else lined up and within a month got another much better job.

AceofPentacles · 20/03/2023 20:02

Started a side business with a 2k credit card that turned over 45k in its first year

RosaBonheur · 20/03/2023 20:02

Loads!

Withdrew from UCAS and got a job instead of going to uni, turned out to be my first gap year, got loads of valuable work experience and saved money, got into a better uni the next year.

Second gap year, deferred starting my career for a year so I could go travelling, learned a new language and met my future husband.

Spent a lot of money and time doing a masters degree in the hope that it would help me get a job in my husband's country - it did.

Moved abroad to be with my husband, now we are married with kids.

Bought an apartment to renovate and turned it into a really beautiful home.

illiterato · 20/03/2023 20:03

Moved to Asia with 5 weeks notice. Stayed 13 years. Had a brilliant time.

answered an ad on the back of the FT jobs section for a job where I didn’t meet the criteria. Persuaded them to give me an interview. Got it. Worked there 10 years. To be fair the only real risk was that they might have said “ha ha ha. NO!” But think still relevant as fear of embarrassment or humiliation puts people off more than it should.

boufht a house I’d never seen ( 3 times). Always been fine. It’s all about street view and the floor plan

CrossingBoundaries007 · 20/03/2023 20:08

off the top of my head quit a well paying job without another lined up, paid for some training and did a few certifications and got a better paying job that I'm much happier in, I ended up with 3 offers actually.

Centraljerk · 20/03/2023 20:09

Got pregnant when we’d only been dating for the months (not an accident! We talked about stopping the pill). It’s been great, married 15 years with lovely dc. Clearly a big risk though

Original poster
WhatDoesMyFutureHold · 20/03/2023 20:09

Some exciting things here, thanks all for taking the time to reply Smile

I do feel like I need to do something big, and make a change! Just don't know what yet, but you're all inspiring me.

OP posts:
Creatingusernamesismygame · 20/03/2023 20:11

Got pregnant at 40. Was not planned. High risk pregnancies for all mine including 2 still births. Was advised to end pregnancy. I took a massive risk and decided to continue with pregnancy. Blessed with a healthy baby and family now complete 🥰 was frightened throughout pregnancy

MrsTerryPratchett · 20/03/2023 20:12

I read something somewhere about risk taking being generally better. Us risk takers do better on average long-term. I've often wondered if that's why those of us with ADHD/wanderlust genes still exist even though we're probably more likely to be eaten/run over/fall off something. Risks tend to be smaller than payoffs and so we benefit from this.

I've:

Worked in pretty dangerous jobs
Moved country twice (well, two extra countries, obviously with moving there and back it's more)
Went back to university working two jobs on top
I often do things people would consider risky like travelling to majority world countries, I don't consider those risky. I think China is hugely safer than Florida for example.

And many more.

Everything has worked out so far!

MrsOnions248 · 20/03/2023 20:12

I left a long term relationship for my now DH. It meant leaving a large circle of friends behind, and there was nothing ‘wrong’ with my ex, but once I met DH I just knew. Never regretted it.

Bought a house in an area we had originally discounted. It’s a brilliant place to raise our DC and we’ve made loads of friends.

WhereIsTheSunshine3 · 20/03/2023 20:14

CrossingBoundaries007 · 20/03/2023 20:08

off the top of my head quit a well paying job without another lined up, paid for some training and did a few certifications and got a better paying job that I'm much happier in, I ended up with 3 offers actually.

Ooh what training /certification did you get ?

allfurcoatnoknickers · 20/03/2023 20:20

Bought a massive city center garden flat in August 2020 when the bottom fell out of the property market and everyone was fleeing to the countryside/suburbs and saying cities were dead.

There's now been a huge flood of people back to the city I live in, rents are through the roof and the property market has gone insane, but I get to keep my Covid deal forever.

I've taken loads of risks though because I have ADHD and half the time don't think of them as risks at all. Also moved across the world with 2 weeks notice and went to a Uni I'd never even visited to do a subject I'd never studied.

Worriedmum40284 · 20/03/2023 20:25

I went in to be measured up for my wedding dress (had narrowed it down to one after several visits). Just before I went to pay, I decided to change my mind and order one I'd seen online but they didnt have in the shop so had never tried it on or seen it in 'real life.' Wasn't something I could send back so just hoped the shop might buy it back as a display item if I hated it! Was really nervous when it arrived and I went to try it on, but loved it and happily wore it on my wedding day.

Not on the same scale as a lot of these and I am not a risk taker at all so this was fairly out there for me Grin

Wombats23 · 20/03/2023 20:26

Yep, I have adhd too.

It's been interesting. Some stuff I never even consider risky causes other people to not sleep at night.

It's good to occasionally do something different.

Mummypig32 · 20/03/2023 20:31

Sat in library, last year of uni, hated it, no friends, hated my course. Looked on map of England and decided to move to a popular city on other end of country. Took my last student loan payment of £1000 and quit my course day after it went in my bank. Got a night bus to the city I chose. I told my family I knew people, had friends to stay with but I was lying. I actually knew no one at all. I booked a room in a hostel and spent 2 weeks bumming about in the sunshine frittering away my money. I met an extremely dodgy group of people in the hostel and moved in with one on a canal boat paying £100 a month to some random old man to rent it.
Walked into a hotel and got a job as a waitress. Luckily I got it as I was running out of money having spent most of it on booze and chips. I remember thinking if I don't get this job I'll have to go home with my tail between my legs!!!
Somehow I managed to scrape enough money to move out of the boat afew months later into lodging a room in a house, then finally got a flat, left the waitressing for an office job, met a man who is now my husband and we now have a family and the rest is history!!
So my very stupid decision to pack in uni and very stupidly go awol and do a chain of incredibley stupid things actually resulted in my marriage and children and a happy life :)

Abracadabra12345 · 20/03/2023 20:34

allfurcoatnoknickers · 20/03/2023 20:20

Bought a massive city center garden flat in August 2020 when the bottom fell out of the property market and everyone was fleeing to the countryside/suburbs and saying cities were dead.

There's now been a huge flood of people back to the city I live in, rents are through the roof and the property market has gone insane, but I get to keep my Covid deal forever.

I've taken loads of risks though because I have ADHD and half the time don't think of them as risks at all. Also moved across the world with 2 weeks notice and went to a Uni I'd never even visited to do a subject I'd never studied.

IDaft, but somehow I feel so proud of you! Well done

I moved to the other side of the world with a person I barely knew after a few minutes’ consideration and lived there for 2 years with no thought to careers or pensions. Moved out of home throwing away a safe job for one as a seasonal worker in Cornwall. My dad was shocked.

But it all worked out and I made amazing friends and stopped being so scared of life

Goodnewsday · 20/03/2023 20:34

Gave up my last maternity leave (when baby turned 3 months) and started my own business while I was off. Have ended up with over 10k Instagram followers and now about to go on maternity again but this time I don’t need to go back! 😅 all the very late nights and early mornings were so worth it to do something I actually enjoy!

Most things really aren’t that risky if the alternative is something you don’t like or want to have forever anyway!

Abracadabra12345 · 20/03/2023 20:36

@Mummypig32 That is a wonderful story!

SunshineAndFizz · 20/03/2023 20:41

Mummypig32 · 20/03/2023 20:31

Sat in library, last year of uni, hated it, no friends, hated my course. Looked on map of England and decided to move to a popular city on other end of country. Took my last student loan payment of £1000 and quit my course day after it went in my bank. Got a night bus to the city I chose. I told my family I knew people, had friends to stay with but I was lying. I actually knew no one at all. I booked a room in a hostel and spent 2 weeks bumming about in the sunshine frittering away my money. I met an extremely dodgy group of people in the hostel and moved in with one on a canal boat paying £100 a month to some random old man to rent it.
Walked into a hotel and got a job as a waitress. Luckily I got it as I was running out of money having spent most of it on booze and chips. I remember thinking if I don't get this job I'll have to go home with my tail between my legs!!!
Somehow I managed to scrape enough money to move out of the boat afew months later into lodging a room in a house, then finally got a flat, left the waitressing for an office job, met a man who is now my husband and we now have a family and the rest is history!!
So my very stupid decision to pack in uni and very stupidly go awol and do a chain of incredibley stupid things actually resulted in my marriage and children and a happy life :)

Love this!

CC4712 · 20/03/2023 20:43
  • Met someone abroad. I was emigrating elsewhere, he'd just broken up from a long term relationship. We bickered no end about petty things. Been together over 20yrs now!
  • On advice of management, went for a far more senior role, meaning I'd be managing my own boss and peers. I got the job, got paid triple what I'd been on and it progressed my career no end
  • DH and I had been looking for small bungalows needing minimal renovation. On a whim, saw a massive, derelict property and put in an offer on the day. We now have a stunning house in a lovely location- but spent years getting it done.
Original poster
WhatDoesMyFutureHold · 20/03/2023 20:53

@Goodnewsday how exciting! DH and I always end up going back to wanting to work for ourselves, just haven't had the idea that's 'the one' yet. I'm hoping it comes 😊

OP posts:
Xrays · 20/03/2023 20:55

Moved dh in after about 8 weeks of dating. I drove over to his house with a box of brownies and a spare key and said he needed to come home to eat them with me. He’s still here 15 years later. 😳😆