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

[WhatDoesMyFutureHold]

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

Asked my now dh to move in after 3 days together! We were good friends for many years before.
Now. Happily married, blended family and have our own business

@Abracadabra12345 You're too kind. Life is for living, right?! It's a cliché, but I regret the things that I didn't do, not the things that I did.

There's a lot of pretty unpleasant threads on Mumsnet about ADHD, but I feel it's been a net positive for me. Even if it did take me 5 tries to pass my driving test 😂.

Love this thread! I am also looking to make some changes and feel inspired.

To those whose lives have been changed by buying lovely properties, how did it change your life? I mean when you buy to live in, not to flip.

Lots!
Left my secure yet toxic job (where I was constantly bullied and paid very low) took a massive loan to do a degree at 30 to change industries. Moved to another country on a minimum wage internship and started a committed relationship with with a stranger I met online from day 1.
5 years in we are very happily married and I got promoted twice in the internship place after receiving a full time offer. The loan I took to do the degree basically tripled my income and brought my husband to my life :)

I wish I could remember where it was sourced from but on adhd training we were given a quote about how through most of history adhd would've been almost a superpower- certainly people with adhd would've been most likely to thrive. The ability to be alert well into the night, hyper-awareness of your surroundings, being able to hyper-focus when necessary, not needing much sleep in hunter-gatherer times you'd be winning at life. It's only now we've shifted to a society where the majority of us have to sit in classrooms then sit in offices that it's began to be seen as a problem.

I have:

Chucked in my post college job which I had trained for (what you love at 18 you'll loathe at 21...)

Changed career path completely, all I had to offer was the fact I could touch type. Office work beckoned. Suited me....no more shift work. Yippee !

Agreed to marry a man I had only met fourteen weeks previously. When you know, you know. We celebrate 30 years of marriage next year.

Sold the house, quit my job and moved wholesale with my husband to my husband's home country. Because, why not ? We returned back to Britain a few years later when we reversed the process !

Unrelated to my life:

An ex boyfriend of mine had big ambitions for setting up his own business. Once when we were in the car he pointed out a new office block on a newly built office park and remarked that he would like to lease a building like that in the future to put his business in.

From the tone of his voice, I just got a sense that he was serious and it would in all likelihood happen one day.

I looked up his Social Media last year and yup, he's made a success of his life/his business. He's also husband and father. Sure, he's had to ride the highs and lows. However, he's finished up on top it would seem.

I smiled at the irony that I learned more about him from reading his synopsis on Social Media 32 years later that I ever knew when we were, what would today be called FWB.

Married a man I had a very rocky start with. Very happy 18 years later.

Applied for a job I was blatantly under experienced for. It was the launching pad to get me where I am now.

Purposely had 2 kids under 2. They are the best of friends.

Resigned from work to travel the world for a year on £10k.

Moved country four times. It was an absolute blast and I got to learn so much each time around.
Gave up a secure job with no other job lined up. Drifted a bit over two years but it eventually fell into place.
Relocated for someone who had become a friend and who I met online but never met in real-life. Now married for 15 years.

Gave up my well paid job and started self employment, no savings but just used my own old computer and printer to do basic bookkeeping and payrolls to get a bit of cash coming in. Paid food and utilities by a zero rate credit card. Worked night and day to find new and better clients, put ads in shop windows, did leaflet drops etc. I’d just about got enough money together to pay off the credit card at the end of the zero rate period. Business built up quite quickly after first couple of hand to mouth years. Got an office and 3 staff by year 3 and could finally start to draw a proper wage.

Top levek of my career choice. Jacked it on. Lost a LOT of money. Never been happier

Also went to a foreign destination (for an afternoon) decided I wanted to live there. Moved two years later. Never looked back

adhd training we were given a quote about how through most of history adhd would've been almost a superpower- certainly people with adhd would've been most likely to thrive. The ability to be alert well into the night, hyper-awareness of your surroundings, being able to hyper-focus when necessary, not needing much sleep in hunter-gatherer times you'd be winning at life. It's only now we've shifted to a society where the majority of us have to sit in classrooms then sit in offices that it's began to be seen as a problem.

• *This is really fascinating!!! And I love @MrsTerryPratchett comment about the fact that we risked being eaten etc!🤣 I have only recentlly realised that I have ADHD but it all fits and I have over the years taken many risks with jobs/housesetc rather than take the 'normal' option. Have been scared and wondered if I am just plain reckless but so far is good and people tell me how lucky I am -well you do have to speculate to accumulate and be open and take joy in things which is another benefit of ADHD. I work in a school where s lot of children with ADHD are heavily medicated and I find that upsetting.

Stunning! 👏

Did you have any support / financial or emotional to do this? I would love to do this but I’m trapped by the money and being single parent.

Moved country a few times. Emigrated to Oz when I was 43 with no jobs lined up and having never even visited. Bought a house right at the start of Covid. It all worked out for the best!

Re-mortgaged to start a business in the 90s. Sold it in 2003 and moved to Portugal