What's The Biggest Risk You've Taken

[Gharrissc]

What's the biggest risk you've taken and did it pay off or did you regret it? One of the biggest risks I've taken was to leave my job to open a business. It was kinda rocky,but we are doing great now.

[llombardo]

Mine would be moving into a higher position within the same company, but at a different location. I work in an industry that is mostly men and I'm the only woman to ever hold the position I'm in and that alone makes me feel like it paid off.

[Zeeva]

ummm...probably getting married. Sometimes it feels like it paid off; other times not so much...

[Syaoransbear]

When I met my husband I was dating my first boyfriend who was a close friend of his. We had a fairly large group of friends that we hung out with constantly and all of my friends, my first boyfriend's friends, and my husband's friends existed in this circle.

The biggest risk I took was ending my two year relationship with my first boyfriend and choosing to date my husband even though we knew we would lose all of our friends in the process because they would sympathize with my first boyfriend. Because my first boyfriend betraying me in the worst way possible and breaking my heart was totally fine but me dating his friend is somehow just completely vile in their eyes.

But seeing how my ex turned out, I made the right decision. And seeing how those friends turned out, I'm not too sad about our fallout. We see some of them sometimes, the ones that don't completely despise us even though this all happened 5 years ago, but they have changed into immature drunken frat boys who I have no desire to reconnect with.

So I'd say my biggest risk was giving up my long term boyfriend, all of my friends, and my whole social lifestyle just so I could date my husband.

[zivagirl]

Left a good paying job in Montreal, left my family, and left my country to come to the states to reunite with the young man I dated during my short stay in Indiana my junior year. Wound up marrying him. Still going strong after 30 years.

[arycrest]

I worked for the U S Government and detested my job, I was miserable. My agency was downsizing in favor of hiring contractors, so they offered an early retirement if we met certain qualifications. I easily met all the qualifications and retired when I was 50. I lived most of my life in the DC suburbs of Maryland, I sold my house, and bought a house in Central Florida, an area I'd visited a few times. Looking back it was one of the best decisions I've ever made!!! I'll never be rich, but I'm happy!!!

[Jaders]

The biggest risk that I have ever taken was moving from Wisconsin to Kentucky. It was just my mother, me, two dogs and two cats moving to a state with no family and only knowing two people. I moved in the summer and was entering junior year of high school. I knew no one at my new high school nor knew my way around.

6 years later...did it pay off? Yes! My mother remarried to a wonderful man who I call dad. I am going to college and receiving two degrees and met my soul mate.

[Lilie]

I left a job that paid me far more than I was worth. Great Benefits. I drove a Caddy corporate car. Traveled. Seminars. Respect. But I worked 24/7 and the stress was killing me. I wasn't happy.

It was a great risk leaving it all behind and taking a job that pays me half of what I was making. Not only because of the pay, but self worth too.

That was 8 years ago. Although it isn't all rainbows and ice cream, I'm happy. That's what's important.

[Justaguy]

Giving up my large beautiful inexpensive apartment to buying a house.

[AJT]

Originally Posted by zivagirl

Left a good paying job in Montreal, left my family, and left my country to come to the states to reunite with the young man I dated during my short stay in Indiana my junior year. Wound up marrying him. Still going strong after 30 years.

Whoa. Props to you. I'm impressed. That take balls. I don't know if i can do that.

Originally Posted by Lilie

I left a job that paid me far more than I was worth. Great Benefits. I drove a Caddy corporate car. Traveled. Seminars. Respect. But I worked 24/7 and the stress was killing me. I wasn't happy.

It was a great risk leaving it all behind and taking a job that pays me half of what I was making. Not only because of the pay, but self worth too.

That was 8 years ago. Although it isn't all rainbows and ice cream, I'm happy. That's what's important.

I switched industries at a senior level because the offer was a "godfather offer", I couldn't say no. Compensation was through the roof but the stress that accompanied it was the same. I was miserable and cried myself to sleep every night and finally decided to stop the pain. Now I'm consulting...it's a rough ride finding work since it ebbs and flows but professionally it has made me more valuable as a specialist and more confident. I make more than what a number of my peers make on a salary but I don't have the stability and I can make riskier calls (thankfully successful ones!) without worrying about pleasing my boss. I like it though. I'm always hustling...