Taking a Chance on Failing

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   Jacqueline4390posted 9 years ago

   Have you ever wanted to do something that others thought was beyond your scope of expertise? Going back to school after being out for years, deciding to start your own business after a series of failed jobs or just discovering something about yourself that for years you have left dormant.
   
   Have you ever decided to just take a chance when the outcome could easily be failure? Was it a constant struggle or did you find that it was easier than expected?

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      Say Yes To Lifeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I'm always doing that.  Currently, I just self-published 3 books, 2 of them facts of life books for teens, and one adult one about sex.  My friend in Oregon thinks I have no business doing so, but my brother and his wife read them, and say they make logical sense.  If I stuck to only what I knew, rather than doing research, I'd never get anywhere.

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         Jacqueline4390posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Good for you!

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   paradigm searchposted 9 years ago

   "Taking a Chance on Failing"
   
   I do that every morning when I get up.

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      Jacqueline4390posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      But ... you kept doing it! Good for you!

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   colorfuloneposted 9 years ago

   Every time I take the camera out to photograph a great opportunity. Most photos end up on the cutting room floor.

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      Jacqueline4390posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Just think, one day you will succeed and it will all be worth it!

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         colorfuloneposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I have been very lucky to get some great photos.
         For that, I am grateful!

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   Marcy Goodfleischposted 9 years ago

   If you can dream it, you can do it!
   
   Yes - it can be done, and people do it every year.  A guy in my city went to law school after he had already retired, and did great. A friend of mine decided in her 50s, after her kids were grown, that she wanted to go to a seminary, so she completely reshaped her life - downsized, sold her home & did whatever it took. After several years, she became an Episcopal priest. That has become her second career (after a long and successful career in journalism).
   
   An attorney I know has gone into painting (and she is extremely talented). She took classes, paints beautiful portraits and landscapes, and last year spent several week in Italy going first to cooking classes and then to art classes.
   
   Many people return to school in the middle of their lives and get undergrad or graduate degrees, and they're glad they did. Most people have many stepping stones in their career paths now, and it's very rewarding.
   
   To answer your question, yes, I've done it, too.  I went back for a graduate degree way late in my career, and was actually able to carve out my 'next career' from it. The struggles mostly related to convincing myself to go ahead and do it and finding a way to make it happen. Each step, though, shows you what you're capable of and helps you know if it's what you anticipated it would be.
   
   One of the most "Aha!" things I've ever heard was a story about someone bemoaning they didn't want to go to law school, because, "Look how old I'll be in three years, when I get out?"  The response they got was brilliant - "How old will you be in three years if you don't go to law school?"
   
   Follow your passion! Go for it!

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      Solarasposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Great advice and very inspirational!

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      Jacqueline4390posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Only one word ...YES!

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   Rakim Cheeksposted 9 years ago

   One thing that I found to be a constant struggle for me was doing well in grammar school. For many years, students, and even people said I wasn't going to amount to anything because I wasn't able to do the work like the other students. However, all of that changed when I got to the 11th grade. I took upon myself to face challenges with my education. As a result, I was able to graduate high school as well as college, and overcome my challenge.

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