airtwardo 7 #26 April 13, 2006 Quotewhat about "reflecting" on a situation...do you ever do that? *** I think we all do to an extent, but I honestly try not to. It's a frustrating conundrum pondering the 'what ifs' in life...time is much better spent mapping the road ahead. I try to keep my head in the game today, and not worry about past victories OR defeats. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #27 April 13, 2006 If only I had made a right turn instead of a left turn at the airport that day . . . I'd be a pilot now instead of a skydiver . . . . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #28 April 13, 2006 QuoteIf only I had made a right turn instead of a left turn at the airport that day . . . I'd be a pilot now instead of a skydiver . . . . *** Ain't THAT the truth! Difference between havin' a Credit Card and a DEBIT Card! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SwampThing 0 #29 April 13, 2006 QuoteIf only I had made a right turn instead of a left turn at the airport that day . . . I'd be a pilot now instead of a skydiver . . . . Quote It was an esay choice, one parking lot was full of Coffee cups and the other one BEER CANS! The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!" The Optimist says: "Sure it can!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dolph 0 #30 April 13, 2006 Quote I think we all do to an extent, but I honestly try not to. It's a frustrating conundrum pondering the 'what ifs' in life...time is much better spent mapping the road ahead. I try to keep my head in the game today, and not worry about past victories OR defeats. Ain't that the truth. You can start a new life every second. It's about just doing it. Every second is a "what if" in development. Whatever choices we make, we make because that's the one we thought was either most beneficial or would cause least harm on a short time or long time basis. Later on it's a matter of looking back, "good move/bad move" and learning from the experience. But there's preciously little gained from speculating on "what ifs" where the insight and experience has already been extracted. I guess every deicion is like jumping outta a plane. Once you jump out, you rely on yourself and what you have with you to get something meaningful out of it, knowing full well the risks involved. Damn the torpedoes. Full steam ahead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yardhippie 0 #31 April 13, 2006 Ive had a few forks in the road. I can think of at least four, but the biggest one. yea I chose the best path. if I hadnt, I'd either be dead or in prison by now. Spose I made the right choice huh? Oh, and Hottie had a bit of influence on me with that one. Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD "What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me "Anything you want." ~ female skydiver Mohoso Rodriguez #865 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #32 April 13, 2006 QuoteYou can start a new life every second. It's about just doing it. Every second is a "what if" in development. Whatever choices we make, we make because that's the one we thought was either most beneficial or would cause least harm on a short time or long time basis. Later on it's a matter of looking back, "good move/bad move" and learning from the experience. But there's preciously little gained from speculating on "what ifs" where the insight and experience has already been extracted. I guess every deicion is like jumping outta a plane. Once you jump out, you rely on yourself and what you have with you to get something meaningful out of it, knowing full well the risks involved. Damn the torpedoes. Full steam ahead Quote VERY well put! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #33 April 13, 2006 WARNING: LOOOOOOOOONG I know what you mean, but since the past is what it is, I try not to focus on "what ifs" for longer than 60 seconds. I'm happy where I'm at today. I might have been just as happy, happier or not even close to if I'd chosen different roads. Who knows? I don't think much about it. I think we've all had very personal, sometimes horrific events happen in our past that affected us and perhaps led us down a different road than we were on. I, like everyone, have a few dousies---but one event in particular comes to mind. It was awful. But, if I play the "Kevin Bacon" game of life with it, in a way, indirectly, it led me to meeting and falling in love with my current hunny. So, if I had the "what if" question regarding that traumatic situation, I'd have to say--you know what, I'd endure it all over again just to know that somehow, that event would lead me to my love. I also have recently been flooded with "where have you been" e-mails and calls from an old group of friends. By far, my most fun, adventurous times were with them. But, here I am 25 and have moved on down another road, they are all still partying hard and staying wild, not many responsibilities. On one hand, I'm jealous, but on the bigger, better hand for me, I'm content that I had those times, and have noW moved on to different times--still amazing and fun and adventurous, just in a different way. So, I only said "what if" to myself for that 60 seconds when I thought of how my life might be if I were still part of that group. I am, however, planning a kick-ass reunion with them soon Hopefully my liver is still in shape for it---I've been keeping it accustomed with a couple glasses of wine every day just to make surePaint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
selbbub78 0 #34 April 13, 2006 been there done that, and at the moment i might wish that i had chose the other path, but looking back on the decisions (all but my latest one), I know i've already made the right ones. The latest...i'm sure someday i'll realize that it was a good choice."Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone "The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote) "The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #35 April 13, 2006 When those decisions affect lives other than your own, those "what if" moments come often. I was 18 and had just given birth to my son. The plans were all in place for a family to adopt him. I changed my mind. What if I hadn't? Not just my life but also the lives of my son, my parents, the family who wanted him to be a part of their lives, all would have been very different than they are today. Did I make the right decision? I hope so. For myself, I'm not at all sorry I chose what I did but I sometimes wonder if it was the best choice for him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #36 April 13, 2006 My "what if moments" were always about a partner.. I have no "ifs" in any other aspects of my life..smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #37 April 13, 2006 QuoteJust curious...what would you say to someone that might be in the mist of a "what if" moment now...where they have to make that decision? Bobbi The advice I would give to someone in that moment, if requested, would be as follows: "When faced with a decision with how to proceed, look at your long-term goals: where do you want to be. Your choice typically involves two paths: 1) a comfortable and easy path, but one that whose direction and endpoint is unknown; and 2) the difficult and arduous path that you know will get you where you want to go. "You may choose path 1 and see where it takes you. Sure, it might take you where you want to go, but it may also lead you into a place you'd never, ever want to be. The trip there will be easy, but the final destination may be worse than you imagined. You just don't know, and there may be no turning back once you go down it. I call this path, 'Live for today, for you know not what tomorrow brings.' This is probably not a bad choice for someone who TRULY does not know what he or she wants, but is a horribly risky choice for either someone with clearly defined goals, or someone who is lying to him of herself. "Or, you may choose path 2, knowing right from the start how difficult the trip will be, but knowing that in the end you will be where you wanted to go. I call this path, 'Live for tomorrow, invest in it today, and and work for what you want.' This is the only good choice for one with a clearly defined goal, and not much worse of a choice for someone who doesn't know what he or she wants for the future. "The choice is yours..." My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #38 April 13, 2006 You forgot choice 3... Sit back and do nothing... As you said, you'll get back what ya put in! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTAVercetti 0 #39 April 13, 2006 I have on occassion thought about it. But then I think about who I am right now. And how, for the most part, I am quite happy with me. So every decision I have made that has led me to this point has been the correct one, no matter how incorrect it was at the time. Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #40 April 13, 2006 QuoteYou forgot choice 3... Sit back and do nothing... That's path 1. As you saw in my description, it can be the pah of supposed ease lead to nowhere or worse... My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #41 April 13, 2006 QuoteI try to keep my head in the game today, and not worry about past victories OR defeats. I've got this question, Jim: I wouldn't say that I worry about my past victories or defeats - I relish them both equally. John Wooden (an absolutely GREAT man) had a great quote about this: "“The team that makes the most mistakes usually wins.” I've had more defeats than victories in my life - and I've thousands of victories. But the defeats mean I tried. I relish that. Wooden also said, "Don't permit fear of failure to prevent effort. We are all imperfect and will fail on occasions, but fear of failure is the greatest failure of all." "As long as you try your best, you are never a failure. That is, unless you blame others." "The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success." The older I get, the more I appreciate that guy... It certainly helps me deal with my numerous failures. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #42 April 13, 2006 QuoteI've got this question, Jim: I wouldn't say that I worry about my past victories or defeats - I relish them both equally. *** Perhaps 'worry' isn't a good word here. But personally, I don't 'relish' them either... I tend not to give the past much thought because I'm kind of a single minded...not real smart type of guy. It really does seem to, in my case anyway, take away from the focus on today. It's a very dynamic world we live in. We as people and the situations we face change almost minute to minute. By definition, the exact same situation can never come up...for me...again. To pat myself on the back, or kick myself in the ass over something 'yesterday', that I have no control over, is a wasteful exercise in futility. To learn from our mistakes is healthy, to dwell on them isn't. I try to differentiate. If I might have done something different, I wouldn't be where I am today. For better or worse, to even expend energy on those kind of thoughts...delays what I need to do today, to be where I want to be tomorrow...if that makes any sense!? Again...it's what works for me... A pattern I developed after realizing that I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer...and I need to utilize ALL available time and energy to 'turtle' forward! "Get knocked down seven times...get up eight!" ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
