Forums Forums General Forums A - Z Lifestyle What would you have done differently?

Having reflected on life in general and where we are today, with so many more opportunities, I thought it could be interesting to find out if others would have done things differently. If you could go back in time and start again. What would your dreams have been and can you still fulfill them.
Maybe our ambitions were not met, or had no ambitions and wish that we had done.
For myself, I have had a wonderful, full and exciting life and I wouldn't change any of it.
Only one regret,- that I was not more interested in learning at school and that I never made the time since, to put my mind to it.
My dream would have been to have learnt as much as possible about music and to have been part of an orchestra or had the ability to be a composer.

Tell us about you.

i never learnt much in school we used to play bingo in maths? if only i had known then what i no now,still been able to make good money,sometime lots of pices of paper saying your good at this n that mean nothing,you also so need some street sense,thats why the uk is like its today run by fuckwits

Things I would have done differently ...

Not got married.
Gone self-employed earlier in life.

Things I would change...........

I would of worked less hours and spent more time with my dad

Not getting involved with people who walked all over me

Regret not starting my own hairdressing business

It's never too late Sarah. You can do what ever you want.

Times have changed now peanut

But possible one day but don't think so

That's a shame Sarah. My sister wanted to start her own Mobile hairdressing business so I know how hard it is.

you can still do your hairdressing, you can make a bomb from your mobile hairdressing as customers are screaming for them.
And you can rent a place out as well to do hairdressing and get a couple of mates to chip in with you.
Spraytanning is getting big as well.
you can also learn to do nails and eyelashes.
alot of options.

I do mobile hairdressing,but car has been off the road for a few months will be back to it once car is spot on

Come on Ste, fix the car.

When I left school I started my job as Trainee Transport Manager but regret never asking the firm to allow me to get any qualifications.
When my boss the Transport Manager died 1970 a law had come in
stating if you'd worked as Transport Manager before 1970 you were ok otherwise you had to get the right qualifications such as
Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence through various exams etc.
Ended up as transport office foreman in charge of deliveries and collections under various transport managers who ran the garage and vehicles side of it

I find myself rarely agreeing with Peanut.

This is not one of those times.

I have a full time job and I also run a small business, lunchtimes, after work, weekends, via my iPhone - whenever it needs some attention.

My advice on starting a business is pretty simple and is something others have disagreed with me about for a fair old time now...

"Take something that someone else does and do it better".

People tell me all the time that the secret to success is finding something that nobody else has thought of, but that's not easy in this day and age. If you can be better than the competition then you're sorted.

Your other half is good with cars, from what I've heard, have him sort it. If it is money that is an issue then spend a little less shopping - you're a self-confessed shopaholic and you told me money is no object the other night.

Go to your bank with a business plan, they ARE lending to the right people.

Anyway, I am going off topic, do I have any regrets?

Sure, when I turned 18 I took my life savings of £20k and I spunked every last penny on a car, and subsequent modifications to that car. I wish I'd got myself an old classic, paid much less on insurance, running costs, buying it etc. I wish I'd not lost £12k on that car in 2 years. I wish I'd used the money to do something more constructive like travelling, or buying my first buy-to-let property. If I'd have been more sensible back then I may be in a much better position now. £12k + the rest of the car running costs is a lot to lose when you're 18-20 and studying!

But I didn't.

I think I set myself back a good couple of years in doing so.

Education/uni/job wise, no regrets.

I'm currently in the process of trying to pass on my experience to my 19 year old brother who, upon receipt of this £20k gift, wants to buy a car.

Nobody ever listens, so perhaps that's another regret, not listening to my parents. Sometimes they DO know best.

Personally, I wouldn't change a thing. I firmly believe that things, both good and bad, happen for a reason and that when you come to pop your clogs the scales will be even, give or take an ounce or two. Which side that ounce is leaning towards will depend only on one thing-YOU!! :-)

Back in the seventies I'd probably have invented a computer system & called it something like Microsoft.

Bob.

You make your own luck Fil. People who sit back and think that the hand they have been dealt is solely down to luck (or lack of it) and fate are massively deluded.

I know some extremely 'privileged' people who have ended up with nothing and I've known people to come from nothing and end up with things they could never dream of.

You get OUT of life what you put IN to it.

Put nothing in, get nothing out etc.

Don't think you needed to write a book, lol.
Not everyone is in the fortunate position of being handed £20,000 at the age of 18 or at any age for that matter. I have a lot more respect for people who go out and do it for themselves. Sarah, if you are a talented hairdresser I am sure you could build a very successful business, it's like Jonron says, you have to be better than your competitors.

i wish i had taken up driving lessons when i got the offer.
Then i would start my own little busuness.there is alot of opportunities out there and if you put your mind to it it can happen.
the saying goes money makes money!
i suppose i could still aim for that in the new year.

Hi Sarah , you are only young ,you can still do most things surely i say if you want it ,go and get it good luck

It's not a book, it's a constructive post which was aimed to help.

Sarah, you definitely CAN do it. So go and do it.

too right you can go for it as ive just told Sarah ,if you want it ,do it, i`ll help you

i do agree with you peanut but some poeple start with nothing then become successfull and earn there money well.

If i had the choice i wouldnt change anything.... it sounds cheesy but the stuff thats happened in my life has made me who i am today... you make your own luck

Sarah that depends on what you want to do ,

Thats true Sillymoo, did you make things work for you then!

That`s a prime example of sod`s law ,sad that tho Derekdwc

Yer things havent always gone the way i would like but just get over and get on with it lol

yes i agree with you there,
well i hope i can turn round at the end of this year and not say what i would have done differently Missymoo.
you sound a nice person anyway.

your so right crap happens but it makes you stronger x

Of course they do.

Risk is always directly proportionate to reward.

For example, Investing in the stock market is riskier than investing in property. Investing in property is riskier than investing in gold. Investing in gold is riskier than investing in bonds. Investing in bonds is riskier than fixed deposits.

Those that have come from nothing and made a fortune have taken considerable risks.

Sarah needs to take that risk, or take the easy option and work for someone else. There's no risk in that but there's also very little reward.

I could go on, but I won't.

Too many people equate success in life to how wealthy they are financially. Big mistake-especially in modern society. Happiness comes from within. It is better to give than to receive innit. I know many people who have won and lost. Survival depends on your personal outlook. For example,how many Jews who survived the concentration camps managed to make lives for themselves because they had the right approach to life? Just imagine being repatriated from Belsen, in 1945. No family; no friends, save a few survivors. How much bitterness did those guys have to overcome to move forward? Imagine having your house taken away from you by bailiffs and having to start from scratch. It must be a nightmare-so every night, I count my blessings, which are many and look forward to the next day of being alive!!

Or... I'll help you.

I've built up a considerable fund which I plan to invest. It was going to be bricks and mortar but there are plenty of angel investors willing to fund start ups such as this. Bring a decent business plan to them and they'll help you to help them.

so true!

LOL Please don`t

lol is that dragon`s den you talking about

Unfortunately, that is how success is measured.



I agree. Being able to give because you have done well is a fantastic feeling, letting others benefit from your success.



Me too. They've taken the risk, some win, some lose.



I think we're going slightly off topic here, how many concentration camp survivors do we have on Wiki?



These people are either lazy or took the risk vs reward route and failed. But the risk vs. reward people will pick themselves up and give it another crack. The lazy, well, they'll sign on andy give up.

LIFE... is what you make of it.

This sort or response shows me why you're not an entrepreneur and will never make anything of yourself.

Some people are cut out for life and some just float along, happy with what they have.

One of my mates informed me the other day that his wife had made him a millionaire. He said, before he met her-he was a multi-millionaire!!

Call it what you like.

I've invested money in a fair few start up businesses. Luckily more have succeeded than failed.

That's the risk though isn't it. I could have taken a 9-5 and settled down. I'd still be making above average money, but it wouldn't satisfy me. Different strokes/different folks.

Isn't that the truth.

phew,

Good that some people are fortunate enough to not to have to take a risk.
I know people who have access to "bank of mum and dad" and they know they can always fall back on mummy and daddy.
I'm going to make sure my kids understand that money has to be earned.

:r:omg

Just because someone isnt an entrepreneur does not mean thay wont make something of themsleves life isnt about sitting in pools of cash from some big career...... i float along with life and am very happy

Just show`s ,you know nothing

Yeah, some people are fortunate enough. I know a couple.

Poor kids... when I have kids, that I bring into the world, they will have the benefit of a successful father and I will give them everything I possibly can, whilst ensuring they understand the value of money.

I appreciate that sometimes a father can't offer all they would have wanted to their children.

George W. Bush once said to a White House aide: "The French will never make good businessmen-they don't even have a word in their language for entrepreneur!!" lol.

You understand irony, right?

I agree. Some people are happy floating along.

"It takes all sorts".

Spoiling your children is not a good idea.
Telling them how much you love them is much more important.
Money isn't everything.

which one are you going on about there are three meanings?

Did you not read the bit where sillymoo says "I am very happy" ?

Sorry for missing the word 'very'.

Is that why you went back home .i thought it was because you couldn`t afford the flat any more maybe

My first thought was I wouldn't have married my first husband but then I thought I wouldn't have met my the man I'm married to now, had 3 great kids, fab grandson, lovely home and great job. Yes I'm very lucky, very happy and count my blessings. If having what I have meant 8 years of crap in my early 20's with husband number 1 it was worth it.

Living at home with mum and dad costs you nothing. Gotta be smart aye.

1. Give them what you can, if you can't, you can't;
2. Obviously, both 1 & 2 would be ideal;
3. Correct, but it's nice, and it helps.

for god`s sake Don`t reproduce that`s cruel

Nice 1 Chris, things happen for a reason.

right i`m off now some idiot is beginning to piss me off

You seem to know a lot about me.

If you're referring to the flat I bought in Manchester when I lived there then I have 2 very happy tenants living there and it's worth a whole lot more than when I bought it.

Great thinking, Chris!! That's the spirit!! It takes lots of failure to be successful. :-)

Indeed, and if you can do it then I'd recommend it.

If you're lucky to have multimillionaire parents who are willing to help you out then it's ideal, is it not?

That's quite a generalism, Bill Gates didn't take many risks to get his business on the road, more of the right place at the right time. Successful business is about risk management and hence minimising risk and going against that rule.

I've seen many people burn out, your first investment should be to your health and quality of life, yes, some people thrive on stress - but some of those people die of their stress as well.

Different people, different skills, different goals in life - nobody is right, nobody is wrong.

It's cruel reproducing if you can't support them.

Success story. Well done.

Material things don't makes a chid happy, sometimes it's the small things in life that make a happy family, like fun holidays together etc etc etc, anyway going round in circles with you, the expert in everything, including parenthood.

A good post.

There's always those that have a fantastic idea, Mark Zuckerberg springs to mind.

But it isn't a regular occurrence.

Most people 'make it' through hard work and taking risks.

yes same here i got a great guy in my life everything i own i have worked for.
got a few mates that i can trust.
am not loaded with money but who needs it i dont go spending mine on unnessary things anyway.

Material things add to a childs happiness.



These guys probably have the most loving parents imaginable, but are they happy?

Well done.

Do you feel you could have tried a bit harder and had a bit more?

Genuine question.

Your ex-husband, how much do you attribute to him?

I dunno-but I give 'em my £3 a month. Desperate really because their government should stick a few pence in too, don't you think? Africa is the breeding ground for World War 3. We have to get rid of these despotic governments post-haste.

Oh yes I agree, it's ideal, and what kid wouldn't turn it down. But that doesn't give you the credentials to advise other people on how to be sussecful, as it sounds like you have had a bit of help that most wouldn't have had. Some people work hard from scratch and earn what they have and some people are handed whatever they want on a plate. So please stop trying to advise everyone on how to be successful, unless you have done it from nothing.

my ex has nothing to do with you,
i have achieved what i want so far and happy.
Thats all that matters.

I'd have done it from nothing, if I'd have started from nothing.

That's the work ethic I have.

Fair play, some people are easily pleased.

I'm happy for you.

same here i started with nothing never claimed any benefits ither.
didnt even depend on mum and dad when skint.

Well done. Shame though, as that's what they're there for.

Luckily I've never been skint.

Mum and dad are there for hand outs when you need it?
Have you ever heard of the words spoilt brat being used in a conversation?

thats nice that mum and dad is there for you.
i take it your old enough to flee the nest.
but they say that some like there bread buttered on both sides.
well done glad you are happy.

I'm confident that they would be, luckily I've never had to test the theory due to my successful career and the business that I run.

Secondly, no, never heard those words.

More than old enough, just bought my 4th house and plan to move into this one.

Who wouldn't like their bread buttered on both sides?

Thanks

I bet all your mates are posh as well,

My younger son is at Uni in Huddersfield and the boss and I consider it a privilege that we can help him out financially because if we couldn't, he'd starve. Students get a raw deal off the government. Thank God he's in his last year. He does appreciate the help, though and always remembers to say, "Thanks". We don't go mad-just give him enough for the basics. He has a part-time job in a call centre too. Good hard-working lad. Takes after his mum!! :-)

It`s the thought of two or more of you ,Narcisistic is bad enough for one imagine the poor things having your gene`s Alex when are you going to learn it`s not about money ,and put both hands where i can see them lol

I choose my mates based on their morals and ethics. I'm lucky in that I have an honest and genuine group of friends that I trust implicitly. This goes for my school friends, uni friends, work friends and any other friends I have.

Friends are the most important things in my life and I'd do anything for them.

Amen to that and fair play to him for riddling himself with the debt that we all come out of uni with. It'll land him in good stead for the rest of his life.

Although I'm not a father (that I know of), when I am, I'll want the best for them.

Hi Every body should we leave this shite subject alone and have our usual laugh ,ignore the troubled one it`s clear he can`t /won`t get on ,the bigger the harder they fall ,that goes out to every tit i know ,and there`s only one of them unless god forbid it reproduces .Let`s go back on chat eh don`t let him wind you up lolsee you all on chat in a minit eh