# Bad decisions or bad luck that paid off in the long run **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795 "2019-03-08T23:38:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795/1 "2019-03-08T23:38:14Z")
Anyone got stories of bad luck, disappointment or bad decisions that paid off in the long run? It reminds me of the buddhist parable. > **[Maybe, Said the Farmer, by Author Unknown](https://www.awakin.org/v2/read/view.php?tid=1011)** > [@](#): > > Once upon a time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically. > “Maybe,” the farmer replied. > The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed. > “Maybe,” replied the old man. > The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. > “Maybe,” answered the farmer. > The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. > “Maybe,” said the farmer. Anyway, I knew a guy who got his girlfriend pregnant in high school. Sounds bad, but she was from a wealthy family. They’re still married and now he gets to travel the world on her family’s dime while all the people who wore condoms in high school are working in the local factory. I know another guy who got rejected from his preferred grad school, so he had to go elsewhere. While at the other school he met his wife and started a family. I assume stories like these are common. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795/2 "2019-03-09T00:18:19Z")
My 3rd child. Yes, the lil’wrekker was a boo-boo. But by God she has been the biggest blessing of my life. She’ll be 20 this year and I have not regretted her one minute. I don’t regret my other 2 either, it’s just different. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795/3 "2019-03-09T00:26:25Z")
Unfortunately, a friend of my brother overslept for his job interview. Fortunately, it was in the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795/4 "2019-03-09T00:46:39Z")
I got a job interview with Circuit City and was rejected for whatever reason while most of my co-interviewees got accepted. Literally the next week Circuit City went out of business and I recognized most of them when I went in a month later for the 80% off clearance. I don’t think that job would have been worth the stress and heartache involved knowing I’d be hired then fired with a month. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795/5 "2019-03-09T01:33:22Z")
[Accidental discovery of penicillin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Fleming) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-decisions-or-bad-luck-that-paid-off-in-the-long-run/830795/6 "2019-03-09T01:38:53Z")
In 2007, I was very conservatively invested with a lot of govt. bonds. A close friend borrowed a lot of money to buy stocks. He lost his shirt. He commented that I had invested very badly, but it worked out well anyway. When I graduated HS, I got no scholarship (which were all merit-based and not need-based in those bygone days). So I got a full-time job in a university lab which allowed me to register as a part-time student. My entire life turned–for the better–on this.