What is a split-second decision you made that changed your life?

Quora文选英语 · 公众号 · 问答 · 2017-07-28 08:27

正文

What is a split-second decision you made that changed your life?

Andrew Karam, Scientist, Consultant, Writer at Freelancing (2006-present)

Answered Tue

33.4k Views · 4.9k Upvotes

Change one thing, change everything.

At a party in Chicago I went to help a friend avoid a fight.
As a result, the other guy tackled me and broke my ankle.
As a result, the house-painting company I was working for would not hire me back.
As a result, I couldn't pay for college (and didn't want to take a loan).
As a result, I joined the Navy as an enlisted man and went into nuclear power on submarines.
As a result the rest of my life changed - friends, career, education, confidence, spouse, outlook, and everything else.

Who would imagine that going to a party would affect so much?

Vocabularies：

split-second：adj. 极快的、瞬间发生的、刹那间发生的；
freelance：vi. 当自由职业者；
freelance work：自由职业；
freelance writer：自由撰稿人；
tackle：n. 滑轮或滑轮组、用具、器械（fishing-tackle）；vt. 应对、处理；
n. act of tackling in or as in football, etc （如橄榄球等中的）擒抱、擒拿:
The policeman brought the thief to the ground with a flying tackle. 警察飞身上前把盗贼扑倒在地上。
(in Rugby football) seize and stop (an opponent holding the ball) （橄榄球）擒抱（对方持球队员）。
drastically：adv. 大大地、彻底地；

Comments：

Karan Balwani：

This answer reminds me of the Butterfly Effect - how a minor change in occurrence of an event can drastically alter the events that follow. Thank you for your answer.