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People Break Down How A Split-Second Decision Changed Their Entire Life

Woman deciding between two paths
woman standing in brown field while looking sideways
Photo by Burst on Unsplash

We've all been faced with tough decisions at least once in our life.

In some cases, we've had time to think very carefully as to what we decide to do, a few days, weeks, or even months or years, and thus felt confident and happy with the decision we made.

In other cases, however, we might not have had the luxury of time, and had to make a decision in the blink of an eye.

More often than not, it's these split-second, sometimes impulsive decisions, which might end up drastically changing our lives.

Sometimes for the better, and sometimes not.


Redditor Emergency-Niku-0506 was curious to hear about the split-second decisions people made that permanently altered their lives, leading them to ask:
"What is a split-second decision you made that change your life?"

Going With Your Conscience

"Had a boss who asked me to help him commit fraud."

"At the time I was very heavily in debt and badly needed the income, nonetheless I resigned immediately."

"Luck shined on me and I got another job a month later, just in time to pay bills."

"A few years after that I looked up my old boss, he got caught and served time."- GreedyNovel

Why It's Worth Pulling Your Eyes From The Screen

"Quitting a game of Call of Duty Zombies (whatever the one was in 2010/2011)."

"My friends in the dorm would play this constantly and were addicted."

"One day, my friend comes in and says he's going up to his gf's dorm to meet her new roommate, did anyone want to join."

"Normally, nothing could pry me from that game, but something compelled me to say yeah, sure."

"My buddies I was playing with were pissed."

"Went up there and had the closest thing to love at first sight I can describe."

"I still remember looking at this girl vividly."

"She's now my wife, and we have a 5 month old son together."- IslandsOnTheCoast

Love At First Sight Nicole GIF by Hallmark ChannelGiphy

Think Twice Before Taking Off Your Pants

"My friend ('B') had just gotten off of work and would drive past my house on the way to hers every night."

"One night (December 27, 2007, to be exact) B decided to call me while leaving work and invite me to the bar for a drink."

"I had already started drinking and was about to decline the offer when she told me, 'I’m pulling into your driveway'."

"'You might as well put on some pants and come have a beer with me'.”

"No more than 30 seconds after we walked in, she was approached by another friend of hers ('N') and introduced us to each other."

"One year and three four days later - December 31, 2008 - N and I were married and have been ever since."

"If I hadn’t made the decision to put on pants, I likely wouldn’t have met my wife."- A_Prickly_Cactus

Making The Right Decisions For Your Health

"Making myself an appointment for in-patient rehab consultation."

"I couldn’t decide if I was being dramatic or necessary."

"5+ years sober now!"- jn7nh0

Some Feelings Just Can't Be Hidden

"I asked my best friend 'Do you want to talk about the unspoken thing'."

'It was a very impulsive decision, but something I had wanted to say for a long time. she responded 'What, the fact that we love each other, like romantically?''- Winter-Algae8569·

Season 5 Episode 121 GIF by FriendsGiphy

The More The Merrier

"January 2020, a coworker asked if I knew anyone that wanted to adopt a puppy."

"We had three dogs, were not considering another, and even discussed that three was definitely more than enough."

"For whatever reason, I asked him for pics and sent them to my wife."

"That evening we had a 4 month old pup that got along amazing with the family and the other dogs."

"Two months later I was laid off unexpectedly, not even related to covid."

"I was unemployed for over a year and this dog was by my side non-stop."

"Now, everyone in the family loves Rosy, but me and her have a special bond I've never had with a dog before."

"I'm literally tearing up as I write this, a 40yo bearded trucker, ffs."

"I just can't explain how special she is and how important she was to helping me get through the last couple of years."

"Not to dismiss my amazing wife, to be clear."

"When I'm home, I can't go to a different room without her coming along."

"When I'm gone for the night, she whines at my wife while going between her and the door, so I'm told."

"I guess that's not as 'life-changing' as some of these stories, but my life is definitely changed by the presence of her."- curlyfat

Dogs Wave Hi GIF by MOODMANGiphy

Just When She'd Given Up All Hope...

"A person who was a stranger to me at the time logged in to delete her online dating profile."

"There was a message in her inbox."

"It was from me."

"15 years later, we are 12 years happily married."- mekdot83

You Can Never Be Too Sure...

"Going for a third opinion after being misdiagnosed by two doctors in a day for unnatural tiredness."

"The third doctor rushed me off to get urgent blood tests, and it turns out I had severe blood poisoning and was on the verge of organ failure."

'If I'd not gone for a third opinion, I'd be dead now."- Wickywahwah

Safety First!

"Not sure if this counts, but when I was 13 we had this little 50cc dirt bike that I would ride around the block every now and again."

"I was out riding one day and I start doing jumps off the curb."

"I remember landing sketchily and thinking 'a helmet would nice' so I went and out one on, did another curb jump and sure enough wipe and snake the side of my head on the pavement and concussed myself."

"I am sure I would’ve died without the helmet."- buttermansix

cycling fend GIF by GrouphuntGiphy

Always Follow Your Heart

"To quit my tenured job."

"I'm now living in a different city, completing a degree for a profession I am both interested in and naturally good at."

"If you'd told me 5 years ago that this is what I would be doing at the start of 2023, I would have had a panic attack over the thought of just dropping everything, quitting my profession and moving hours away from my home city."

"I was suffering then, but I didn't realize I had the strength to do it until I needed to do it."- ana-neemous

A Little Help Goes A Long Way

"A neighbor of mine is a teacher at an elementary school."

"One day, 6 years ago, she asked me if she could give my phone number to the parents of one of the kids at the school who needed tutoring."

"I wrote down my number for her and started tutoring the kid."

"Over time, I basically became part of the family."- AlmostChristmasNow

Really Knowing Who Your Friends Are

'Cutting my group of friends out of my life.'

"I always felt like crap around them, and one day I realized that they would never ever be there when I needed them."

"So I just noped out and changed numbers."- tsoro

Bye Bitch Get Out Of My Face GIF by Becky GGiphy

It's always scary to make a decision in the heat of the moment.

However, as the saying goes, "the heart knows what it wants".

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