[Computerpro3]

What are your thoughts on risk or adrenaline addiction? Could be anything from risking your life to just making rash business decisions for the thrill of it...

Came across this randomly and was rather uncomfortable reading for some reason

http://www.adrenalineaddicts.org/docs/4.pdf

I consider myself very, very successful for where I am (I'm still very young relatively speaking), but looking back, I really took some ridiculous risks and it's a miracle I am where I am today. In fact, I still do take ridiculous risks, but for some reason, I always 100% deep down have some strange belief that they will work out. I'm starting to worry that this belief is just arrogance and one of these days I will not be so lucky...

At first I didn't think I was addicted to risk, as before I take risks I obsessively research, plan, and execute in order to reduce the overall risk, but to put things into perspective, I just narrow the odds down from impossible to merely mind blowing.

I take risks in literally everything, from things as simple as returning a call to someone belatedly or handing in a major term paper late (will I still get the business contract? Can I sweet talk my way out of a bad grade?), to things as significant as my education (senior year of high school I decided to major in piano performance after never playing before and only applied to two colleges, both top 20 music conservatories, just flat out stupid odds of me getting in). I ride rollercoasters compulsively (but now am bored of 99% of them), love any kind of fast vehicles (planes, cars, boats), have snowmobiled alone in the mountains recklessley, etc.

Another risky thing - it is an absolute thrill for me to speed and not get caught. Not recklessley speed, just drive maybe 15 or 20 over on the highway. I outfitted my car with radar detectors, top of the line imported laser jammers, a cb radio, and went through the trouble of obtaining a top of the line police laser gun to test out my setup and make sure I'm impervious. I am completely addicted to the rush of driving by a cop, jamming his laser, and getting away scott free. I don't need to get where I'm going any faster, I'm not in a hurry, it's just a good feeling to get away with speeding.

Even right now, I have a public piano competition and performance in New Orleans in exactly two weeks. One of the peices I am playing is Mozarts 21st concerto, and I wrote my own cadenza for it earlier this year. Now with only two weeks to go, each and everyday I put off actually learning the cadenza (the rest of the peice is fine)- I only have two weeks left to learn this thing from scratch, polish it, and perform it in front of some of the most influential pianists out there. What is wrong with me? Ah, but it's such a rush to be under pressure and have to pull it together, and than walk out on stage knowing you're quite literally risking everything...one shot, that's all you get. What a frigging rush. In fact, I am starting to think that this is why I love performing - not for communicating with the audience, as most of them don't get it anyway (though when they do it is an incredible experience), but simply for the adrenaline rush of risk.

I am just kind of realizing how many risks I take, and now I'm kind of scared. Despite the fact that somehow I completely believe that I will pull everything together every single time and come through perfectly fine, I'm starting to worry that it is exactly that arrogance that will screw me over in the end.

On the flip side, I have always believed that taking these insane risks and somehow pulling them off is precisely what seperates me from less successful and less envied people. I've always lived by the mantra that the difference between successful people and mere sheep are that successful people are the only ones that took risks.

Now I'm not really sure what to think.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Computerpro3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am just kind of realizing how many risks I take, and now I'm kind of scared. Despite the fact that somehow I completely believe that I will pull everything together every single time and come through perfectly fine, I'm starting to worry that it is exactly that arrogance that will screw me over in the end.

Nobody bats 1000. It's one thing to push it with a term paper or a performance, but another with the car. Losing control of a car could very well affect others. Do you really want to expose others to your risk? If you want to change, and it sounds like you do, reframe your point of view and think about how your acts will affect others. Could you live with yourself if you caused an accident where someone was badly hurt or killed?

 

[intoflatlines]

I think that typically more risks can lead to better things, but you have to keep in mind that it's a risk and thus will not always turn out good for you.

On a side note (simple question, no hijack intended), what laser jammer do you have?

 

[Kirosia]

I'm a normally passive fellow, but in truth I feed off violence and danger. I grew up one of the smallest, weakest, and sickliest, yet whenever I was coaxed into a fight, I didn't want to back down. Even if the odds were against me, I'd go in full-force. (Sadly, I was a horrible fighter as a kid) My senior year of high school, I ended up in a situation where I believed I could be violently attacked at any moment. I had a constant adrenaline rush, the thought of having to defend myself from actual death, the chance to (in my mind) justifiably crush someone...

Even now, I workout in a combat-oriented manner, yet I don't participate (nor plan to) in a combat sport. It's in my nature, my blood, my upbringing.

 

[gorgak]

Some people function better under the influence of pressure and adrenaline.

The best papers I ever wrote in college were done in a single sitting the day before/morning of, to the tune of 12 or so hours of sitting and writing.

Even at work I perform better when there is a rush for a deadline.

I also don't see the problem with sticking it to the law. Someone has to keep them on their toes, as long as you aren't endangering other people.

Sounds normal to me.

 

[RockCity]

You're the man now dawg.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm a normally passive fellow, but in truth I feed off violence and danger. I grew up one of the smallest, weakest, and sickliest, yet whenever I was coaxed into a fight, I didn't want to back down. Even if the odds were against me, I'd go in full-force. (Sadly, I was a horrible fighter as a kid) My senior year of high school, I ended up in a situation where I believed I could be violently attacked at any moment. I had a constant adrenaline rush, the thought of having to defend myself from actual death, the chance to (in my mind) justifiably crush someone... Even now, I workout in a combat-oriented manner, yet I don't participate (nor plan to) in a combat sport. It's in my nature, my blood, my upbringing.

 

[ken36]

GOOD STUFF!