26 Of The World’s Biggest ‘Mess Around And Find Out’ Cases Shared By People Online

The concept of messing around and finding out, might seem reckless, but it’s actually an interesting way to learn. The idea behind it is to get out of your comfort zone and to test the boundaries of what you know to be true. Sometimes, it might be a mistake to do, but even the wrong path can be a good life lesson.

Even if it seems scary to push past your safe place, it can help you gain many new life skills and a new level of confidence in your own abilities. Curiosity about the world is a good thing, and it can open up many new and interesting opportunities for you to try out. The only important thing is to try. 

As you might have noticed from this list, some people had full confidence in their decision, but it ultimately did them more harm than good. One unfortunate example of this is Steve Jobs’ plan to forgo life-saving surgery in favor of natural remedies like dietary supplements and acupuncture.

He refused to undergo any surgical procedures for around nine months because he had full faith in the alternative methods that he had chosen. Folks around him had advised him not to do so, but he realized his mistake too late, once his health had severely deteriorated. This shows just how powerful certain beliefs are that might take us along the wrong paths, and how we need to periodically question ourselves.

What’s really interesting to note is that some people tend to take more risks than others and seem comfortable doing so. To understand this better, Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Charlotte Russell, who is a Clinical Psychologist in the UK and the founder of The Travel Psychologist.

We asked her why some folks do such drastic things, and she mentioned that it might be “a combination of factors. Personality is an important factor, with a proportion of the population being naturally inclined to take risks. This may be accompanied by impulsivity or, in some cases, an inflated sense of self.”

She also mentioned that “in some cases, the risky behaviour escalates over time. This may be because, after repeated exposure to it, the person becomes less sensitive, a phenomenon known as ‘risk normalisation.’ Social media may also be a factor, as people attempt more and more extreme behaviours in the search for likes and follows.”

Most of the people on this list are extreme examples of what could happen if you take things too far. In reality, a little risk and curiosity can actually be beneficial. Dr. Charlotte mentioned that “being curious is good for our wellbeing and helps with creativity. However, it is crucial to be aware when our curiosity leads us to take risks.” 

“Most people will be able to reflect on their personality and how comfortable they are with taking chances. Most of us who aren’t naturally risk takers will be quite clear about where the line is,” she added. That’s why, if you’ve realized that you’re more likely to take things to the extreme, it’s important to think things through and also check in with people who aren’t so impulsive.

Hopefully, all the stories in this list showed you that being too reckless isn’t a good thing. Although you should always be curious and open to new paths, it’s equally important to be a little cautious before you act. This can save you from much embarrassment and pain, or in extreme cases, even death. 

We’d love to hear any stories you have about people who messed around and found out. Do share those examples in the comments.