Against the odds

What is something that's a valued part of your life now, something that's there only because you took a risk at some time in the past to make it happen?

This week's theme is risks.

Comfort zone

There are many kinds of risk, for example, physical danger, health risks, financial risks, and risk of public embarrassment. What are some categories of risk (or specific examples of risks) that you are comfortable with and don't mind taking?

What are some risks that make you uneasy, risks that you go to some effort to avoid?

This week's theme is risks.

Worth the risk

What is one thing that you would set out to do if you knew for certain that your efforts would be successful?

What if you were almost certain of success — would you still go ahead? How much uncertainty is enough to stop you from doing something?

This week's theme is risks.

Tell us a story: time traveler

If you could send a message back in time to your younger self, what advice would help the younger you the most? What might happen differently in your life as a result?

Okay, you can take me out to the ball game

What form or genre of entertainment do you resolutely steer clear of? Was there ever a time that someone convinced you to partake in it anyway? How did they persuade you to go against your usual preferences?

Yeah, I could do that

What is the loftiest job that you think you'd be good at, even though you might not have any formal training or official qualifications for the job?

This week's theme is your livelihood.

Luring you away

What's one thing — other than a salary bump or a bonus — an employer could offer you that would get you to leave your current job for a similar position?

This week's theme is your livelihood.

Fringe

What is one interesting non-financial advantage of your current job situation?

This week's theme is your livelihood.

You'd make a great bartender

What is the career that other people seem to think would be a good fit for you? Did any of the standard school aptitude tests turn up anything strange or interesting as a possible career for you?

This week's theme is your livelihood.

Your livelihood

What do you do for a living? How close is it to what you imagined, as a child, you would do when you grew up? How close is it to what you imagined when you were in high school and either choosing a college or preparing to go out into the world and work? How close it is to what you studied for in college?

This week's theme is your livelihood.

Tell us a story: mistaken identity

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else? Most of us aren't celebrity lookalikes, but perhaps you were waiting somewhere in a suit and were mistaken for an important executive, or a doctor, or someone in charge of something. Or maybe you appeared particularly competent in a shop and someone asked for your help in finding an item in their size. When you were mistaken for someone — or something — that you weren't, did you have a moment where you wished you were that other person?