I had the chance to go pro towards the late 80's through circumstance - you know, one of those right place, right moment deals with a Glasgow band flying high in the charts ...
As a school dropout with no qualifications two buses arrived at the same time and another opportunity coincided, namely the offer of a 'job for life' which paid well and offered a good pension.
Once I'd weighed the implications I opted for the steady income stream.
No real surprise, I hated the job. It's particularly difficult for those more inclined to creative expression to fit into the mainstream. Nonetheless, in the end it gave my family a comfortable life and I retired at fifty-two.
Given the 'what if' factor, would I do the same again? Definitely not. If I had the chance I wouldn't do anything again. Why would anyone. Life's about new experiences, right?
My only regrets centre on the things I didn't do.