Did your activity ever turn out great when you didn't follow the instructions?

Absolutely!!

I never followed the Instructions here and did quite well

I rarely follow instructions when cooking.

^^^ I’m with you, @Dutchess_III. I always modify recipes.

That is, of course, except for baking cakes, cookies, and other pastries. Baking is a science experiment, to be followed closely, and not a time for self-expression.

I went to a party where nothing went the way it was supposed to and we had a great time.
It was supposed to be in the park, but it was way too hot, so we went to their apartment. There were supposed to be hamburgers, but the meat was frozen stiff, and the barbecue got tipped over before they even started the coals, thanks to a couple of very happy giant dogs. We enjoyed the hot dogs, (no, not those dogs) instead. The planned games were a lot of fun, under everyone’s feet. Three people unexpectedly brought cake, so there was a ton left over. They hung a pinata on the porch, and when it broke, the candy went into the mud that had been created when everybody, including the dogs, played in the wading pools. I went home exhausted from laughing so much.

ohmigosh I’m so anal about directions and warranties that I have a filing cabinet drawer in which I keep those things, plus receipts. When I give something away, like to Salvation Army, I include the directions and warranties.

So no, I don’t ignore directions.

My soup recipe turned out great when I forgot to order one of the ingredients and improvised.