learning a tactic over gaining the win

Has any one here ever focused on playing out theories, or different tactics even if playing something out would  reduce your tempo or jeopardize the win.  Examples for myself are attempting new opens, I may feel unsafe about proceeding and want to transition into my comfort zone.  I have also found it in experimenting with sacking pieces to get mate or obtain material.

In club or online games, absolutely.  In my case it's often when I know I have a draw or safe way of playing... but there's an interesting but risky alternative.  If you play it, win or lose you'll get to learn something about the possibilities in a position.

For example I've been trying some exchange sacs (rook for bishop or knight) when they look interesting.  If my position falls apart, I'll learn that it wasn't so interesting after all.  Or maybe it doesn't work for reasons unexpected... or does work for reasons unexpected.  You won't know if you don't try! :)

Not an excuse for reckless or lazy playing though.

I have found myself so fixated on performing certain combinations that I saw I could pull off, but in doing so, because part of it wasn't in place yet, I didn't see I could have a checkmate instead.

Also, I tend to look so hard for a checkmate sometimes I miss an easy chance to get ahead materially, or to get a superior position. I have found you have to retrain yourself to look at the possibilities carefully, to include positions that would have you move your pieces, to where they seem as if the can be taken or into a fork etc. , even if you have no intent to sacrifice the piece. An example would be taking pieces you normally wouldn't because, it would appear your opponent can take back.

I find trying to calculate a sacrifice can be even more difficult for me, especially if it is a queen or rook. I have been looking for the decoy sacrifice and how I can not only exploit the possibility of getting the other guy out of position, but also to see what position I can get into, so once my opponent realizes they can't take it, they will be so messed up it won't matter.

One example for myself is not a series of moves so much as a style of play.  when I first started playing a large portion of my game centered on my opp- making a mistake. when I first started to actually develop as a player,I intentionally focused on not looking to develop based on my interpretation of their mistakes, several times I missed opportunities.  In the end though I know I became a stronger player.  I wonder is there a good set of puzzles that focus on different tactics and variations, not so much on opens, and mating nets?  

If you need your opponent to make outright blunders or mistakes to win, you are missing somethings about how to play. I want to be able to win when my opponent doesn't do either. I want to be able to win whenever all of the moves they make are good in general... If you can do that, you know you have made it as a chess player.