If you died today, what dreams, what talents and what knowledge would die with you?
It is our natural tendency to avoid risk and play it safe, only taking chances when we have to.
We are taught to make safe investments, look for safe jobs and take the safe opportunity, but where does all that lead?
Where would any growth take place?
Taking acceptable risk is not going blind into any situation, but rather evaluating, admitting that there is a certain level of risk involved.
You will never advance without taking a certain amount of risk.
Are you willing to take risk in order to unlock infinite possibilities for yourself and others?
“When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.” – Ellen DeGeneres
3 Reasons to start taking risks:
1. Avoiding risk is also avoiding the maximum potential of your life
Fear of failure is the biggest reason people avoid risk.
Understandably so, risk would not be labeled as risk without a reasonable chance of failure. But there is also a reasonable chance of success.
Why sell yourself short?
Example, I had the option to remain in my hometown following high school graduation. Attend a good school, stay with all my friends and have a solid income.
But, I would be giving up my dream of playing division one college football.
I came to the conclusion that my desire and dream were greater than my fear of failure and would not be able to look myself in the mirror if I didn’t at least try.
Almost three years later, I am a scholarship athlete and major contributor to a D1 college football program in a major conference.
2. Without taking risks you miss out on an opportunity for growth
You must continually break down muscles if you want to get stronger.
The human body will adapt to whatever stress you put on it. If you stop adding stress (i.e. Risk) you will not make any gains.
Without consistently challenging yourself, stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risk, you limit the amount of growth in your life.
You are saying you don’t want to go any higher in life.
I would not be where I am today without taking risk.
3. The rewards, regardless of success or failure, outweigh the cost
Without taking risk and facing my fear of failure, I would not be the man I am today.
What I have learned, how I have developed and whom I have impacted are far beyond what I had ever thought possible.
Even if I had failed, never accomplishing my original goal, I have become so much more than what I previously was and created a larger vision for myself.
Now it was not easy, if it were easy everyone would take risks!
There were many days when I wanted to quit, go home, and go back to my old lifestyle. But because I stayed the course I have reaped the rewards.
A life without risk is a life not lived! Living a lifestyle of taking risk does not happen overnight.
A few ways you can implement taking risk into your daily life right now are:
- Talk to a stranger at the bus stop, train station, or at work. Engaging in simple conversation with a stranger is a great way to build self confidence and break down a limiting belief of possibilities
- If that’s too much, try a new hairstyle or outfit. Read a different kind of book, listen to a different genre of music, or eat a new type of food.
Trying something different everyday is a great way to challenge yourself and change your way of thinking.
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali
Taking risk is all about taking a chance on yourself, defining life on your terms not letting life define you.
The great men and women of our time did not become great by avoiding risk. They took a chance and made themselves great.
What risks are you willing to take?
Great article, really great to read positive stuff on a Monday morning would be great to connect
I think that the willingness to take calculated risks is what separates a successful person from someone who lives an unremarkable life. The tricky think about risk taking is that it needs to be a habit and a mindset, rather than an occasional choice you make on an as-needed basis. We are all creatures of habit. In my opinion, Isaac Newton’s second Law of Motion applies to human behavior: “…an object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.” Whether or not your higher self could be considered an “external force” is open to debate, but there is a source of motivation and strength within us all that needs to be tapped into if we want to take charge of our lives and makes things happen. One of my absolute favorite quotes about taking risks and motivating yourself is from the author Anais Nin (1903-1977) who stated “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
How would you recommend turning risk taking into a habit, do you find meditation can change this thought process or do you have a way you personally do it?
Thanks in advance
What an terrific article. it is always hard to take leaps of faith, even small ones, but when you do, and you succeed, you feel so good.