You Need To Take One Risk A Day
Why this will help you.
People hear the word “risk” and they think that it’s a word that incites a “storm”. Not all changes are storms. Taking a risk does not always mean immediate change. Most successful people take risks every single day. They have the “experimentation” mindset and they don’t stay the same. They are dynamic in the ways that they live. They like to “disturb” the waters ever so slightly so that they can see the effects of this disturbance.
They sit back and evaluate the results.
“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” –Oscar Wilde
There’s a spectrum of emotions when we think about taking a risk. At first, we are objective, then when we realize we are on the cusp of taking the risk, we feel fear and anxiety. Then, after we took a step forward, we persist until the action is complete. Finally, we come to complete relief when we can observe the results. This relief results in “hope”.
Hope is the ingredient for motivation and further experimentation.
“Hope is brightest when it dawns from fears.” –Walter Scott
At the end of the day, successful people know that hope is what develops intrinsic motivation. They want lots and lots of it every single day. This is why they take risks every day. This is why fear has nothing on them.
When I look at my day to day life, I can see that I’ve been taking risks every day whether I acknowledge the risks or not.
- I wrote new types of articles to add to my writing portfolio. This resulted in new leads from new clients.
- I switched up my routine with my son. He likes it better when we have one-on-one playtime in the morning than in the afternoon. It gave me insight into how his routines are changing and how ready he is for preschool.
- I cooked a new dish combining a few ingredients that I have never tried before. This led me to discover a new type of restaurant I’d like to try.
- I pitched to a publication way out of my league. They didn’t accept my pitch. But, they connected me to someone who may be good to talk to in the industry.
What we think of as our grand plan is simply a baseline. What actually happens with our plan is that inside each line item, when we complete them, they spawn many new opportunities. It is always a choice to pursue these new opportunities by taking a risk.
The most successful people are agile in the way that they work. They will spend that extra time to pursue leads, experiment to work out what their next steps should be.
When you follow each step of your plan, the value is not in the completion of the steps. The true value and the golden goose is in the new paths your steps lead you to.
There’s no final destination.
“Imagine no limitations; decide what’s right and desirable before you decide what’s possible.” –Brian Tracy
If you count on and live according to “arrival” or results, then you will miss a lot. You will miss all the opportunities that opened up on the way to your destination or at your destination.
Don’t miss these opportunities. They may open your mind up to new ways of thinking, new approaches to dealing with issues, and new connections that may help you.
Listen as you go about your journey and take measured risks whenever you can to explore these opportunities as they open up.
What are you waiting for?
About the Author
Jun Wu is a Content Writer for Technology, AI, Data Science, Psychology, and Parenting. She has a background in programming and statistics. On her spare time, she writes poetry and blogs on her website.
