“Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage.” – unknown
I am the friend who is always going to tell you to take the chance, roll the dice or try that new thing. I just think – in most cases – even if it doesn’t go the way you’d hope, you’re no worse off than you were before.
Investigating the unknown is something that makes life interesting. If we woke up at 6:00 a.m. every day, ate the same foods for all three meals, kept the same job for 40 years and never met new people, we’d all be pretty bored. But a lot of life can happen when you start coloring outside the lines a little bit.
Now, there’s a difference between taking risks and being irresponsible (or just plain stupid). In my opinion, a risk is something that has at least equal chances of working out as it does failing. Let’s not all quit our jobs with no money in our savings, or try and drive a sedan through four feet of snow.
Don’t risk more than you have to lose.
When I say the word “risk,” I bet there’s something flashing through your brain that you’ve wanted to do, but haven’t yet. My advice: do it.
Pitch the idea to your boss. Write the first chapter. Call that person.
Put yourself out there, knowing there’s a chance it could fail. Which it won’t. Because the only real failure is sitting here (or in 10 years) wondering, “what if?”
Some of my proudest moments in life have come from doing something I never thought I would have the courage to do. But the thing is, at the time, I had no hesitations. I can look back and see them as risks, but at the moment, I was just living.
What risk can you set in motion today?
An affirmation to try: “ I will take a risk, knowing it can bring something positive to my life I didn’t have before. If it doesn’t work out, I will celebrate my bravery, rather than regret the effort. ”