I want to talk about something in this article that scares the hell out of most people and that is RISK. Taking a risk can be a sketchy prospect for most people. Before we start talking about what risk is:

Definition of; Risk (excerpt from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

1: the possibility of loss or injury: peril

2: someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard

3 a: the chance of loss or the perils to the subject matter of an insurance contract; also: the degree of     probability of such loss

   b: a person or thing that is a specified hazard to an insurer.

   c: an insurance hazard from a specified cause or source war risk

4: the chance that an investment (such as a stock or commodity) will lose value

— riskless play \ˈris-kləs\ adjective

— at risk: in a state or condition marked by a high level of risk or susceptibility patients at risk of infection.

Well as we can see, the word risk has many meanings depending on how it is applied to a situation. But let’s take a moment to look at how risk applies to our lives when we undertake the journey to improve our lives be it personally and professionally.

It’s easy to dream about the life you wish you were living. But, when we look at major changes in our lives, most of us are a bit skittish about taking the big step out of our comfort zone of what we are used to and of what we know. When the realization hits about what we are reaching for and what we may have to risk grabbing the brass ring, it scares the crap out of us. Instead of looking toward the rewards that are to be gained, we look at what we could potentially lose. That is usually our material possessions even worse, it may change the way others look at us. Instead of seeing that perfectly constructed veneer that has been so carefully constructed to fool others into believing that we really have things together, it could reveal us to be vulnerable…even, heaven forbid…human.

This is not talking about strangers, friends, people that are close to us, or even you. To be completely transparent, I am talking about myself as well. This is a real issue that I have struggled with in the past and continues to challenge me personally to this day. No matter how thick of skin we have, somewhere deep we all care about what others think of us. With the world being the way it is these days, it seems like everyone is ready to pounce on us if we make the slightest misstep. So, risk? I’d have to say that there is some risk involved in the pursuit of what you want so badly. But there always is risk in any endeavor in life worth pursuing. What about what you stand to lose? If what you have is so great then why do you want something different than what you already have, it’s great, right? So, do you really have so much to lose by going for it?

• Stuff? They make more of it every day, there is no danger of running out of it.
• Money? They make more of it constantly and there are billions, if not trillions of it in circulation all over the world. Again, no danger of running out of it.
• Friends? You found the ones you have, right? There are over seven billion people on this planet, ‘nuff said?
• Respect and love? Would anyone who respects and loves you stop just because you fail at something? Love is unconditional and respect? Well, have you ever lost respect for someone to works hard and is willing to try for what is important to them?

One more thing to remember is that no one who has ever been successful did not do so without taking some serious risks. The only thing to remember is that there is a big difference between taking a risk and gambling. Gambling leaves your chances up to the luck of the draw. Those who are successful have learned from their mistakes and failures. They know the odds because they have done their research and taken an effort to ensure that any risk they take is minimal. In other words, they take calculated risks by making their own “luck”.

As we come to the end of this article the one takeaway is that you need to recognize that anything that is worth having comes with a price. That price is that if your arms are full of what you can’t let go, there is little room to hold what is yet to come. Let it go! Because if you want to win, you must realize that risk is part of the game!

“It’s easy to dream about the life you wish you were living. But, when we look at major changes in our lives, most of us are a bit skittish about taking the big step out of our comfort zone of what we are used to and of what we know. When the realization hits about what we are reaching for and what we may have to risk grabbing the brass ring, it scares the crap out of us.”