Dance students at Zurich University of the Arts (Image: ZHdK)

When You Have Nothing to Lose, Close Your Eyes and Go For It!

Karin A. R. Taglang
Sep 7, 2018 · 3 min read

Children live their lives without thinking about what they have to lose. They just go for it, do what they feel like doing, with no regard for the consequences. They might do something stupid and be punished by their parents. Maybe they get grounded or aren’t allowed to watch TV for a few days. But that’s it.

As adults, mistakes and bad choices have a much bigger impact, and that’s why adults worry. When I don’t do my job right, I might get fired and lose my income. If I cheat on my husband, he might throw me out of the house and I’d have nowhere to stay. Adult life comes with consequences and whatever we do, there’s almost always something at stake.

Seize the Opportunity

So what if there isn’t? What if you know with 100% certainty that a decision you’re about to make cannot and will not put anything else at risk? What if you really have nothing to lose? This is when you should close your eyes and seize the opportunity without thinking twice.

Believe me: The realisation that nothing important is at stake no matter what happens is the most liberating feeling. It recently happened to me when I decided to finally apply for a Masters degree I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It is run by Zurich University of the Arts, which is notorious for being very restrictive when it comes to accepting new students.

I’d been thinking about applying for several years, but I was too afraid. Until I asked myself this question: What is the worst thing that could happen? Getting rejected, I figured. And that’s when I realised: A rejection would hurt, yes, but it would leave me at exactly the same point where I was before:

I would still have my job, my Bachelor’s degree, and I would still be a dancer. Getting rejected wouldn’t take any of that away from me. So I sat down, typed up my application and sent it out within a few hours. And guess what: I got accepted!

Is It Worth It?

The decision I had to make about applying for that Masters programme was an easy one precisely because I didn’t have to risk anything. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in a situation like this, don’t think again, just go for it. But what if you do — in fact — have something to lose?

No risk, no fun, they say. But that is easier said than done. When a decision does come with a price, you need to ask yourself: Is it worth it? Some risks are worth taking, especially if you know that not taking them will leave you full of regret.

I think I would have applied anyway even if my job were at stake, simply because I knew that otherwise, I’d keep wondering whether they would have accepted me for years and years to come. I would never have closure, which would hurt way more than a rejection or even losing my job.

I recently watched a Ted talk by Cortney Warren on the psychology of self-deception. She asked two questions that shook me deeply, and I believe everyone should ask them when facing a difficult decision:

What if my whole life changes? And what if my whole life doesn’t change?

In fact, any decision will become much easier once you ask yourself these questions. What would hurt more: your whole life changing or not changing?

Karin A. R. Taglang

Written by

Fiction Writer • Cultural Journalist • Avid Reader

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