Cute risks
Risk is the potential of loss (an undesirable outcome, however not necessarily so) resulting from a given action, activity and/or inaction. The notion implies that a choice having an influence on the outcome sometimes exists (or existed). Any human endeavor carries some risk, but some are much riskier than others.
Opportunity:
1 - A set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.
2 - A chance for progress or advancement.
For the last 5 years I’ve been presented with a few tough decisions in my life. By “tough”, I don’t mean they were hard to live with, they were simply complicated to assess because they were going to disrupt my comfort zone.
When we find ourselves in a potentially “risky” situation like, for example, changing jobs, moving out of your parent’s house, moving in with your girlfriend, etc, we have a lot to consider.
Will it work? Can I afford it? Do I want it? What am I losing, and, what am I gaining with it?
Keep one thing in mind. The answer to the first three questions has to be “Yes!” - except for the second one, you can settle for a modest “yes”.
To me, the most important question is “Do I want it?”. If your answer is yes, all the others lose some relevance, making the decision quite easier to make.
The example
At this year’s ESAD Web Talks I’ve heard Ben Bodien talk about taking risks. His talk, while directed at students, got to me.
Ben described how one small decision affected his life, for good.
Ben is a web developer/designer and, like all of us, had a comfort zone. He was used to accepting all kinds of jobs that fitted into that zone, until one day he was proposed something different.
His immediate thoughts were something like: “No, I’m not very good at that” or “No, it’ll be very hard for me to succeed at that”. As we all would think, right? That’s where things went the other way.
Instead of thinking “No, it’s too hard.” he thought: “It will be hard, but I can do this!” and he went for it, and he did it.
This is the kind of mindset that changes lives.
The simple fact of getting out of his comfort zone and accepting work on a slightly different field of expertise opened a huge range of opportunities that would shape him, and his life. If he didn’t chose to go forward with it, his life could be exactly the same as it was before, and he wouldn’t even know what he was missing out.
The me part
In a lot of conversations I have with friends and acquaintances, I usually end up being the dreamer. The guy that believes everything is possible and that everyone should step out of their comfort zone and seize the opportunity to change their - and other people’s - lives.
I believe that this happens because, for a few times in my life, I faced some hard situations where I had to make a life changing decision, and now I strongly believe in it because I know it works.
That made me lose most of the fear that comes with those sorts of decisions and only now I’m starting to realize the value it added to my life.
Where am I going with this?
Simple. Fear influences your risk assessment. You are capable of way more than you think.
Every action has a risk attached to it, but if the risks are within our comfort zone, we have zero trouble disregarding them.
I believe people have some trouble embracing risky opportunities because they’re not used to doing it and, therefor, haven’t tasted the awesome feeling that comes with overtaking a risk.
That moment when you look back and realize that the “huge” scary risk you took, now looks so small that it becomes cute as a puppy.
That is empowering. That makes you less afraid of risks..
..and that has the potential to change your life, forever.
