I Want to Talk About RISK

What Have You Risked?

I want to talk about RISK. That 4-letter-word is the last thing you ever want to hear and the only thing in life that makes you cringe when pondering your work life. Other than hearing the copier is broken and it’s only 9:00 am. Risk is the institution of achievement and the mentor to all successful men and women.

“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” -Jim Rohn

For me, risk is just a natural part of my life. I remember a time when I would dream big, talk tall, and think beyond the description of words. But it was all just stuck inside of my head. There was no action, just the ideas. I spent a lot of time complacent with where I was in life, pretending to be happy with my surroundings. And, as a matter of fact, I changed my life around to rid myself of the toxic habits and the “talk” without the “walk” attitude that I was living out, deep down inside I was hungry for more even though I kept feeding myself mediocrity. However, like I said, risk has just always been a natural part of my life. Even in my old complacent state of mind I still dared to risk, and risk a lot at that. There was a sense of fun and adventure behind it in my earlier days, touring with my band across the country, turning College down completely destroying my chance at any “free rides” toward a degree, you can see the risk in this as it was full of uncertainty and what if’s. In the end, the biggest slump I hit came when “responsibilities” took their toll on my life. You know, paying the mortgage, building a successful marriage, walking the dog, being home on time for dinner because Mom and Dad are coming over. My plague during this season of life was the “me time” mentality… I had to make sure that “I still found time for me” in the midst of everything I had going on. I hate that saying… “me time”. It’s not that I don’t believe people should make time for themselves, it’s the attitude that is associated with “me time,” such as playing video games, going fishing, having a beer with your buddy so you can complain about your day, etc… Are you picking up what I’m putting down? Me time, should be, and is, every second that you spend away from everyone else taking the risks necessary to further your path to greatness. Actions like, analyzing your activities from a business perspective and calculating the next steps that will take you that step further than everyone else has ever gotten in their own walk, truly making your “me time” a meditative part of your existing, one that helps you decide which risks you are going to take this week, next month, all year long. Your “me time” should be focused on what people are going to say about you when you are dead and gone from this earth. And what they say will be based on the risks you take. While you are still here, what impact are you going to make on everyone around you?

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Risk is a necessary chapter in life if you want to achieve success. Sitting on the sidelines or staying content in your current situation will NEVER take you to the top. It’s the mentality of waking up earlier than everyone else and getting home when the rest of the world is watching their favorite TV show only to pop open your laptop and continue your day. In the end it’s not even necessarily the action more than it is the mindset. We sacrifice comfort and normal everyday life, risking everything that we have in order to achieve greatness. Risk is the definition of success, so come on, risk it all with me every single waking minute, of every single day, of the rest of your life