YOU DON’T GET TO BE EXTRAORDINARY WITHOUT TAKING CALCULATED RISKS
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“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” ~ T.S. Eliot
I was going through Amy Morin’s book, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, and I found something that not only caught my attention but actually spoke to me, so I'll be talking about it.
In her book, she points out that mentally strong people don’t fear taking calculated risks. This brings me to the question of the day:
Are you a risk-taker or a risk-averse person?
Of course, you and I both know who a risk-taker is and also who a risk-averse is. A risk-taker is someone who ventures outside of their comfort zone and into the unknown. It requires facing your fear and having trust that things will turn out for the better.
On the other hand, a risk-averse person is someone who chooses an option that greatly limits the possibility of loss. They are so concerned about what they stand to lose that their fear of risk often leads them to avoid taking risks altogether.
Which one are you?
Now that we know who a risk-taker and a risk-averse person are, the question is: which one are you? Let’s find out where you stand by answering these 9 questions.
Do you struggle to make important decisions in your life?
Do you spend a lot of time daydreaming about what you want to do but never do anything about it?
Have you ever made an impulsive decision because thinking about it causes you too much anxiety?
Do you ever wish you could do more daring and exciting things in life, but your fear prevents you from doing so?
Do you usually imagine the worst-case scenario and choose not to take a risk when you think about it?
Do you ever allow others to make decisions for you so that you don't have to?
Do you base your decisions on your level of fear? If you’re a little afraid, you might do something. But if you feel really afraid, you may decide that taking risks is unwise.
Do you avoid taking risks in at least some aspects of your life, whether social, financial, or physical, because you are afraid?
Do you always believe that outcomes are largely dependent on luck?
If your answer to these questions is yes, then you are afraid of taking risks, and by avoiding them, you can’t reach your full potential.
Always keep in mind the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.”