Risky Business

Any successful businessperson will tell you she has taken a risk even when those around her may have advised against it.

Oprah Winfrey is a risk taker. When she moved from Baltimore to Chicago, she took a huge risk. More importantly, she believed enough in her talents, skills and abilities to create her own story – not one someone else defined for her.

Donald Trump is a risk taker. Despite business setbacks, he did not allow fear and negativity to prevent him from becoming one of the most successful businessmen in America.

Most of us may not ever become an Oprah Winfrey or Donald Trump but we can determine our own destiny. We can take calculated risks to follow our dreams despite fear, self-doubt and discouragement. That’s what it means to take a risk - following your own path in spite of obstacles, distractions and negativity.

Most of us think of risk as something dangerous, extreme or foolish. Risk can be all those things and more. Yet, we take some kind of risks on a daily basis. It was a risk to cross the street this morning. It’s a risk learning a new skill, driving a car, entering into a relationship, changing jobs, moving to a new city. These are all risks we have made a conscious choice to take and we survived. The same risk muscles we use to start relationships, learn new skills and relocate, can be used to move us closer to realizing our dreams.

If you have taken any of the risks mentioned above, you already have the necessary tools you need to take any risk – large or small. So, how is it that so many of us stay stuck in unfulfilling situations that do nothing to enhance the quality of our lives? Simply put, the answer is fear – fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of what others may think, fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, etc. Fear can show up under its guise of procrastination, indecision, avoidance, confusion, and being easily distracted. When we allow fear to stop us in our tracks we fail to grow and change and it will lead to frustration, remorse, anger and a myriad of physical ailments.

We can make a choice – stay stuck or move forward. This may sound easy but the difficulty in getting out of any stuck situation is first recognizing you are stuck and ready for a change. Taking a risk is discovering your own need to grow, prosper and change despite fears, recreating a new life story based on your own relevant script and your dream for yourself. n
How does fear show up in your life wearing the mask of deception? Can you recognize it is fear? n
The more discomfort you have about taking a risk, the more likely fear is the underlying cause. And, I certainly don’t mean situations that are dangerous or harmful to you or anyone else. The fear I’m talking about is an internal feeling of dread, hesitation, ignoring and pushing the feeling deep down inside. It’s a feeling we get so comfortable with that we accept the mask of fear as reality.

Can you think of one step you can take today that will move you closer to stepping out of the comfort zone you’ve created?

Take some time to give thought to how fear is showing up in your life and commit to taking that critical first step that will allow you to risk stepping out of your self-imposed comfort zone. The only way to build risk muscles is to practice, practice, and practice. Commit to taking a risk today - and do it.n n