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Taking Risks
Over the last two weeks, we've talked about procrastination and comfort zones.
These are two significant barriers to truly living your dreams. In order
to grow, change, and improve, you have to be willing to take a few risks!
There are always risks between us and our dreams…if there weren't, we'd be living
them right now! I'm not talking about outrageous, extreme risks - just stepping
outside of your comfort zone, doing something you don't normally do. Taking
a "calculated risk" so to speak.
The difference between a "calculated risk" and being rash is that you think through
the consequences and reason through the obstacles of a "calculated risk" prior
to jumping in with both feet.
John F. Kennedy said "There are risks and costs to a programs of action, but they
are far less than the long range risks and costs of comfortable in-action!"
You probably know people who are wildly successful in their lives. You may
think they don't have the fear of risking - the truth is they DO, they are just
willing to take risks to get that success. Once they identify that they
are at the edge of their comfort zone and will need to step out of it to continue
growing and learning, they make the conscious choice to do just that…they step
out of their comfort zone - fear and all!
Successful people feel the same "ohmygosh" feeling that we all feel when we are
out of our comfort zone...like the cartoon character that has just run off of
a cliff and is looking down at the ground so far below. They don't plummet
to the ground in fear, because they are willing to take the calculated risk to
get where they want to go! They recognize the fear for what it is, a signal
that they are experiencing something new, and keep going.
Another great example of people who take risks are stage actors. They say
when they are in the wings prior to a big performance, they get that "ohmygosh"
feeling, and it is then that they know they are fully alert and ready to go on….prepared
to stretch and perform to their best, full systems go. It's all about how
you "label" that feeling you get when you are about to, or actually taking a "calculated
risk".
How do you reframe the "ohmygosh" feeling to something more useful when you are
outside your comfort zone, when you are stretching for something new? First
of all, recognize the feeling for what it is, a "full-system-alert" feeling, not
a "stop that and retreat" feeling! Realize that this is the feeling you
will get when you are growing. It's necessary to work through it, to reach
your dream.
The worst thing that can happen is not failure, the worst thing that could happen
is NOT ever stepping out of your comfort zone. If you don't ever take the
risk to stretch and grow, you die a little each day….from boredom, and lack of
challenge. So, today, make a conscious decision to do something you've always
wanted to do but never gave yourself the courage to do…..say hello to someone
you wouldn't normally speak to, make that call about a college course or enroll
in a volunteer activity...and when you feel that "ohmygosh" feeling, recognize
it as an old friend with a different purpose, and celebrate the fact that you
are stretching and growing!
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