Thought Nuggets on: Risk

Risk is scary. But it's more fun than it is scary. At least for me.

Risk gets me out of bed in the morning. If my day is 100% predictable, how can I get excited? How will that challenge me? How can I grow?

According to this study, people who embrace risk-taking tend to be more successful.

Risk scares people because the outcome is uncertain. But life is full of risks that you can't control. You could get hit by a bus. Your significant other could dump you. The economy could tank. Your house could burn to the ground. At any point, you can lose everything. Your life can change in an instant. This is a fact of life.

Your life can also change in an instant for the better. This is more likely to happen if you take a risk. A smart risk.

Gambling thousands of dollars in a casino? Dumb risk. 

Gambling your career on a promising new company? Smart risk. 

Investing your children's college fund in bitcoin? Dumb risk. 

Risking rejection as you kneel to propose? Smart risk.

Smart risks can pay off, but they won't pay off unless you take them.

How do I know if a risk is worth taking? I compare it to the only thing scarier than failure: regret.

I ask myself, "Will I regret not taking this risk?" If the answer is yes, it's a risk worth taking. Even if that choice results in failure, it's better than living your life wondering "what if...?"

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