“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” — Goethe
Roller coaster rides were my favorite when I was a child.
Oh, the sensation of the adrenaline filled excitement when riding up those tracks to what seemed to be the sky and the gut curling rush when riding down to what seemed to be an endless and fearful competition with gravity that called for a soul confession! 😉
One thing I remember as clear as water and have kept with me as a reminder every time I am contemplating taking an important step, is the fact that after each ride I would swear to anything and everything that it would be the LAST time I would go on a roller coaster ride! Which of course, wasn’t.
I would take a deep breath and jump back in – to the ups and downs, highs and lows.
Why?
Because of what you actually achieve.
To be honest what is the point of backing down from anything that you might be scared of, that you might find difficult, that you consider a challenge or that you feel you are not capable of doing?
Think about it…
What can be scarier than not knowing yourself? Than not facing your fears? Than not pushing your limits?
But to do that, you need to take the first step – by saying Yes!.
Yes to everything that comes at you. Yes to every experience. Yes to every challenge (setback). Yes to every moment.
Negative or positive. Good or bad. Sweet or bitter.
The lessons that lie within outweigh any difficulty, any fear… just like the excitement (going up) outweighs any gut curling sensation (going down) in a roller coaster ride.
… and the satisfying end result is your personal growth.
This applies to your professional life as well.
In business, everyone starts with an idea, with a vision, with a belief. The percentage of those people that actually never take the step because they don’t want to take the risk is unfortunately higher than it should be.
This made me think of the question of how men and women perceive and take risks in business.
I read a Feb. 2017 article written by Ted Devine (guest writer, Entrepreneur.com) that talks about the differences between genders in risk-taking where he notes that even though statistics show men take more risks than women, if we don’t just consider the ‘male’ definition of risk-taking which is presented as being in “physical and financial terms” but factor in other types of risks such as the ones below, then we see that women are actually taking as many risks as men do.
- Jeopardizing your reputation to do what’s right
- Refusing to lower your standards
- Valuing career satisfaction over profit
This is very true… men and women’s perception of risk-taking is different.
In my opinion it has to do with the undeniable difference in our way of thinking as genders and consequently the deep rooted difference there is in a male dominant workforce. Moreover, it is also true that if we take the best from both worlds, you will find the perfect balance as each person is different and each situation is different.
So it should not be a question of whether to take risks, but what type of risk to take.
There is a common denominator which is the fact that risk-taking is unavoidable if you want to grow and we must come to terms with it and embrace it.
As Devine suggests: “Regardless of gender, business owners must learn to be comfortable taking risks — whether that means launching a new product or hiring an employee. Without risk, there’s little chance or growth.”
And growth is what makes it all worth it.
It is through those risks that you will come to learn more about yourself and move forward as a professional (and as a human being).
It is through those risks that your goals will see themselves shaped into achievements.
It is through those risks that your vision will become reality.
It is through those risks that your beliefs will stand as your ground.
It is through those risks that your successes become yours.
It is through those risks that your signature will be placed in the canvas that is your life.
This might all sound like it comes right out of a self-help book, but no… it doesn’t. That is not my purpose, message or even my voice. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good ones out there – just not what I am trying to do.
What I want to do is highlight the reality that if you feel it, it must be embraced and given a chance and a purpose.
Taking the leap is what will take you forward.
If you don’t know yourself, how can you know your vision? If you don’t know yourself, how can you know your goal? If you don’t know yourself, how can you know what you are capable of? If you don’t know yourself, how can you be yourself?
And to know yourself, you need to challenge yourself.
So, where do you start? I leave you with only this one tip: Take the ride!
“Do one thing every day that scares you.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Would love to hear your thoughts on this topic in the comment section!
Good vibes only and have a great day!
Natasha
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