Why Is It Important to Take Risks?

The biggest question I get as an entrepreneur is this…

“How do I know if it’s going to be worth it?”

Or…

“What’s the correct amount of risk I should take to go after an opportunity?”

What these people are wondering in their minds is whether or not the risk is going to be worth the reward…

…and whether the risk is worth the potential of losing the life they have now.

If this is you, you must understand this…

Taking risks is an absolute necessity for becoming successful and building the life you truly desire.

It’s required for quite a few reasons.

But before I dive into those reasons, I want you to think about it like this…

Would you rather risk not doing the work it takes to progress your life and end up with a deep sense of regret and lack of fulfillment because of what could have been?

Or…

Would you rather take risks for your growth that will take you closer to a life that you enjoy and are proud of?

Fact: You Have a Lot More to Gain Than to Lose

When it comes to risk … a lot of us have the tendency to take a look at our life and think “This isn’t all that bad … I don’t want to lose it by going out to try something else.”

We’re constantly weighing the pros and cons around whether risk is worth it or not.

…and that’s a completely normal thought process to have.

But it’s also how losers think.

Losers overvalue the life they have currently, and undervalue the life they have the potential to live in the future.

The reality is, the real value is way down the road.

It’s the life you could be living 10-15 years from now.

This is how winners see it.

They see the end result and think “I can’t afford to not pursue that life.”

Then they make a decision to go all in.

Once you develop this way of thinking within yourself…

You’ll truly understand the value of risk.

Why is risk important?

Here’s why…

Risk Always Presents Opportunity

You have to start thinking about risks as opportunities…

Because that’s exactly what they are.

Every time you take a risk, there are only two possible outcomes:

1. You succeed, and it pays off. This gives you a tried method to implement in the future.

2. You fail, and through that failure, you are provided with a lesson to learn from, grow from, and move past.

If you think about it … you always have the opportunity in risk to succeed or learn.

Both of which are good outcomes.

When you shift your mindset to risk being purely an opportunity to win or learn…

…and shift your mindset away from what you have the potential to lose currently…

You’ll begin to recognize how important risk is for creating the life you ultimately want for yourself.

Taking Risks Can Help Build Your Skill Set

Like I said…

By taking risks, you are presented with the opportunity to fail and learn.

That’s not a bad thing.

Understand that there are very few mistakes that are fatal in business and life.

Through your failures and mistakes, you’ll build the skills and perspective necessary to move forward.

This is no different from the mistakes we all made when we were young.

You only have to put your hand on the stove once to realize it’s not a good idea.

Think of the lessons and skills you build in these failures as tools you’re adding to your toolbox.

You can’t build a house with just a hammer.

There are far more tools you’ll need at your disposal.

This is also why you shouldn’t have the expectation that you’re just going to start taking action…

Avoid risk…

…and ultimately end up with the life you want to create.

You don’t have the knowledge, perspective, or skills developed along the journey of trying and failing over and over and over until you get it right.

You don’t have the tools.

Risks will give you those tools with time.

But only if you take the lessons from your failures and apply them moving forward.

No Risk, No Reward

If you live your life devoid of risk … you will never know what’s possible for you.

At the same time, you’ll never be able to build the life you want most.

If you don’t take risks in your career…

You’ll stay stagnant.

If you don’t risk developing new skills…

You’ll never learn new skills.

If you don’t risk asking that girl or guy out…

You will never have the relationship you want.

If you don’t risk trying a new strategy…

You’ll never know which approach is most effective.

Every risk has a potential reward.

But by not taking any risks … there is no potential reward AT ALL.

Start Thinking About Risks The Right Way

Most people look at risk the opposite way they should be looking at it.

They think about the risk of what they have the potential to lose as opposed to the risk of what they have the potential to miss out on.

Is your life currently actually better than the life you dream of?

Nobody can say “yes” to this question.

Nobody.

Chances are … you don’t have much to lose.

Chances also are … you have everything to gain.

Through taking risks, the things that seem so difficult for you now will become things you can snap your fingers and do instantly.

You need to take risks.

Unwillingness to do so will confine you to an average life because it will ultimately mean you’re unwilling to pursue what you want in life.

Is that you?

If it’s not…

Start taking risks.

It’s a must.