Are you a risk taker? If you said no, think again.
David doesn’t see himself as a risk taker. David works as a sales clerk to support his fledgling acting career. Before that, he taught school, following 12 years as a computer programmer. For David, risk involves physical activities such as mountain climbing.
Many people are more conscious of the risks they avoid than those they take. And because they’re aware of the risks they avoid, they assume that others take bigger risks. So risk, in this sense, is in the eye of the beholder.
What activities do you find risky?
Physical – sky diving, skiing, taking drugs, having cosmetic surgery?
Emotional – staying in a dead-end job, getting married or divorced?
Social – giving a presentation, telling jokes at a company party, traveling solo in a foreign country?
Intellectual – taking a graduate course, chairing a high-level policy meeting?
Economic – investing in stocks, changing jobs, buying a home, starting a business?
Career – involving any combination of the above?
To learn more about your risk taking behavior, review “Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life:” www.questersdarertochange.com.
Strengthening courage to risk
– Identify one successful risk you’ve taken in any life component. What did you do to make it turn out well? In which category did the risk fall?
– State a goal you would like to attain. Describe barriers that may be impeding goal attainment such as fear of loss of a secure income or guilt that change might create family hardships. Identify ways to overcome these including where you could get needed emotional support or financial resources. Break the goal into small steps; outline a timeline and strategies for goal attainment.
– Let go of “attachments.” The more attached you are to something, the greater the fear of losing it. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen if I let go?”
– Live in the present. Because most fear centers on the future, don’t worry about what might happen.
– Watch “self-talk.” Each time you catch yourself saying something that fuels fear, replace it with a more positive statement.
– View setbacks as learning experiences. Failure can be reduced by planning and persisting.
Courage to risk strengthens with practice. Is there anything new you would like to try today?
Read how Questers strengthened the courage to risk: “Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life:” http://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1936672715/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396909423&sr=8-2&keywords=carole+kanchier
Carole Kanchier, PhD, career and personal growth expert, is author of the award winning, groundbreaking, purposeful book, “Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life:” www.questersdaretochange.com. Carole Kanchier inspires people to realize their potential and look at career growth in new ways. She pioneered a unique, holistic, developmental model of lifelong learning, growth and decision making which she shares in “Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life.” Uniquely qualified to talk about career and empowerment issues, Carole Kanchier researches, writes, counsels, and conducts workshops. She walks her talk!
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