In life, risks are inevitable. The word, ‘risk’ simply refers to the possibility of being exposed to danger, or loss. As we go through our personal and professional lives, we experience joy and sorrow, success and failure, and pains and gains. We may not be able to predict the next moment. That is why life, in itself, is risky. Take chances. A lot of people are conditioned not to take risk from childhood, and grew up with that mindset. They have been told to always play safe. But great achievers are known for the risk they are taking. Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, risked his life while fighting against the apartheid rule. The 27 years he spent in the prison have paid off, today.
Step out of your comfort zone. Gone are the days when people wait for success to fall into their laps. If you want to succeed, then you have to struggle for yourself. You have to work hard and pursue your dreams. You have to take safe risks.
Get relevant knowledge. Before tasking that risk, get the fact and figures. About two years ago when there was a boom in the capital market, many people bought shares or equity from quoted companies without caring to know the details about how the stock market works. A lot of amateur investors got their fingers burnt in the process.
Consider the pains and the gains. Before tasking that risk, you have to evaluate what you have to loose, and what you stand to gain. If there are chances that you could loose everything, then don’t take that risk.
Live your own life. Don’t take risks based on the fact that others are taking the same risk. Your life is different from their lives. D’Banj of Mohits records dropped out of the University to concentrate on music. That may not be enough reason for you to drop out of school and focus on music. You have to live your life and let others live their lives.
Ask for what you want. If you want a pay rise, you can tell your boss directly. Your request will get a yes or no answer. If you don’t ask, you risk your potential of earning more money. At worst, your boss will ignore your request. Since you have nothing to loose in this scenario, then you need to take the risk.
Give yourself room to fail. One school of thought says that “If you want something to stand, then you need to risk letting it fall.” That’s true. No matter how intelligent and experienced you are, unexpected things will happen to you. There is no 100 percent guarantee that what you venture in will succeed. Expect the best, and prepare for the worst.
Think realistically before taking risks. As a rule of the thumb, if your chances of succeeding is not more than 80 percent, you will have to weigh your options critically, before taking action. That is how to take safe risks.
In conclusion, I have realized that the key to accomplishing greatness is by taking calculated risk and not reckless gamble. “If you plan to advance in your Career, experience fulfilling relationships, earn more money, and achieve your goals sooner, you must plan on taking the respective risks” says Fran Briggs, a Phoenix based motivational speaker and author.
Agbolade OmowoleAgbolade Omowole runs Interpersonal Skills Trainings for corporate organizations. He trains for Terry E. Gillen, Institute of Personnel and Development UK. He is also a financial adviser at Aims Asset Management Limited.
Contact:
E-mail: nigeriaslifecoach@gmail.com
Mobile phone: 08020777803 (+248020777803)
Blog: http://www.101youngentrepreneurs.blogspot.com/
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