The Obstacle To Taking Risks

Photo by Cristofer Maximilian on Unsplash

Taking risks is a challenging idea when it comes to implementation.

When the rubber meets the road, and we have the opportunity to actually do something, that’s when we find out whether or not we’re actually ready.

It’s tempting to think that the right resources will help us bridge the gap, or that having the right people around us will help, or even that our own personal (decades of) expertise will be enough.

Possibly, but when the time comes, it isn’t any of those that propels us forward.

It’s our ability to get over our fear of failure. 

Getting over the idea that, no matter what we have available to us and no matter how successful we’ve been before, it’s entirely possible that none of that will be enough in our future.

Because it is possible that our offering won’t be fit for purpose. Or that no one will actually buy it. That it just might not work. 

And the thing is, no one can resolve those concerns for us. Because it might very well turn out that all of those concerns will be the case. 

But they also might not. 

Not in a “one-zero”, “it will work or not work”, binary sort of way - because every journey has its ups and downs, and even the most successful organizations have been through times when it could have all been for nought (go read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight). 

It might be that we’ll do it, and it won’t work and then we’ll shift course and try something slightly different and keep going until it’s actually done. 

The key is to try it anyway, despite the fear, despite the concerns. And to do that, we have to back ourselves, believe in our ability - our potential - to actually figure things out.

Action, feedback, course-correction, and more action. All backed by belief and persistence. 

Do it. Learn from it. Keep going.