Failure and Risk

If you don't fail now and again, it's a sign you're playing it safe.

Woody Allen

I've enjoyed contemplating failure and risk over the last 48 hours. Not my favorite subjects for sure. But they happen to fit nicely into my life right now so why not reflect on them to really understand their influence on what we do. Life certainly would be a lot easier if we never had to take risks or risk failure. With one comes the possibility of the other but to not risk is to never succeed. So really what choice do we have right?

I'd love to hear from you regarding failure and risk. Maybe I will drum up a tale or two from my past where I've taken risks. Have you taken recent risks? Was it hard to do? Did you not take a risk because you were afraid of failing? Is anyone out there contemplating a career risk right now?

It's easy to focus on the failure part of the equation isn't it? I've been doing it for two days now. But guess what...you might actually succeed (GASP! BLASPHEMY!)...In fact, you probably will. A lot of the fear we have is actually fear of the unknown outcome more than it is fear of the actual repercussions of the failure itself. The failure probably won't be that bad anyway. What, you don't get the job? The client chooses another company? The lime green in the kitchen looks terrible and you have to paint over it? So why not? Take the risk. Embrace it. Live it. In the end, as the few quotes I've posted suggest along with the thousands out there I haven't posted, you'll be a better person for it regardless of your success or failure.

Yesterday Failure...Today Risk

Felt like I should follow up yesterday's thoughts on Failure with some on Risk. Their link is undeniable: Being afraid of one will certainly prevent you from ever reaping the rewards of the other.

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
Muhammad Ali

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.
Leo F. Buscaglia 

Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety.
Goethe

Every day, you'll have opportunities to take chances and to work outside your safety net. Sure, it's a lot easier to stay in your comfort zone...in my case, business suits and real estate...but sometimes you have to take risks. When the risks pay off, that's when you reap the biggest rewards.
Donald Trump
(Posting this one for @advantagrelo)

 Risk -- If one has to jump a stream and knows how wide it is, he will not jump. If he doesn't know how wide it is, he'll jump and six times out of ten he'll make it.
Proverb