What's the Greatest Risk You Could Take?

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen Jun 30, 2007

"If you're never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take any chances," says Julia Sorel.

The greatest risk of all is being vulnerable to fear, embarrassment, or rejection. Hurt. Since we don't like those feelings, we constantly try to protect ourselves. This gives us safe, thin lives. Safe, thin, boring lives.

What chances - or risks - have you taken lately? I once heard we should take a risk a day. This doesn't have to be a death-defying risk like parachuting or dodging traffic; it can be striking up a conversation with a stranger or being the first to apologize.....saying "I love you", calling or emailing someone from your past, or going to a new church.

Or it can be bigger, like starting a new business or asking for a promotion or inviting your mother-in-law over for coffee. Risks are hard to take, but your self-esteem will rise even if the risk doesn't pay off. Ask someone out; even if they say no you can be proud that you reached out. Be honest with a colleague; even if it backfires, you know that you tried. Send out your resume or child into the world....who knows what could come back to you? A bigger paycheck is one consequence of higher self-esteem.

Last week I interviewed Amrita Sondhi, bestselling author of The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook and co-creator of Lululemon yoga wear. Talk about a risk-taker; she starts companies, writes books, teaches yoga, climbs mountains, ends partnerships, and talks to strangers. She takes risks; sometimes she succeeds, sometimes she fails. That's life. That's what makes her interesting. Probably her failures are more interesting than her successes - the same is true of all of us.

One of the most fascinating things Amrita told me was that you have to feel your feelings. Don't run from them; go into them so they don't control you. Declutter your mind and soul so you're open to creativity and freedom! It's cleansing to have a good long cry, passionate angry rant, or wild exciting leaps of joy!

If someone were to interview you, what would they be amazed to learn? What risks have you taken? Most importantly, how have you bounced back from setbacks and tried again?