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Unless you enter the tiger’s den, you cannot take the cubs. Japanese proverb

It takes more than just raw courage to take on risky challenges. While raw courage will trigger action, it is a passionate self belief and longing that is at the heart of any risky venture. Strangely enough most of our attempts at something new and different is similar to entering a tigers den to take the cubs. After all there must be a tangible purpose to the effort and a clear strategy to accomplish the task. If the risk is high the payoff must be much larger and the probability of success reasonably assured else taking risk is either foolhardy or outrageously stupid.

A risk averse life is bland and placid with hardly any accomplishments and even less celebration.  Many a diligent employee would perhaps fall in this category for the simple reason that they merely follow orders, meet targets and don’t yearn for change. On the contrary, even the, lowliest employee who  dares to cross the threshold of his/ her job description dares will feel a sense of elation that he / she has taken on some risks and enjoyed the experience. In fact it is when we are prepared to step out of our comfort zone that we get new experiences that would include failures too. Visualize a fresh MBA on his first sale job and making his first call. He is kept waiting despite an appointment, gets irritated because he is in danger of missing the next confirmed appointment and has got two calls from existing customers who are furious that his predecessor has not sent in the supplies promised. Not a very pleasant experience for the first day;  yet at end of day he can look back and note how he managed each situation and also gains the confidence that the next day can’t get worse.

Contrasting this is the trigger happy person who thinks he/ she is playing a game of ‘Fear Factor’ everyday. They get bored with the routine, seek out challenges and pursue it with a vengeance.  Unfortunately many of them bite of more than what they can chew and end up hungry and frustrated. It is not they lack the spirit or don’t have the right attitude.  Their problem pertains to lack of planning, short term goals and inability to sustain their motivation levels. Poor listening skills, abrasive behavior and a purely goal centric approach are often hall marks of such boorish people. While they often do produce results they end up severing relationships, foul up possibilities of repeat business and end up believing that meeting challenges and taking risks is the be all and end of life. What they fail to appreciate is that they can never sustain their momentum over an extended period and that is when the slide starts.

If life is to be a perfect one every day must bring in fresh challenges. One must evaluate the risks and reward and then be realistic about one’s ability to take it on before one plunges into it heart and soul. At the same time being too cautious, risk averse and avoiding any form of risk makes life dull, boring and  wasted.  Poetically speaking ’ it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’

Remember: “Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.” General George S. Patton

Try this:

  1. Attempt a task that you always fancied doing but never chanced. Eg. Filing your nomination papers for a local election or learning a new style of dancing or Writing a letter to the editor on a topic you feel very strongly about
  2. List out three challenges that you backed out from. Can you recollect the actually reasons for backing out.  On hindsight did you act like a coward or did you take a rational decision even If it meant losing face at that moment.

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our WEEKLY Inspirational and Motivational Blog www.poweract.blogspot.com

Bobby Jacob

Bobby Jacob

‘ He hopes to have a positive influence on his readers through his blog posts’

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