Lesson of the Day Vol. 7

Lesson: You cannot have a satisfying life without taking risks.

Thoughts: Most people are naturally risk averse. But when we look at the most successful people in our cultural climate, a clear pattern emerges. Those who have taken the biggest risks often receive the biggest rewards. Not all risks are met with kindness and acceptance, but taking risks is very necessary to the advancement and creation of new ideas. Inarguably, the artists who have taken the biggest risks, have also had the biggest impacts on their particular art form.

We avoid risks because we talk ourselves out of taking them. We do this because of our own stress and anxiety about how others are going to perceive our actions. This pause, this taking the time to stop and ponder what others will think, is a roadblock we all must figure out how to overcome. When we stop ourselves from acting for fear of judgment, we also internalize a message that our beliefs are somehow wrong. Then we begin to struggle with those beliefs and even consider rejecting them for those more readily accepted. This is how we lose our identity and sense of self. And an individual with no sense of self usually doesn't get much enjoyment out of life.

When we set out to take a risk, the anxiety that can emerge is often extreme. Anxiety's physiological effects essentially get us ready to defend ourselves. Our pupils dilate, blood rushes to our extremities, our palms get sweaty and our heart rate increases. This is also very uncomfortable for most of us because, in that moment, our body is preparing itself to be attacked. That's right, our fear of judgement from others can actually cause our body to prepare itself for a fight to the death - regardless of the fact that we are in no physical danger. In reality, however, we know that we are in no danger. Might we be embarrassed? Ridiculed? Sure, but folks rarely die from embarrassment. So take a breath, remind yourself that you are not at risk of imminent death, and jump.