Dangerously Safe: the risk *is* the reward
I was saying a prayer to my Powerballl ticket a minute ago. I was promising good deeds, assuring the lottery gods that my heart was pure and worthy of its jackpot.
Then I thought - what would really change if I had all those zeros in my back account? Would that cash give me the guts to make gutsy money moves? Hmmm.
You see I’ve been burnt, in business and life. I went into it knowing it could go pear shaped, I vowed that it was better to try and fail then it was to never try and never know. #noregrets.
And I find myself now in a better place for taking those risks and hard knocks. I’m wiser, stronger, smarter.
So in theory I am pro-risk and pro-mistakes. Pro-learning. And I am oh so pro-backing-yourself-by-rising-to-impossible-challenges. That’s living.
In reality however, I’m dangerously safe.
The gap between my lottery dream life and reality reveals that my wiser, stronger, smarter self has minimised risk down to zero.
This is what happens. When we’re busy being busy our subconscious autopilot calls the shots, opting for safety over adventure, everytime.
If I won the $3mil, the autopilot wouldn’t suddenly relax. More money in the bank is more money to fiercely protect. I can hear it now begging my rich arse to put it away for a rainy day, not to risk it for the biscuit!
To minimise risk completely is to feed steroids to your self doubt. It’s betraying yourself by volunteering to do fear’s dirty work for it, for free.
Refusing risk is refusing to believe in your potential, your resilience, your right to an exciting existence. It’s rude.
I’m not telling you to invest your life savings, I’m not telling you to jump out of a plane. I’m telling you to identify the risk that feels too risky, and edge towards it.
Take a baby step in the direction of your dangerous dreams and see what happens.
The risk IS the reward.
Buzzy
Ps. I didn’t win the $$$ but I did awaken my inner risk taker which was a win.
I’ll leave you with some lines form the Colin Hay song Waiting for My Real Life to Begin:
I woke today,
And suddenly,
Nothing happened.
But in my dreams,
I slew the dragon.
Down this beaten path,
Up this cobbled lane,
Walking in my old footsteps,
Once again.
And you say,
Be still my love,
Open up your heart,
Let the light shine in.
Don’t you understand,
I already have a plan,
I’m waiting for my real life to begin.