Take a Risk

“Take risks. If you win, you’ll be happy, if you lose you will be wise.” - Unknown

If you were given one chance to go for something that could possibly either fail or succeed would you do it? Maybe we have all heard about taking risks, maybe we haven’t. But if you are in the season of new beginnings and you have a chance to do something, is fear of failing the only thing holding you back? I would hope not. Maybe it’s the fear of succeeding. Something that we don’t talk about much because why be afraid of succeeding. Here’s why. You do well and reach the mountaintop but then comes the pressure of staying up there on that mountain top. It would be very disappointing to then fail, or just do okay. The fear of that pressure is just as strong as the fear of never making it. But as Pastor Rick Warren says, “the Bible says do not fear 365 times. One for each day.” We don’t face opportunities every day but you can tell them in 365 ways I will not be afraid and will just take that risk. 

Playing it safe is fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you want to make sure everything you tackle is a sure thing then that’s what you want to do. There is no shame in that at all. But if you are someone who has peaked into the other side with wonder and has something deep inside of you wishing or hoping or praying but are still timid, I say jump! Do it! Think of babies who are learning to walk and are wondering if they should stand up or not. They easily could end up on the ground again. In that case, what’s the point? Might as well stay down if you will end up there anyway. But they try and try and try and before you know it they are running. Let’s keep trying until we are running. Let’s keep standing up and falling and tripping and crawling until we make it. When we make it, the trip (see what I did there) behind you will be quite the story to tell. An amazing journey to share. 

You have heard the phrase it is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all.

I know when I hear it my automatic answer is oh yeah! Absolutely. But then the opportunity to try comes and I hesitate. What phrase? The fearful thoughts intrude instead, The moment gets heavy. One day I decided to do it. That’s right, I just did it. I took the risk. I wrote a post about my past and felt super vulnerable and very wide open but I did it. It was scary and nowhere near the safe zone. But I have no regrets. It helped someone. I know, one person doesn’t seem like much, but to me it was a change. It was a difference that I created that I didn’t think I had the capability to do. What’s one thing you never thought you could do? Risk it.

From there I felt this renewed energy to try again, and again. The fear wasn’t as strong because I had already done it once. It was like that first step in a puddle. I soon found myself taking so many risks and not fearing as much I began to finally understand the statement. The worst thing you can do is to fail. But it’s a lesson. It’s a fall back on your diaper butt. Then you get up and instead of just sitting there you try again. Granted some falls are painful. Some falls are very hard to get back from. You want to crawl and hide and never be seen again. The amount of strength it takes to come back from something that tough makes you a living legend. One to be reckoned with. You just showed everyone who you are and what you are capable of. Capable of amazing things! Your height will truly be amazing. So as Kelly Clarkson once sang, “take that risk, take that chance, make a change.” Look to the dream that you have a chance of achieving.