Risking It All

Ever sat there and thought 'I wish I had had a go at that' or 'I wish I could try that'?

Do you have some great ideas and you get 50% down the path of implementing them. Then the alarm bells start to ring and the little voices in your head start to chatter: 'But can I really take the risk?'... 'What will I lose'?' Before you know it, you've lost your initial burst of enthusiasm, and you back off, returning to what you know is safe and comfortable.

There is nothing wrong with that. Unless you are an adrenaline junkie, being cautious is part of most people's make up. But you really want to go through life carrying a whole bunch of 'what-ifs' and a bucketful of regrets? 'What if I had done that?' 'Do you know... I had thought of doing that, but didn't'.

Six years ago, my younger sister Reena passed away at the age of 26 from ovarian cancer. One thing I learnt from her is that life truly is all about living. Life should be about experimenting, about trying new things and having new experiences. But that requires us to take some risks and to step out of our comfort zones a little.

That's precisely what I did with 16 great friends this weekend, when we completed a sky dive to raise money for ovarian cancer!

While I was in the plane, the higher we flew, the more nervous I became. Then the instructor told me "It's time". The door opened and I was the first one out. I gingerly stepped out on the wing... and then couldn't move any further! I was frozen for what seemed like a lifetime. The instructor gave me a nudge, and I leapt into the unknown. Taking that leap was such an incredibly amazing feeling. I would do it all again tomorrow!

This same principle applies to how we implement our ideas and go forward with new ventures.

It may seem a little risky when you work out how much a new idea is going to cost to put into action. Or you hit so many stumbling blocks that you think someone upstairs is trying to tell you something. However conquering those stumbling blocks is what separates the everyday people and entrepreneurs, and will give you a real sense of achievement.

So go on, take a leap, and take a few risks!!!