I Never Said, "Don't Risk"

A listener to my audio articles recently shared with me a point that she noted. And indeed, it's true-in a recent group of articles, I was clustered around grief. I was involved with my father-in-law's passing, and so I took advantage of that circumstance that life presented to reflect on those kinds of themes.

And she said, "You know, it's interesting. I listened to your articles related around that theme, and you kept saying, 'Live, seize the day, grasp the moment. Do something, whatever it is you have to do; figure out the first step and start on that first step today, and do the second step tomorrow, and the third step the third day," and never in all that stuff did you say don't risk."

Well, that's a good observation, and yeah, I never did say "don't risk." I would say "do not risk foolishly." For instance, if you're going to drive a motorcycle, which you know I do, wear a helmet. I don't care if the state you live in requires it or not.

If you're going to jump out of a plane, get good advice-get the advice of someone who's doing it, like I did. I had a Special Forces Agent who was a veteran of thousands of jumps take me down.

No, we're not saying "don't take risks." Risk – interpreted as excitement, is actually beneficial to the human being.

When you're doing a business proposition, when you're planning an event in the future and you've got to get the hotel, the recording, the curriculum, and all that has to be contracted before you have the event itself. Then you start selling into it after you plan it. Not every promoter has made tons of money on every event, you know. That's a risk, but that's a calculated risk.

Jumping out of an airplane with all systems go, any sport with all your gear, just being in a boat with a life jacket, or in a car with a seatbelt, is doing everything you need to do to be prepared to enjoy life.

We never said, "don't risk." We would say, "risk intelligently." Ameliorate; control what you can, and go for the gusto!