We all have dreams. We all have aspirations; something we are hoping to achieve one day. But when it comes to taking steps to achieve those dreams, most of us become scared to take the necessary risks. We forget that many of life’s achievements require going outside of our comfort zones. It could either be overcoming shyness to perform on stage, investing money in a business or putting ourselves there for the chance to find love. The truth is that most of life’s rewarding experiences come as a result of taking risks.
But then, most of us find it difficult taking these risks because we are sacred to fail. The “What ifs” floating through our mind hold us back. What if I embarrass myself in front of everyone? What if I lose all the money I invested? What if I open my heart and get rejected? What if I am not good enough?
It is totally normal to have these fears lurking somewhere in our heart but we shouldn’t allow them take the lead.
Taking risks certainly doesn’t mean succeeding every time, and that’s OK! Taking risks can lead to failure which in turn can help you grow as a person. Failure makes us stronger and more resilient. People who fail repeatedly develop persistence in the face of difficulties.
Let us take a look at Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. He lost eight elections, failed twice in business and suffered a nervous breakdown all before becoming one of the greatest American presidents. Through failure, he developed the persistence necessary to later lead his country through one of its hardest periods in history. Perhaps he never could have done so without experiencing so many failures.
What does that tell us, we may not succeed anytime we take risks and that is okay. The process of taking those risks may lead to failure but we have to see failure as a means to learn from our mistakes. In life, the only failure is not trying at all. But when you try and fail, it is not failure but lesson. You learn, you grow.
I know for many of us, it is all easy to get stuck into a routine that provides comfort and safety but we have to ask ourselves, are we truly living? When we fail to take risks, life would certainly be monotonous and boring. Nobody wants a boring life, yet it’s such an easy option to resort to, in order to stay safe and in our comfort zones.
By taking risks, you give yourself permission to try things out, to learn, to fail, to grow and to explore. You get to test your limits and go beyond what you believed was possible. By doing this, you naturally build up your self-confidence, growing as a person and opening up a whole new world for yourself.
Remember, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly”.
Although your heart may be racing, and your palms may be sweating but think about what would happen if you didn’t take the chance.
I am sure no one wants to live a life full of regrets. We only have this one life, why not stretch yourself to new heights! You never know what could happen… and isn’t that exciting? Of course, there are chances of you failing in first few attempts but without learning through failure, you cannot be the best.
