Does the thought of taking risks make you quake? Here's five reasons you should take more of them.

Are you a risk-taker? To be frank, I’m not. I am a fan of stability and familiarity.

If you look at any temperament sorter I’ve ever taken (MBTI, DiSC, Insights DiSCovery, HEXACO, take your pick), they all say pretty much the same thing: I thrive in an environment of stability, cooperation, and happiness. Taking risks can upset that apple cart of stability, and I work hard to keep that from happening.

But what might I be missing by not taking risks?

What does risk mean to you?

When you think of someone who is a risk taker, do you think of race car drivers, sky divers, base jumpers—people who take reckless chances? Maybe you think of law enforcement officers or fire fighters—someone who has a dangerous job?

What about horseback riders? For many of you that probably falls into the reckless risk category. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I ride horses. I have since I was a little kid (for the record, that is NOT me in the picture).

So, when I tell people that I’m not a risk-taker and then they learn I ride horses, I can see the cognitive dissonance that comparison creates. The non-risk taker who engages in a high-risk sport.

I bring that up to illustrate that risk-taking is subjective. People who participate in risky endeavors like riding horses or sky diving aren’t necessarily reckless. They have studied, practiced, learned, been coached—so they have the experience they need to be successful. And they probably have a good support system in place if something doesn’t go as planned. The risk they take is calculated.

Who invited inertia to the party?

Taking calculated—or smart—risks have benefits. They can lead to personal and professional growth, new opportunities, and increased confidence. You can learn new skills and even throw off some self-imposed barriers.

Why don’t we take more risks? Everyone has their own reasons, and I’d wager that fear is high on the list. It could be the fear of success, but more often, it’s the fear that we’ll fail. And that everyone will see us fail. And that our failure will highlight to the world that we’re not good enough, capable enough or smart enough.

So, we stay still and suffer from inertia, which is the tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged.

"[Inertia] explains why it’s often easier to stay on the sofa and watch just one more episode (that autoplay feature is devious). However, this also underlines the importance of risk-taking. When we get comfortable — whether in a role, a relationship, or a career — it’s easier to stay there. Our brains and bodies are wired for homeostasis (a state of relative stability). So, when we feel comfortable, anything that takes us away from that state seems like a risk.” (Quote source: The Better Up Blog).

Five reasons why taking a risk is worth it

1. A sense of accomplishment: Even when taking a risk feels nerve-wracking, it can also be exciting, and when you succeed you can take pride in that accomplishment. And if you don’t succeed, you can still be proud of yourself—because taking a risk takes courage.

2. Rewrite your story: We all have beliefs and assumptions about ourselves. Sometimes, those assumptions can influence the choices we make, and we may not even realize we’re giving them that much power. Taking risks can help you prove to yourself that those old stories aren’t true, and they don’t serve you anymore.

3. Increased confidence: As you try more things that are outside your comfort zone, you’ll become more convinced that you can handle different situations. This will help make you a more confident, adaptable person, and it will help your decision-making skills.

4. Develop your resilience: When we take risks, they don’t always turn out the way we want. Whenever you take a chance, you have to accept that it might not turn out the way you planned. Resilience is how you recover from setbacks, and you learn that you can survive (and yes, thrive) even when things don’t go according to plan.

5. Live with no regrets: When you try new things, you never have to worry about what could have been. You won’t look back on your life years from now and wish you’d taken that job, or written that book, or tried that hobby.

Getting the gumption

These benefits are all well and good, but how do you muster up the courage to take a risk when you’re quite happy sitting on the sofa, snuggling with your homeostasis?

1. "Think small” to start. If you can get in the habit of taking small, smart risks, they really build your confidence. Every risk you take doesn’t have to be epic and it doesn’t have to equal danger. Say “yes” to a party invitation you might normally say “no” to. Try a new food that you’ve always wondered about. Pick a different destination for your vacation—always go to the mountains? Try the beach. Taking these small risks will start to build up your risk tolerance so you can consider larger ones in the future. It can help you start to feel—as they say—comfortable with being uncomfortable.

   
   

2. Have a network. People around you who support you, can help you stay motivated, and who can give you good advice about whether a risk is worth it. When you’re confident in your support network, risk-taking is a bit easier because you know you fail, your network will catch you.

   
   

3. Consider how you define failure. Do you think of it as an end? Or do you look at it as a way to learn, and then do things differently in the future? Failure is part of the whole process whether we like it or not. Rather than looking at failure a defeat, reframe it as a temporary setback—and an opportunity to learn.

Everyone’s tolerance for risk is different. It depends on who you are, where you are in your life, and your circumstances—and only you can decide if a risk is worth taking. But you owe it to yourself to fully consider the pros and cons of a risk before you say “no.”

Photo credits: Adrian Swancar, Kamil Pietrzak, Bernd Dittrich, Pineapple Supply Co. and Phil Hodkinson on Unsplash.