The Greater The Risk. The Bigger The Reward.

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The greater the risk – the bigger the reward!

Life is full of risks.  You cannot get away from the fact that whatever we do, has an element of risk to it.

Risk – a situation involving exposure to danger, harm or loss.

Whether it is walking down the stairs, eating certain types of food, taking medication, driving a car, investing in the stock market, starting a business, buying property, skydiving, flying in an airplane or travelling in a foreign country, there is an element of risk associated with all of them.

Obviously, some activities are riskier than others.

Many of what I listed above are what I call daily activity risks.  Most of the time we don’t even think of the risks associated with daily living. And really, most of these have minimal risks.

So let’s focus on your life, and why you need to take big risks.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”  – Helen Keller

The question then becomes what type of risks are you willing to take?  

Big ones or little ones?

What is your risk factor? Is it high or is it low.  

Why does it matter?

Investment advisors always ask what your risk factor is – because if you want a higher return on your investment, then your risk factor goes up.  Which means you may make more money, but you could also lose it all, too.

Many of us invest in low risk ventures so that the chance of losing our money in minimal.  Others invest in high risk ventures, with a greater risk of losing the money, but the possibility of higher reward in a shorter timeframe. It’s a choice.

Life is no different – the greater the risk, the bigger the reward can be.

Unfortunately, many times we talk ourselves out of taking risks.  Or we lower the risk as much as possible. It’s safer to do that.  

We like to live in safety and mediocrity, and accept our life as it is by taking minimal risk.  The ‘same old, same old’ routine . . . existing but not really living.

Or we can grab life by horns, take big risks, win and fail, but experience so much more.  You see even the failures from taking big risks are a big reward!

“Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert Kennedy

Many people do not see it that way, but it is true.  

Why – because we tried something new, took a leap of faith, immersed ourselves and learned from it. This would never have happened without taking a big risk.

By taking big risks, the rewards are numerous – reduced fear in ourselves, got us out of our comfort zone, created new opportunities, started something different, made more money, developed new relationships, learned new lessons, built self confidence and increased resilience.  Taking big risks empowers you to do more, to be energized and makes you more creative.

These are just a few of the things I did that were pretty risky, some bigger than others, but all in all, I have been richly rewarded.

. . . Invested in my retail franchise at age 24. 

. . . Bought my first townhouse at age 25. 

. . . Uprooted everything and moved across the country to be with my future husband.

. . . Started my own business, even though I had no extra money, had to take a substantial loan and had no guarantee that I would be successful. 

. . . Jumped into real estate investing by purchasing various properties across Canada.

So, taking big risks sets you apart from the mediocre and allows you to break free from the average. You stand out!  

And trust me, we all want to stand out.

Life is short.  Don’t wake up one day and feel you should have taken the risk.  Do it now.

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali

You will be glad you did!

About the author 

Deborah MacDonald

After almost 25 years as an entrepreneur, I continue to grow my business, my passive income streams and my wealth. And now I mentor others on their wealth journeys by teaching them how to fund their own freedom lifestyle.

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