Randi D.
Ward is a retired, 37 year veteran English teacher from Georgia, USA, and
a published author. She was named
“Entrepreneur of the Year 2014” in the Education Industry by Worldwide Who’s
Who and was profiled in its 2015 calendar. Her other awards include being the
2014-15 VIP Woman of the Year by National Association of Professional Women, a
2015 Delegate of the International Leadership Women’s Association, a 2015 Top
Female Executive, a 2014 Pinnacle Professional Member of Continental Who’s Who,
and an elite member of Strathmore Worldwide Who’s Who. Her current projects in
Africa are World Peace Forest (Africa) in Egypt and Africa Nomads Conservation
in Kenya. She is an honorary president
of World Peace Forest (Africa) and the USA Regional Director for Africa Nomads
Conservation. Her book is entitled
Because I Believed in Me (My Egyptian Fantasy Came True).
Georgia, USA,
Taking
risks in our lives can be one of the most intimidating and frightening things
we ever do. However, at some points in our lives, we must take risks in order
to succeed and to be happy. Obviously
sometimes we may fail, but if we do not take a chance, then we fail before we
even begin.
Risk taking is the process of opening
up oneself to change, accepting the need for change, and taking the behavioral
steps necessary to accomplish this change. It provides a person with the
opportunity to pursue one’s goals and dreams and to discover new talents and
abilities. It will make one feel powerful and proactive---putting a person in
charge of his future instead of waiting for something to happen which is out of
his control. It helps him to overcome his fears. It can make a person feel
alive.
Taking
risks involves an honest appraisal of the current situation and then a thorough
understanding of the risks involved in taking the needed actions. One must weigh the pros and cons and then
hopefully choose the best action to achieve the change. If the choice turns out
to be an unsuccessful choice, then it is necessary to try something else. Trial and error is often a major part of
taking risks in one’s life.
Taking risks
often involves courage, determination, and hard work. One may also receive criticism and lack of
approval from those around him, but the risk taker must find a way to deal with
this in an objective rather than a subjective manner. Taking advice from others can be helpful, but
the ultimate decision on how to achieve one’s change or goal belongs to the
risk taker. Thus, he must be willing and
able to accept the final results.
Many
obstacles or road blocks must be overcome in order for one to feel comfortable
taking risks. First, he must get rid of
the fear of rejection or failure, the need for approval, or the need to avoid
guilt. He must not let mistakes stop him. These mistakes create new knowledge
and thus provide greater strength and more resources than he had in the past.
Secondly, making excuses must also be avoided. Since challenges can be
difficult, it is too easy to fabricate reasons not to do them. It is absolutely
essential to determine which reasons are real and figure out ways to solve
them, and which ones are simply excuses and then eliminate these. Third, he must believe in himself but not
always feel that he has to be right all of the time. Finally, if he is unhappy
in his life, he must recognize that change could benefit him and provide him
with the kind of life that he wishes to live.
However, this person must first determine what it is that will make him
happy and then decide what change is needed.
The risk he must take can be extremely time-consuming with many hurdles
or bumps along the way, but the rewards are endless if he reaches his dream.
Therefore,
the risk taker must be unconditionally prepared emotionally, psychologically,
and even physically for what lies ahead of him. As the saying goes, “Why not go
for it! The risk taker has nothing to lose, and everything to gain!”
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