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Are you waiting for the ‘perfect moment’ to ‘do that thing’ that will make a huge difference in your life? Well hello there. Read on, young grasshopper.
3 Reasons to Read This Article
- Because risk isn’t just about jumping off a cliff (unless you're into that). We’ll talk about the real stuff—like how taking risks can actually make you smarter.
- It’s time to stop worrying about the 99 ways things can go wrong. Spoiler alert: there’s a much saner way to think about risk.
- You’ll find out why you’re not as 'bad' at risk-taking as you think. And maybe even get a little inspired to take that next big leap. 😎
Short on time? I’ve got you!
Let me read you the article instead! ⬇️
The Doc & The Rock
So there I was, sitting at my desk, imagining me and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on stage motivating thousands of crazed fans. Sure there would be some issues with the camera levels, but whatever.
This was back in February 2020. I was searching for upcoming conferences and I stumbled across one called “Athleticon”.
“Oooh, this looks interesting” I thought to myself.
I looked at the agenda and who the speakers were - nobody announced!
And here’s where the ‘Should I vs Shouldn’t I’ dance begins.
Dwayne (because clearly we’re on a first name basis now) is one of the most famous people in the world.
My postman Rob thinks I’m famous because I’ve been on 6PR and as a result, five people over the age of 60 know me.
Especially as a High-Achieving People-Pleaser (you can find out if you’re one here), I thought why on earth would Athleticon want ‘someone like me’ to speak at their event? Even if it’s in one of the side rooms (aka janitor’s closet) which, if you’re lucky, has a five person audience?
But I thought ‘why not?’.
I emailed AND I got a response.
“Every big hitter had to start somewhere”
This happened over five years ago now - yet I’ll never forget the response I received from an incredibly kind lady, typing away to me, a stranger, from the other side of the world:
“Every big hitter had to start somewhere”.
Boom.
So did it go anywhere? Nope.
Do I regret emailing? Also nope.
Because what didn’t happen is me spending the next week in my head thinking “Should I? Shouldn’t I?”
Now here’s the harsh truth: my skills and experience weren’t even remotely close to being ready to be on that stage, so I wasn’t expecting a miracle. And I fully didn’t expect a response - heck I figured I would just go in the bulk delete clean up of ‘no point of opening’ emails.
But I did it because, as cheesy as it sounds, you only miss the shots you don’t take.
But this whole thang brings up a good question: why don’t we take more risks?
Warriors vs Worriers
Do you ever wonder why some people don’t hesitate to make bold moves whereas others are busy thinking of the 47 ways things could go wrong?
One reason could be our brain chemistry—specifically, dopamine (yep, that ol’ chestnut again).
This neurotransmitter plays a crucial role in motivation, decision-making, and handling stress, particularly in high-pressure or competitive situations and can therefore influence whether someone takes bold action or hesitates.
This is where the warrior vs. worrier dynamic comes into play which is regulated at least in part by the COMT gene. This gene controls how quickly dopamine is cleared from the brain, shaping how we respond to challenges - whether we instinctively charge forward or hesitate at the starting line.
Warriors, who break down dopamine rapidly, tend to stay cool under pressure, making them more decisive and action-oriented.
Worriers, on the other hand, clear dopamine more slowly, which can heighten stress and overanalysis—useful in situations requiring deep thinking but a roadblock when risks need to be taken.
But while genetics might influence our instincts, they don’t determine our destiny. The way we think, the environments we put ourselves in, the people we surround ourselves with and the challenges we put ourselves through can help us become the gung-ho, risk taking leaders we really want to be.
Why Risk Taking Risks?
There’s a host of reasons why people don’t take risks:
- The ‘been there done that’ mentality - “I’ve tried so many times before, why would it be different this time?”
- The ‘good things would never happen to someone like me’ mentality
- The ‘bad things will happen’ mentality
- The ‘I’ll look stupid’ mentality
- The ‘who do I think I am’ mentality
And even if by some small miracle things DO go well when we take that risk, our catastrophising minds will just think about the 99 other risky steps we’ll need to take AFTER that win.
But what if we look at risk from a different perspective?
Two Risky Roadblocks
#1 We overvalue certainty
I was around three years old, standing on the edge of the pool. My dad was inside the pool waiting for me to jump in - telling me I’ll be ok. This was 43 years ago and I still remember thinking “this is a really, really bad idea”. I needed to be certain of the outcome before I took the jump.
In the same vein as adults, we also hold on to the idea that we shouldn't take risks unless we're guaranteed a 100% chance of success. The problem with this perspective is that it paralyses progress and we miss out on super awesome opportunities.
This doesn’t mean we throw caution to the wind and take the jump without any thought or planning. What it does mean is being open to the idea we’ll never feel ready enough, no matter how much we think and plan.
P.S. In case you’re wondering, I did end up jumping and hit my dad’s shoulder. To this day that shoulder still gives him grief because of that jump. But the most important thing to know is that I didn’t drown.
#2 We undervalue knowledge
It's easy to think that the only value in taking a risk is the potential 'win' at the end (for example, like not drowning, which is of course, important).
But when we fixate on the outcome, we miss the most important part of the journey—the learning. Like where to put your arms so they don’t smack the water or not aiming your missile legs at your father’s shoulder joint.
These lessons aren't always obvious in the moment, but they add up, shaping our ability to handle the next challenge. I would even argue that the process of taking risks, learning from what didn’t go as planned, is just as valuable—if not more so—than the success we hope to achieve.
Reframing R.I.S.K.
R.I.S.K. = RISK IS SEEKING KNOWLEDGE.
I thought of that when I was making eggs. Mindblowing I know.
What if every time we think about taking a risk, we focus on the knowledge that will flood our brains with genius instead of fixating on the possibility of failure?
Here’s some examples:
- Introducing ourselves to that super-duper important person who feels totally out of our league. Sure, it’s nerve-wracking, but what if it teaches us how to refine our introduction?
- Sending off that proposal, even though we haven’t proofread it 349 times—what if it’s the one that sparks feedback that gives us an edge for the next proposal we send?
- Raising our hand to share that crazy, bold idea with our team, even though it might not work— it might help us learn something incredibly important for our future career.
- Having a challenging conversation with someone we are upset with-what if it helps us build the confidence to speak up next time before resentment even has a chance to grow?
Risks aren’t just about the outcome, they’re also about the knowledge and insights that we gain from daring to step outside our comfort zone.
Think, Feel, Do Reframes
Here’s a few more reframes for you to consider - feel free to think of ones that feel right to you. You can also find a whole bunch of free resources to build self-respect and quizzes to see where you’re at on my website here.
Where to-ith from Here
Every time we step into the unknown, we're not just aiming for a win but actively seeking the growth that lies in the journey. By shifting our focus from the outcome to the knowledge we gain, we unlock a new kind of power—the power to learn, adapt, and evolve.
As you face your next risk, remember: we win when we take the risk itself, not when it goes perfectly.
Dr K xoxo
