When Taking Risks Pays Off (04/25/2021)
This Sunday's journeys: When Taking Risks Pays Off | Open Culture
High Five! It’s Sunday.
Grab a warm drink, turn on the speaker, and settle in, we’re going on a stroll.
🔊 Zone In: THUMP Mix: Steve Hauschildt
01 - When Taking Risks Pays Off
This past year has been an ongoing intense course in risk taking. Every single day we’ve had to reassess what are the risks and costs of what used to be mundane decisions: leaving the house, meeting friends and family, traveling, eating out, etc etc etc.
A year later, each of us has a better sense of what level of risk we’re comfortable taking in our everyday lives, and bigger questions and decisions are coming up, as we’re considering how to move forward.
Every one of these decisions carries a certain level of risk, and often it’s these risks that we’re thinking of that are holding us back from taking action. The truth is, it’s hard to say which of these risks will become reality, and in what exact form - there are often too many unknowns. So is it possible to make a calculated decision?
Start with seeing what worked for you in the past: what bigger risks have you taken in the past, and how did they turn out? Can you think of three times you were faced with a choice, and decided to go with the option that you had less certainty in how it would turn out?
Here are three big ones of mine:
At 18, after graduating from high school I decided to take a year and volunteer in an educational community in the desert, living in a commune and guiding experiential field trips for teenagers. My parents didn’t really support this decision initially, thinking it would just delay my expected progression (college etc). The experiences I’ve had during that year, the ways I’ve grown and the people I’ve met have led me to my next stage, which led to the next, and so on. In hindsight, my life would have taken a completely different course if I didn’t spent that year in the desert.
At 26 I moved to the U.S. from Israel. My partner and I both decided we wanted to spend a year abroad just to have the experience of living somewhere else. While I never considered the U.S. as a destination (I was eyeing Europe), he had a friend who worked for the Israeli consulate in NY that helped him get an interview for a job there. The interview went well, and they wanted him out there within a month. 12 years later, I’m still here. Things turned out very different from how I imagined they would, but I am grateful for all the experiences I’ve had here.
Deciding to leave NY last year was definitely a shot in the dark: no clear destination or goal, other than getting closer to nature, and staying open to opportunities. I’m still in the middle of this story, but so far I can say that in the past 6 months I’ve gained more clarity about what kind of reality I want to create for myself, and made significant progress towards making it happen.
What are yours? Comment here and share your insights and thoughts with others, and get inspired by others responses.
Until next week,
- Disco
02 - Open Culture
I’m sharing only this link today, because it has SO MUCH in it: e-books, lectures, audio books, movies, podcasts, and even certificates and full degrees - this website collects and catalogs FREE cultural and educational media from across the web. Their homepage/blog offers bite-size content, but you can dive into their full catalog of resources in practically every possible topic.
🌳 That's all for today.
I've been quite a risk taker in my life. After college I sold everything and bought a vintage motor home. I lived in it for three years, traveling with the seasons to sell my paintings at outdoor art festivals. Every show and every new destination, literally everyday required risky choices. I lost big sometimes, and sometimes had big pay offs. Rarely was that life anything but feast or famine.
I settled down in Alabama and for seven years I still lived the risky life of an artist making a living from her work. I got used to the lack of certainty, but desired something more reliable. Then I opened an art gallery where I could work and teach art. It was a huge risk, as the percentage of these kinds of businesses that succeed is very low. Seventeen years later my business is still thriving.
I find myself a bit attached to security after so many years of risky living. I am happy to stay put and keep the status quo. But the pandemic jump-started my old energy by requiring that I delve into more technological offerings. It felt good to stretch, but took a while to get my sea legs. Now that business is stable again (for now) I'm trying to find balance between stepping out of my comfort zone and relaxing with what I have.
Great thing to think about, Disco! Thank you.