Worth the Risk? (Day #28)
This post from my latest blog discovery, Life in Pencil, has me thinking about my decision to leap from stability to instability two years ago, when I left my law firm job to pursue a writing career. Anne asks whether passion equals risk, and – even better – whether passion necessitates risk.
My answer is yes. I believe that passion – or, at least, the active pursuit of it – necessitates risk. Commands it, even. Not because I think every passion requires its pursuer to make some big, sweeping life change, because I don’t. Rather, I think that the decision to pursue a passion – whether that means walking away from a cushy job or simply stepping outside your comfort zone – changes the stakes of the game. In choosing to prioritize passion, we declare our commitment to do whatever it takes.
We all have different levels of risk tolerance. Some people avoid it. Others are drawn to it. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
I’ve found that I have a pretty high tolerance for risk. In fact, I find risk comforting. Calming, even. There is a clarity of thought that comes with risk-taking. Life comes into hyperfocus. We know what we stand to lose and what we stand to gain. Not precisely, of course. But enough to know that we’d better bring our A-game.
At least, that’s what I think. What do you think?
Eva @ Eva Evolving
Friday, 2 April, 2010 at 11:33Oh my goodness! I just found this old post, Lauren, and had to follow up. Thanks for the shout-out, Kristen!
I wrote about risk-taking in early February, prompted by an article I had read on Psychology Today. Basically, a person’s relationship with risk is not linear. It is not all or nothing. We can be risk-taking in one area of our life, but risk-averse in another realm. Read more:
http://evaevolving.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/routine-and-risk-taking/
Rebecca @ Diary of a Virgin Novelist
Monday, 22 February, 2010 at 9:51I loved Anne’s post too, especially since I fall into the camp of quitting a secure job for the topsy turvy world of freelancing and writing. I actually don’t think I am the biggest risk taker, even though what I did (and am doing) was risky. For me, it just got to the point where I couldn’t NOT try. I had to make the room in my life so that I could give it a real go. Otherwise, well… Yeah. Let’s just say, I have never looked back.
laurenmmiller
Monday, 22 February, 2010 at 11:04I think you hit the nail in the head — the reason why passion commands risk: you get to the point where you can’t NOT try. i’m glad you made the leap! It’s scary as hell but so much fun, right? 🙂
Aidan Donnelley Rowley @ Ivy League Insecurities
Monday, 22 February, 2010 at 8:02So thrilled you have found your way to the lovely ladies at Life in Pencil. I think there is an intimate bond between passion and risk. I think you can’t have one without the other. My question and one I think about constantly is how much risk is good? How much passion is good?
Lindsey Petersen
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 18:36I don’t think anyone ever died being glad they lived a risk free life. Taking risks is what makes life eventful, exciting, full.
Lindsey Petersen
http://5kidswdisabilities.wordpress.com
laurenmmiller
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 19:22Lindsey,
I couldn’t agree more. Simply put and so well said.
Kristen @ Motherese
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 18:17I love Life in Pencil! So glad you found them.
I usually think of myself as risk averse, but I recently read a post (at Eva Evolving?) about the different types of risk and the ways in which some of us are willing to risk in certain ways, but not in others. For instance, I am conservative financially, but a risk-taker intellectually and emotionally. Thinking of risk as a multi-faceted idea helps me get my head around it.
laurenmmiller
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 19:28Will definitely have to check out Eva Evolving! You and I appear to have quite similar blog tastes. 🙂
I love this idea of different types of risk. While I’m willing to go all-in when it comes to the prospect of a full time writing career, there are definitely areas in my life where I am markedly less risk-tolerant. I wonder if it somehow relates to the degree to which we trust ourselves. Do we risk more in the areas of our lives in which we trust ourselves (and our capacity/capability) more? I don’t know if that even makes sense… I need to mull it over. Anyway, as always, thanks for the insightful comment!
Katie
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 14:20I think what I love most about a risk is the utter moment of clarity when you’ve done it, you’ve let go of the past to grab hold of the future. Like Tarzan swinging from vine to vine, he can’t get to the next one until he lets go of the last – and that split second of freefall is priceless. It reminds me that I, as always, have everything and nothing to lose. It reminds me that the dogs of doom stand at my doors of destiny.
So whether it’s moving to Ireland, praying for healing, or launching full-steam into my education, it’s always everything and nothing. Because in the midst of diving headlong in, I’m risking all everything that I am (which in the long-run is nothing at all) in order to grasp for everything that God has for me.
And I’m learning that God’s best is normally better than whatever I have in mind.
Love it Lauren.
laurenmmiller
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 19:34Katie! I adore this imagery. And, you’re right – that split second of freefall between vines is indeed priceless. How can we preserve this clarity? How can we keep our lives in focus? Must we keep diving in, reaching for that next vine, putting it all on the line? I think perhaps we do. I think we must risk ourselves at every opportunity to do exactly as you say – to grasp everything that God has for us. Good stuff, Katie.
anne
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 9:16Thanks for the mention! And I love your idea that risk can be calming! Never thought of it that way, but I can totally see how taking risks really causes us to shift our priorities into focus, and evaluate what we truly want.
laurenmmiller
Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 19:37Anne! No need to thank me for the mention – I should be thanking YOU for your great post!