Entrepreneurship - Is It Risky Business?
Conventional wisdom suggests that in tough economic times one should exercise restraint in nearly all aspects of life; that is, play it safe.
Entrepreneurs live life differently, however, and see adversity as the most critical moment of all to move in new directions.
So, is entrepreneurship risky business? Of course, there are lots of "it depends" elements to such a question because there are lots of KINDS of risk, but here is the crux of what I'd like you to consider: The biggest risk of all is to let fear take charge of your mindset and your perspective.
What you believe determines what you think; what you think determines what you do; what you do determines your life.
Most conventional thinking and behavior is dictated (more than we realize) by fear of "doing" anything differently than what most people (97% of the population) think is the "right" thing to do.
Entrepreneurs are not in that 97%.
Rather, we are a much smaller and differently thinking and doing group - just 3%.
That isn't a very big part of the population, so it takes a certain kind of inner vision and gutsy-ness to withstand the fear and nay-saying of those around us with more conventional ways of thinking and doing-more fear-based ways.
For entrepreneurs, the "safer" path in times of adversity (that is, a path that is more likely to lead to successful results), is the one that leads to the top: a place of expanded vision, expanded ideas, expanded opportunity.
Without an enlarged sense of what is possible and attainable we risk burrowing even further into the limited and fear-based realities of what already is; what is no longer working.
How could that be good?? Simply put, it is not good.
The "play it safe" option is motivated by fear: fear of "what could happen.
" Hmmm.
Playing it safe most generally assures that nothing will happen.
Does this mean that we should throw all caution to the wind and take reckless, uninformed action? Absolutely not.
That too could be disastrous.
Serious entrepreneurs are good at sizing up risk (including the risk of "doing nothing risky") and taking the kinds of chances that set us apart from those driven by fear.
So is entrepreneurship risky business? You bet! It is the business of taking risks.
See you at the top!
Entrepreneurs live life differently, however, and see adversity as the most critical moment of all to move in new directions.
So, is entrepreneurship risky business? Of course, there are lots of "it depends" elements to such a question because there are lots of KINDS of risk, but here is the crux of what I'd like you to consider: The biggest risk of all is to let fear take charge of your mindset and your perspective.
What you believe determines what you think; what you think determines what you do; what you do determines your life.
Most conventional thinking and behavior is dictated (more than we realize) by fear of "doing" anything differently than what most people (97% of the population) think is the "right" thing to do.
Entrepreneurs are not in that 97%.
Rather, we are a much smaller and differently thinking and doing group - just 3%.
That isn't a very big part of the population, so it takes a certain kind of inner vision and gutsy-ness to withstand the fear and nay-saying of those around us with more conventional ways of thinking and doing-more fear-based ways.
For entrepreneurs, the "safer" path in times of adversity (that is, a path that is more likely to lead to successful results), is the one that leads to the top: a place of expanded vision, expanded ideas, expanded opportunity.
Without an enlarged sense of what is possible and attainable we risk burrowing even further into the limited and fear-based realities of what already is; what is no longer working.
How could that be good?? Simply put, it is not good.
The "play it safe" option is motivated by fear: fear of "what could happen.
" Hmmm.
Playing it safe most generally assures that nothing will happen.
Does this mean that we should throw all caution to the wind and take reckless, uninformed action? Absolutely not.
That too could be disastrous.
Serious entrepreneurs are good at sizing up risk (including the risk of "doing nothing risky") and taking the kinds of chances that set us apart from those driven by fear.
So is entrepreneurship risky business? You bet! It is the business of taking risks.
See you at the top!
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