{"id":3521,"date":"2010-10-12T21:49:06","date_gmt":"2010-10-13T05:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=3521"},"modified":"2013-09-30T11:59:39","modified_gmt":"2013-09-30T19:59:39","slug":"5-tactics-for-taking-an-enormous-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/5-tactics-for-taking-an-enormous-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tactics for Taking an Enormous Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/a><\/p>\n

I know you. Probably better than you think I do. I know you have some big ideas, some dreams. I know you wonder how you\u2019ll ever actually do them. I know you have responsibilities and choices to make and things don\u2019t always work out like you wish because there isn\u2019t quite enough money, time, or energy.<\/p>\n

I know that no matter what happens, though, you always get that nagging voice in the back of your head that asks, \u201cWhat if? What if I just did it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Okay, maybe I don\u2019t know you that well, but it\u2019s an incredibly common feeling for almost everyone. There\u2019s something you really want to do, but the time is never quite right and it just feels too risky<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Risk is a four-letter word these days and I don\u2019t think it gets the respect it deserves.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can work your whole life to keep risk at bay, but it comes at the cost of boredom. Anyone can elect safety, but you\u2019ll pay for it with your life\u2019s biggest desires.<\/p>\n

If you ever want to realize your dreams \u2013 if you want to start that business, find that true love, go on that adventure, or anything else \u2013 risk is going to become an intimate part of your life.<\/p>\n

Once you accept that, you can get on to actually taking them. Here are a few things you can do to make sure you do it right:<\/p>\n

1) Embrace Uncertainty<\/h2>\n

The fear of the unknown is paralyzing, but going toward your fears is the only way to actually get what you really want.<\/p>\n

Everyone wants something out of reach, but the only thing keeping it there is your own belief. Once you convince yourself that it\u2019s possible<\/em> for you to achieve something, even if it\u2019s not reasonable<\/em>, you\u2019re far more likely to actually work towards it.<\/p>\n

Personally, I know that if it my goals don\u2019t scare me, they probably aren\u2019t worth doing.<\/p>\n

2) Forget About the Odds<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s face it, when you want to do something incredible, the odds are stacked against you. No way around it.<\/p>\n

If everything was set up for you to succeed, no one would care when you did (including you).<\/p>\n

Forgetting the odds means realizing that doing something important is hard work. It means understanding that success is uncertain and doing it anyway.<\/p>\n

3) Plan, but not too Much<\/h2>\n

I plan to climb the tallest mountain on every continent<\/a>. It\u2019s a challenge that I cannot deny myself.<\/p>\n

That said, I have no idea how to actually make that happen yet, and if I tried to figure out all the details now, I\u2019d never even get started.<\/p>\n

Instead, I plan only what I can foresee. Next year I\u2019ll head to Europe and Africa to climb the tallest mountains there. I have no idea how I\u2019ll get to the next five, but I know I\u2019ll figure it out along the way.<\/p>\n

Plan what you can count on. You\u2019ll have to figure out the rest later.<\/p>\n

4) Take the First Step<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t forget this part. Take the first step. Make the leap. Get started. Do something<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This gets ignored far too often. You don\u2019t have to change the world when you\u2019re getting started, but if you just take the first step, eventually you will.<\/p>\n

When I trained for my first marathon<\/a>, I couldn\u2019t run 26 miles. But I could<\/em> put my shoes on. Then I could run 1 mile. Then 5. Then 10. A few months later, I ran 26.2 miles in less than 4 hours.<\/p>\n

Make your first step the easiest one you can imagine. <\/strong><\/p>\n

5) Throw Away Plan B<\/h2>\n

Should you have a fallback plan? Here\u2019s my answer: no.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re going after something big, uncertain, and risky, it\u2019s going to be hard<\/em> and Plan B is usually something easy \u2013 probably even something you\u2019ve already done before even if it makes you miserable.<\/p>\n

The harder Plan A gets, the more appealing Plan B becomes. Some things are too important for a Plan B. It\u2019s up to you to decide if this is one of them.<\/p>\n

Tyler Tervooren writes for a highly skilled team of risk takers at Advanced Riskology<\/a><\/strong>. Follow his updates from the tops of mountains on Twitter: @tylertervooren<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

. I know you have responsibilities and choices to make and things don\u2019t always work out like you wish because there isn\u2019t quite enough money, time, or energy.<\/p>\n

I know that no matter what happens, though, you always get that nagging voice in the back of your head that asks, \u201cWhat if? What if I just did it?\u201d Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":12996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[6],"tags":[318,751,66,4629,4640,752],"yoast_head":"\n5 Tactics for Taking an Enormous Risk - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you ever want to realize your dreams \u2013 if you want to start that business, find that true love, go on that adventure, or anything else \u2013 risk is going to become an intimate part of your life. Once you accept that, you can get on to actually taking them. 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