Playing it Safe: it could be a block to success in life

Playing it Safe

To begin with, I want to say that I am not advocating that you begin to live a reckless, dangerous manner. I don’t think you should skitching behind a city bus or joining the run of the bulls at Pamplona. What I am saying is that living a life that is fearful and always playing it safe, could be a block to success in life.

What do I mean by playing it safe?

I mean being afraid to risk anything. I once knew a man who would never step outside his own comfort zone. This guy would think that eating at a different restaurant was being adventurous!

He lived a miserable life. He desperately wanted to live more fully, but he was afraid to try anything new or attempt much of anything at all. One day that all stopped. He stepped outside his little comfort box and risked something he thought quite daring. It wasn’t all that bold, but to him it might as well been skydiving naked. What happened was that even though his heart was pounding, everything turned out fine. He lived. In fact, he felt more alive than he had in quite some time! Soon he was taking risks and venturing out into his world as if it were a brand new place.

What is the way to success?

The way to success is standing out from the crowd and daring to be a little different. The inventor who risks making something that no one else could imagine is the one who succeeds. The marketer, who is not afraid to offer her product, even though no one else has one like it, often corners the market.

The way to success is not the way of cowards. People like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, are not afraid to stop playing it safe and step out a bit. Successful people are often those who sell all their possessions to forge ahead with their dream, they burn their bridges behind them, even when others tell them they are crazy. There is a story about Cortez who, once his army had landed on enemy soil, ordered the burning of their boats. The soldiers had two choices, be defeated and die, or win and live. They chose the latter.

Would you burn your boat? Are you willing to bet everything on your future? If not, then I might ask how badly you want to succeed. How much do you want that dream? Are you willing to pay the cost of success?

Who do you admire?

Who are your heroes? Who are the people you admire? Are they different than you, more talented or smart, or are they just more dedicated to their vision? Study their qualities and then emulate them. Playing is safe may have gotten you where you are today, but where will it leave you tomorrow?

Here’s to You!