Have you ever taken a gamble on your life? I don’t mean physical entities that you have some kind of control over. Something more vague, like your future, career, or health, is where you are fully aware it’s a bet. One wrong move, and it’s a downward spiral. I don’t know how to describe what kind of pressure that puts you under, but I’ll try.

It’s like standing on the edge of a cliff and having to walk to the other side; you clearly can’t see anything to walk on, but you’re told you only need to believe in yourself and God if that applies. Your actions are now solely based on faith in yourself and your capabilities.

It’s not that you don’t know what you are capable of; what makes it a risk is that you don’t know how far your capabilities can take you. What if it only covers the first three steps? Or are you not skilled enough for the trip? You don’t want to be stuck in the middle or fall through at the first step, so you do what everyone would do: build a ladder first.

There’s no harm in that, and actually, that is the safest bet, but what happens when you are on a cliff with no wood in sight? Do you climb back down the mountain to get the tools, hike back up, and start building? Or you just give up on the quest altogether. 

Your answer to the above question will give you insight into how your mind works and how it sees risks. Whichever path you take, there is no judgment here, but there’s a chance for growth. Back to crossing to the other side, but this time, building a ladder is not an option. You either walk on air or you don’t.

I have realized that we look at risks the wrong way. You always say that if it doesn’t work out, the consequences might be too much to bear. And you are right in a way; it’s not a risk if it does not have pros and cons, so it’s ideal to weigh your options. But there are two points I want to draw your attention to: first, what if it works out? Second: Could you be running away from responsibility?

What if it works out? What if you are capable of more than you give yourself credit for? You can channel the energy you used to consider it not working out in the right direction. If you only think about losing, then you have fewer chances of winning. Instead, if you consider winning more; when you lose, you do not believe it is a loss but something to learn from. You have grown and stretched your mind to a new level that there’s no coming back from. It’s a win-win.

An adult is not afraid of the consequences of their actions or choices; if you could not handle it, why did you bet on it? It’s okay not to take risks if you are not ready for their consequences; life has a way of repeating lessons until you learn. You might run away from it, but it doesn’t disappear. You giving up on crossing the cliff does not make the cliff move; the same you that ran away will be back because that’s the only way to get ahead.

They say we should only take calculated risks. It’s not a risk if it’s calculated. I would say you should only take a risk if you can handle its consequences. If you make unhealthy decisions now, think about your loved ones who will have to deal with the consequences later. If you are unhappy because of where you are now and you are making no effort to change it, are you okay with the rest of your life being gloomy?

Whenever you want to run away or settle back into your comfort zone, ask yourself this; What’s the worst that could happen? If it’s worse than you can take, remember that the limit is in your mind, work on those boundaries, and try again.

May the odds be in your favor this week – here’s a song that won’t leave my mind – The Idol – The Weeknd