Are You A Risk Taker? If Fear Wasn’t Part of the Equation, How Would Your Life Look Different?

Do you ever consider yourself a risk-taker? Or do you feel you are more of a safe-bet person? I can think of many times I took risks in my life and I didn’t even consider myself a risk-taker. Looking back on some of those instances, they would definitely be considered “risky”!

Every setback or failure can be a good life learning lesson. It just shows me that I have more growing to do. There must be more potential out there for me to tap into. Living through stress and turbulence has given me the confidence to know that I’m not going to let fear be part of the equation. The moment we say that we are not afraid to fail, fear dissipates and it loses its power over us. The courage to take your shot is half the battle. Viewing failure as a teacher and not an enemy.

I moved from Idaho to Tennessee not knowing anyone except one friend who I had just recently met. I needed a change, so why not move halfway across the country to a totally different “culture” (I considered Tennessee a brand-new culture shock to me!) This could have been a very dangerous situation not knowing this person I was going to go live with. Thank goodness, it turned out well. We ended up getting married! Now that wasn’t something you were expecting to read, was it?

Then about 7 years later, I moved from Tennessee to the Gulf Coast of Florida “on a whim” because I needed a good change in my life. I had gone through a divorce (yes, divorced from the man I moved from Idaho to Tennessee to be with!), and I really needed to get out of Tennessee. I had to get away to heal my mental health since the ending of that relationship was extremely difficult for me. Again, I moved with a friend whom I had just recently met. We didn’t know each other very well, but we both had one thing in common–we wanted out of Tennessee! It turned out well in the end. We both had a great time in Florida & loved living by the coast. My dream had been to live by the ocean and I was finally getting to do that.

Another large risk I took was when I bought a duplex and fourplex at a real estate auction! That is quite risky, to say the least. It was difficult for a while because my property manager wasn’t very good. But in the end, a real estate developer ended up contacting me and wanted to buy the whole block so I ended up making a nice profit on that sale.

I also took a risk when I bought a duplex in New York sight unseen. It was on eBay for $15,000! That was really a dumb move. But I got a good management company and he would comment, “I don’t know how you are doing it, but you are making a profit every month”!

Sometimes, taking a risk or a chance can turn into a really positive thing for your life. Especially if you feel you are in a “rut”. Most of the risks I have taken have turned out to be positive experiences. If you have an idea on your “bucket list” that sounds like something you would really like to do, taking a risk and doing it is usually a positive experience because you learn from it and then you won’t have regrets about not doing it or wondering about what would happen if you did it.

I have not regretted for one instance moving to Florida on a whim. Even when a hurricane is coming our way. I am still happy to be living near the Gulf Coast of Florida. Surprises and miracles have happened when I have taken risks.

So go out there and take a few risks. What in your life is worth taking a risk over? Don’t do anything really dangerous, though!