Why You Need to Take Calculated Risks to Succeed

I’ve noticed that one of the qualities successful people have in common is the ability to take calculated risks. Paula Bills started The Women’s Forum at her company several years ago. She knew for a long time that women needed to converse more with each other in order to achieve greater professional and personal success. She decided that there was no “right” time, so she took a calculated risk and launched the group’s first meeting. The group has been meeting successfully ever since.

When it comes to taking risks, we can learn a lot from children who, in general, are natural risk-takers. They are powerful because they believe they have a right to succeed and are unwilling to accept the limitations that grown-up accept as reality. Once, at a playground, I was stopped by three six-year-old girls who were selling their old toys. They had the faith that people would buy them and took the risk to set up “shop” outside the playground. I had the feeling I would be reading about one or all of them in the future.

Taking calculated risks involves analyzing the pros and cons of a given action, and if the pluses outweigh the minuses, then you know it’s an indication to take the next step. It’s also useful to get feedback from others who have been in similar situations. If they’ve succeeded, you have a reasonable chance of succeeding too. Taking risks involves a certain amount of anxiety, so if you feel uneasy about following through on your decision, that’s natural. Don’t allow this uneasiness to deter you from pushing forward. When it comes to risk-taking, you will never get enough information to avoid feeling afraid; that’s why it’s risky. There is always a moment when you have to act, despite your fears, and jump out into the unknown.

Adapted from Our Power as Women. Conari Press, 1996.