AN009: Can You Risk Not Reading This Week’s Athena Notes?

Opportunity does not come gift-wrapped. It requires risk.

Ask a half dozen women about risk, and be prepared for a slew of answers. Quitting a job without having another lined up? “Oh my. Never!” says one, shuddering at the thought. “Piece of cake,” says another. “I have confidence in my abilities,” she adds.

Investing $10,000 in the stock market? “Only way to go,” chimes in one part of the group. “Nope, too unpredictable,” observe the others.

What about Bitcoin, Ethereum, or NFTs? Some women are all-in. Others shake their heads in confusion. Crypto-what?

Break the Boundary

What’s risky to one person is routine to another. Yet it often varies with type of risk. Are you comfortable taking a career risk, but not a financial one? How about a move across the country? Or walking into a room — real or virtual — full of strangers? 

It often depends upon how we draw the boundaries of our comfort zone — that sense of familiarity and certainty we wrap around us like a warm blanket on a chilly night. Step outside that zone and our stress level can hit us like an unexpected arctic blast, driving us back to the snuggly warmth and security of known experience.

It’s in the uncertain zone, however, where growth happens.

Denim Lessons

Intuitively we all know that if we don’t risk, we don’t grow. We also recognize that there’s no treading water these days — not in careers, or relationships, or planning a financial future. 

Where to begin? Tiny steps and micro-experiments. Think of it like putting on those jeans just out of the wash. The first 10 minutes may be hell, but then they stretch ever-so-little. You move about, bend and sit. Soon they’re comfortable. (Yes, we’ve all been there — even if we’ve sworn off tight clothes forever after this pandemic year.)

So squeeze yourself into a tiny experiment of discomfort. Reach out to someone you’ve been wanting to meet. Research that index fund. Send that email. Sign up for that class. Initiate a Zoom meetup.

The satisfaction of the stretch will be deliciously sweet — and the boost in your confidence will likely inspire you to make even more micro-experiments. Will all future experiences go perfectly? Probably not. But that’s why they’re tiny bets, and experiments. Some work, some fail. We learn from them all.

Of course, the biggest risk is to do nothing and miss amazing opportunities. As Nora Denzel observed: “If you don’t take risks, you’ll always work for someone who does.”

Remember:

• Growth happens beyond the comfort zone

• Micro-experiments can generate momentum to try bigger things

• Without risk, there’s no reward

My challenge to you this week:

What tiny experiment will you conduct this week to boost your risk tolerance and stretch your comfort zone?

PS: My Clubhouse chat with Jennifer Barrett, author of “Think Like a Breadwinner” (see AN006) got rescheduled to this Thursday, 4/29, at 7pm ET. Hosting us will be writer, speaker, and brand advisor Terri Trespicio. Come join us!