He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life – Muhammad Ali
Most of us do not like the idea of changing something very easily. It just doesn’t come quite natural to us. Humans are mostly habitual creatures. We create a certain comfort zone in our lives and we seldom like doing something to get out of it. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with being your comfort zone, it also doesn’t help you to perform at your absolute best.
1. Take calculated risks
Human minds are wired to seek security as the first necessity. We do not try to upset the natural order of things often. By sticking within the confines of our comfort zone, we miss out exploring many things which would turn out exciting. It’s important to take some calculated risks in life to fully utilize our potential. Just like how you would gain more if you put your money in stock markets rather than in a bank, you would gain more if you take risks in your field. Many times we would not really fulfill our goals if we get stuck in our comfort zone. There is a great reward in taking essential risks in life – be it in business, workplace, finances or sports.
2. Begin with small steps
It’s not easy to change your mindset from security to adventure. Not everyone has an appetite for risk. This is one of the reasons, why so many people remain mediocre. Successful people know this and they make small adjustments in their life so that they experiment with different things. The idea here is not to go out all guns blazing with a new thing. You should begin with a small step, meaning you should first change a small portion of your habit and see if it yields the desired result. Once you get an understanding and the confidence to execute, you could go for a major disrupt.
3. Be realistic on your expectations
The problem with many of us is that we do not put realistic expectations on our actions. We read an inspirational article or story about someone making it big in their field and try to emulate the same in our lives. This will put too much unnecessary pressure on yourself. We have to understand it takes time and consistent work to yield results. It’s important to have a practical expectation from our actions. There will be initial struggle and disappointments along the way, but if you keep at it for a considerable time then you will be rewarded.
4. Identify the patterns
We all do things which fall into some pattern. And more often than not these patterns would have made us feel comfortable. It’s good to sit down and analyze whether these patterns have been giving us expected returns. If you feel that you haven’t been able to fully utilize your potential on something, then study the patterns behind it. Could there be something you could change? Have you gotten too comfortable with the proceedings? Is it time to tweak the pattern? These things should be addressed in order to change the result.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a small step – Chinese proverb
We all have the potential in ourselves to reach the goals we have set for ourselves. We could have the kind of life we imagine for us. Do not fall into the trap of mediocre and listen to other people’s opinion. Listen to the inner voice and follow it. Being more adventurous might elevate your life to the next level. Get, set and go!!