Take Risks Or Play It Safe? – MBML EP35 In this final episode on mindset this week, we’re reframing our thoughts about what risk means. Entrepreneurs are no stranger to society’s pressure to trade their dreams for a practical approach to work and life. But it begs the question….what’s riskier, doing what you THINK you should or going after your dreams? Today I’ll make the case that sidelining your passions for the status quo is actually the riskiest gamble we can make with our lives.

Read transcript below:

Steve Napolitan: Welcome to More Business More Life Daily, and today’s the final episode for this week of mindset, and today I want to talk about what’s riskier, doing what you think you should, or reaching for your dreams?

So some of us, we get going and we start working towards what we want, and then we maybe get scared, or we find, “Hey, I better get a job.” You know, my son was just telling me about a game, Final Fantasy. You know, I’ve heard about the game, in fact when I was growing up it was …. I remember my youngest brother like really getting into Final Fantasy, and now there’s like 15 of them. The developer of that game had a bunch of flops. A bunch, to the point where the family and people around him were saying, “When are you going to get a real job?” “When are you going to go … you know, give this up?”

And he said, “Okay, this is the last one,” and now there’s like 15 of them, so it’s far from final, and in fact he didn’t give up on what he wanted. You know, I guess what I’m kind of saying, to finalize this week in mindset, is it’s a mindset for ourselves of what we’re doing with our life. You know, it’s the mindset, “Hey I better do what I’ve been told to do. My mom and dad told me I better be a doctor or a lawyer,” or, “I better make money and that’s what I got to do.”

You know, the saddest thing for me, and it truly is, makes me sad, when I see people and they have an amazing talent, an amazing talent to do something, and it’s their hobby. It’s on the side, and they go through their life doing something else, and then as we get older that hobby possibly will dwindle because we’re tired, we’re doing all these other things and we don’t have time for that thing, and then it goes by, so a lot of times the mindset is that it’s risky.

If I pursue my dreams I’m taking a huge risk, and I’m asking you like in that mindset, what’s riskier? Risking … taking a chance at something that you’re really good at, that your heart is telling you to go do, or risking your whole life doing what you don’t want to do? For what? At the end of the life would you … if you fast forward, going on the same path you’re going, if this is you, if you’re doing what you don’t want, then if you fast forward to the end of your life and imagine, in the trajectory that you’re on now, wouldn’t you say that that’s pretty risky?

If joy and happiness and love, and fulfilling your desire is important, then what a risk you’ve taken. What a risk you’re taking every day when you don’t act on what you’re really, really, really in love with.

And we think it’s risky to go for our dream, but I find it the exact opposite, and I truly believe, and I’ve seen it enough … and if you don’t know how to build a business or to build revenue or to go get a job around what you love, then ask people. Ask me, ask other people, I’m not saying I know all the answers, but there are people that you can get guidance from. Go get help, look for somebody else that’s been successful doing what you’ve done, or is close to it.

Maybe you have something brand new that no one has ever done, but what’s the closest thing to it? There’s got to be some comparable thing, you know, in some cases, and even if it’s some new software that no one’s ever done but who’s developed the software that’s never been done? How can you reach out to them? Because they’re going to have lessons even if it’s not the same type of software.

Whatever it is, there are people that can probably give you some guide posts, some ways to get there, and I wouldn’t be where I am right now without many mentors. Stop risking your life. You know we’re always told life’s going to go by fast, and that’s also your own belief as well, but it will, all of a sudden you’ll wake up being much older than you are now, and not having what you wanted. That’s risky. That’s risking your life, your joy, your happiness, your life’s purpose, and what a sad thing to waste the talent that you’ve been given in this life, to not use it.

And I’m not saying it’s easy to make that jump, I’m not saying it’s not going to be scary, I’m not saying it’s not going to be risky, I’m saying what’s more risky? Risking the rest of your life and happiness? Or risking your stability or that paycheck? I’m here, please ask me any questions and reach out to other people that have done something like you want to go drive towards, and if you’re doing what you love, awesome, and you know what I’m talking about, so comment as well. Let me know that you’re on that path and you’re taking those risks so that you can do what you love.

I hope this week on mindset has been useful for you, please let us know what has been the most useful. What are your aha moments? And please share, and if you have questions bring those up too so we can make episodes that are even more meaningful for you, and as always as we end this week, remember to choose gratitude and create freedom. We’ll see you next week.