"If you don't take risks, you'll never know what your potential is."

I've heard this recently and it truly resonated with me and summarises how I have lived my life so far. But it also prompted the question of how we assess the risk and whether it's worth taking it?

I'd be curious to hear your view on this.

My method of evaluating the risks I've taken is based on three factors:

👉 What my 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 feels like when I consider the risk

👉 Does taking this risk honour the majority of my 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀?

👉 Can I build a 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗕? How bad will it be if I have to use it?

Because this is the point: if we don't have an 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀, we may end up making inconsistent decisions that take us out of our comfort zone for the sake of it, rather than to help us feel alive.

Only if what we're going to accomplish actually connects with who we are and how we operate does it make sense to step outside of our comfort zone. Otherwise…. What is the purpose? Risking anything to check another box? To once again live up to others' expectations?

So here's my recipe to assess if an exciting idea/project/job or jump into the unknown is worth taking or not:

👉 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 and checking in your energy level from time to time, so that you can notice any empowering/disempowering triggers

👉 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 (see in the comments below a great guide to creating a list of your values and how you can honour them)

👉 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗕 that you can revert to, including:

o Vision (benefits)

o Obstacles

o Resources you can rely on

o Tracking progress

The more detailed the plan B is, the more empowered you feel in taking the risk as your safety net feels solid and firm.

So how do you feel about taking risks? And how do you assess them? Could this framework be helpful?