Why Taking Risk is Critical, even during a Pandemic
By: Jaime Gennaro
Tags: Risk, Entrepreneurship, Women Leaders, Career Change, Confidence

One of the things that really shifted for me this year was my fear of risk.

I’ve faced this fear a lot in my life, but this year it felt different, bigger, harder to conquer.

Risk for me feels like standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down, wanting to jump but scared of what will happen if I do. For the last year, I looked down, thinking about leaving a job with a salary to start a business without one. And even though I’d been there before, I stood on the cliff paralyzed with fear, playing out all of the scenarios in my head,

“I could drown.”

“I could hit my head on a rock.”

“I could slip on the edge and go head first.”

Never once did I allow myself to think,

“I would feel like such a badass if I jumped.”

“This could be fun.”

“I want to know what it feels like to swim in that water but there’s no other way to get there.”

This year, while I continued to take my sweet time thinking about all of the reasons not to jump (valid reasons like, I might lose the house or the kids won’t have food), the universe came up behind me and PUSHED. And like every other jump I’ve taken in my life, once I was in the water, I laughed, because it was fun. I looked up to see the distance I jumped and I felt like a badass. Why did I wait so long?

I waited because standing there without moving kept me safe. If I didn’t jump, I would never have to fail, or look like a fool or feel awkward or make mistakes or write emails that might annoy people. Standing there was protecting me from all of the bad things that might happen. But it was also keeping me from all of the good things that might happen, like confidence and joy and connection.

This jump was the most difficult, because it came with the most risk, but it has been the most rewarding. This time I paid attention to the fear that came up when I was on that cliff. I listened to it. And I know for sure, that the next time I’m on that cliff, I’ll jump sooner. I’ll remember that being in the water is better for me. I am balanced instead of overworked, I am healthy, I’m making a valuable contribution to the world, and as of this month, I’m making more money than I was making before, which was one of my biggest fears and biggest blockers.

Getting over fear isn’t easy, just like going to the gym isn’t easy, but if you show up, ready to do the work, you KNOW that you will be stronger and healthier afterwards. This year I have evolved into a better version of myself. A version of myself I couldn’t imagine in February when I didn’t even know what kind of job would get me here.

Jumping is what makes life interesting. It’s what keeps us living instead of watching life go by. You feel like a real badass when you are the only girl standing on the edge of a 30 foot cliff, above the ocean, with a group of dudes, who are just as scared as you are, but pretend not to be, and you jump first. It’s an amazing confidence boost. But all of those times I jumped off real cliffs, it was never to prove something to someone else, I had to jump to prove something to myself. And it was fucking fun. And all I wanted was to do it again. And again.

So here’s your nudge. It’s time to jump. I will be here to root you on and hold your hand, because I want you to get a chance to experience how much fun it is, even with all the risk, despite it.

This is a photo from one of my big jumps. In 2017, at 42 years old, with my husband and our two kids, we sold everything, except one box of our most sentimental belongings, and moved from Portland, Oregon to Leiden, Netherlands.

Jaime is a life and career coach. She has started, run and sold three businesses and understands that the growth comes from moving forward with courage, no matter the outcome. Everyone deserves to live a life full of purpose and passion and it all starts with tackling the behaviors and beliefs that hold you back. Find her at Practica Consulting.