It's Time to Take a Risk

The real risk is not making a decision, but not making one.

Often we are afraid of making the wrong decision, or of taking responsibility for a potentially risky step, and this leads us to stay still and say maybe "we will think about it later."

In indecision, standing still seems like the wisest and most prudent move, but are we sure that is really the case?

First of all, analysis

When we have to make decisions, from what to eat for dinner to which business investment to make next year, we are used to doing a quick analysis of the current situation.

Using the dinner example, we will evaluate: what we feel like eating, what is in the fridge, what the nutritionist says, how much time I have to cook, and so on. Simple.

Deciding what to eat for dinner involves important risks close to zero (unless you are allergic to something and decide to make a dinner based on that ingredient), but making business decisions, very often, involves taking on risks.

Instead of looking at what we have in the fridge, we look at how our company is doing: we do the math, evaluate resources, study plans, and then make a considered decision.

As long as the analysis gives us the answers we need, all is well. Almost always, this step will decide what makes sense to do or not, but what if it does not give us what we need?

Risk or calculated risk

There is a big difference between taking on a general risk and a calculated one: the calculated one, as the word says, is something we know has many chances of not going as hoped, but in case it does not, we know we can manage it.

Taking responsibility for a potentially unknown risk is something terrifying, because you do not know if:

• you will be able to make things go the way you want
• you will be able to anticipate problems in time
• you will be able to handle problems
• you will come out of it with your head held high

These are the risks I want to talk about here, not that calculated risk you take knowing that even if it goes badly, it does not go badly, "easy" like that.

Having the courage, or the audacity, you choose, to launch yourself and take a dark road knowing that it could be the end of everything or the beginning of something great is not easy, ever. Regardless of experience, age, and knowledge, there are decisions we can predict almost nothing about. We only know that it could be our turning point.

Take the leap or not?

Good question, to which I do not have the answer.

However, I want to say that the great became great because, very often, they did something potentially destructive, investing money, time, and personal resources to chase an idea they firmly believed in.

These people saw something and decided that something was worth taking a risk for, something that with hindsight we can say paid off handsomely, but can we say that applies to everyone? No.

When all the analyses have been done, when all the calculations have been made and nothing seems to lead to an answer, then what do you do, flip a coin? Obviously not, but you will have to decide whether to leap toward something potentially unknown, or stay here and wait for perhaps a more favorable situation.

I will tell you, we took the leap. The path has been and will be long, difficult, complicated, and at times very frustrating and stressful, and we have no mathematical certainty that it will work out: it could be a game changer or nothing. But however it goes, I am proud to have decided to bet my chips on this project.