Just get in

I was just thinking about risk-takers vs. risk-adverse people. I'm definitly a risk taker. I take more of the idea that it's best to go in fully and then deturmine if what you have is too much. Let me give an example. My company is looking to do an online 'webinar'. Researching our options we found that there are different levels we can chose. Basically we can go low level and risk not having the resources or professionalism or we can go high level and risk having way more resources than we need.

In this case I think we should go all the way. My logic? If we discover that parts were unnecessary we can remove them on the next webinar that we do. If we chose to take the lower level we may not realize the benefits that we are ignoring, in doing so perhaps our webinars are not as effective as they could be.

This goes back to my original thought. Risk is a part of life, not just business. There are those who stick their toe in the lake and slowly go in and there are those who dive in head first.

People automatically think of the risk associated with diving in head first. You might bonk it on something! But what about the risk of the swimmer who goes in slow and cautious who gets knee deep, a fish brushes by them and they freak and get out of the water? The risk they are taking is that they are not getting to enjoy the benefits of being in the water. The person who dived in head first may have been just fine and is having a ball out in the water cool and comfortable. Or they could be getting dragged out of the lake with a head wound.

The point is that each method has its place. In a clear swimming pool 8 to 10 ft deep, diving in head first has little risk, but the toe first person may not get in because the water is 'too cold'. There is a time and place for each method. I'm still learning when to use which. It's something that takes experience and your head screwed on straight.

Just don't be afraid to get in the water, regardless of which method you use, or even if you use an alternative method. Just get in. Standing (or laying with a head wound) on the shore will get you nothing.