EXPOSE | Going too far
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far it is possible to go.” – T.S. Eliot
EXPLORE | Safe or sorry?
I am not, nor will ever be known as, a risk-taker.
Sure, risk-taking makes for a good story. But while we admire the person that takes risks when it pays off, it’s like a bad accident we can’t turn away from when it doesn’t.
I don’t want to be the bad accident people can’t stop staring at.
T.S. Eliot’s quote helps explain why it is easy for me to put risk-takers into two camps. On one hand, you have those that would find the edge of a cliff by running full speed until they begin to ‘fly’, and on the other, you have those that go down on all fours and slowly feel their way until they run out of earth. I am definitely the latter. Safe is better than sorry, right? Surely, you don’t have to go too far to find out if you’ve gone to far?
With the recent start of another year, I have to believe there were at least a few people that flirted with the idea of setting a goal to do something ‘daring’. It reminds me of this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt:
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Really, a scary thing every day–for a year? I don’t know if that is a goal a person should set for themselves. It sounds more like they lost a bet with someone that really does care about them.
Sure, I get it. The status quo is not very exciting, and, for different reasons, could possibly even be unhealthy. Life requires (some) risk. After all, “nothing ventured, nothing gained”.
One dictionary definition of risk-taking brings some balance for me. It defines risk-taking as being: “willing to take risky action in the hope of a desired result.” It takes the ‘scary’ out of Mrs. Roosevelt’s quote.
Here’s something I think we can work with. Risk-taking is a willingness, to take a justifiable risk, given the preferred outcome. There is wisdom in that. Even though, given the fact you’re here reading this blog about wisdom, you might ask yourself: isn’t the point of pursuing wisdom to avoid risk?
Avoid risk? No. Take calculated risks? Yes.
I would say that Phillippe Petit provides us a healthy view of risk:
Death frames the high wire. But I don’t see myself as taking risks. I do all of the preparations that a non-death seeker would do.
Philippe Petit (French high-wire artist)
To take calculated risks is to take the words of Jesus to heart when He says in Luke 14:28: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Jesus doesn’t say that if there is any risk, don’t do it. Instead, accepting that doing what is right and good involves risk, it doesn’t mean that it has to be risky.
Especially, when you consider the why. Referencing Romans 8:28, John Piper explains that:
The promises of God that all things will work together for our ultimate, Christ-exalting good is the basis of our risk.
John Piper, founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary
For those who love God and are called according to His purpose, we really aren’t taking a risk by doing what is right and good in light of what God has promised to accomplish.
It is this ‘why’, beyond practical risk assessment and good decision-making, that makes risk-taking less risky, and compels us forward with confidence in the face of risk.
EXECUTE | Making risk-taking less risky
With the ‘why’ as our basis, there are a few other steps that we can take to help guide our assessing risk, as we seek to remove unnecessary risk and embrace necessary risk.
Keep your eyes on the prize
Starting with the ‘why’, another significant part of considering risk is the reward. In addition to increasing self-confidence, learning a new skill, or benefitting financially, taking a risk may in fact be life-saving as well as life-giving. Considering risk in this way is important because it keeps us from assuming that we alone should be the beneficiaries.
Faith Assessment
It is not risk-taking to which God responds. It is faith. God responds to faith that manifests itself in taking risks and stepping out by trusting Him.
Dr. Guy Richard, president and associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary
As we evaluate whether or not a risk is worth taking, we should be certain of where we’re drawing our reasoning for taking the risk as well as the depth of our dependency on God. If we’re moving forward without complete trust in God to be our guide and strength, we’re unwittingly assuming unnecessary risk. There isn’t anything that we think we should do that is worth doing if it doesn’t require complete trust in God.
Take a baby step
We can sometimes unnecessarily avoid risk by thinking that risk-taking is all or nothing. Instead, considering easing into it. Masterclass.com suggests making incremental movements to relieve you from taking on the whole risk all at once.
In addition to the size of the risk, Dr. Malachi Thompson adds that our level of control is also means of addressing fear: “If you don’t naturally self-identify as a risk-taker, start by taking risks where you have the highest level of control. You are more likely to succeed, increase your ability to assess, plan and executing taking risks.”
Risk-taking begets better risk-taking
We only get better at something when we make the commitment to improve with each opportunity. Because risk is something that we can’t, and shouldn’t avoid, our continually taking a risk will improve our ability to ‘count the cost’, and propel us toward the next necessary risk we need to take.
Always remember
Mandie Holgate, international coach, speaker, and author, reminds us to start with what we know to be true about ourselves–and I would add, what is true about God. In her article on calculated risk, she recommends that we recall the times we’ve been successful, what we are capable of, and that mistakes are unavoidable.
Doing so will can also be a good reminder that God takes us down a path–with intention–caring for every detail along the way. When we remain attentive and open-hearted, we benefit later in life by being able to recall the care God had taken to not just take us down a certain path, but the way that He chose to construct that path. If we don’t take on necessary risk, we won’t have a record of God fulfilling His promise to ‘work all things for our good.’
John Piper has a great article on how to take risks without being unwise. In it, he prescribes a series of ‘tests’. One test he recommends is to take what you could call the ‘heavenly hope’ test. In addition to our seeing God fulfill His will in and through our lives, this might be the only question we really need to ask regarding whether nor not we take a risk.
1 Peter 3:15, Peter challenges us to be ‘prepared to make a defense… for the hope that is in you.” In order to help us avoid our selfish nature and preoccupation with safety and ease, ask yourself: would taking this risk compel someone to ask me about the ‘heavenly hope’ that is within me’? That, may be worth risking everything.
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Further reading:
How to take risks
Risk-taking
How to take calculated risk
How do I take risks without being unwise
Risk-taking faith
Biblical characteristics of risks worth taking
God doesn’t take risks
Photo by Yeshi Kangrang on Unsplash