Shoot your shot? Take a chance? Society bombards us with messages, phrases, examples and stories of how taking risk is the key to success, but is anything ever that simple? We asked some of the brightest folks we know to tell us about how they think about risk. We’ve shared their responses below.

Dilan Lektemur | Global Client Relations Strategist & Social Media Storyteller

Risk-Taking: Embracing Change for a Fulfilling Life. Throughout my life, I can confidently say that I have always shied away from taking risks. I haven’t embraced risk-taking in the traditional sense; instead, I focused on hard work to build the life I wanted. From a young age, I dedicated myself to studying diligently to gain admission to a prestigious university, ensuring I graduated with excellent grades. This dedication continued as I aimed for prominent positions at leading companies in Turkiye. All of this was achieved through relentless effort and belief in myself, creating a safe, bubble-like existence. Read more>>

Judy Ascura | Entrepreneur

Risk has never really scared me since i was born an optimist. Since I was a little girl, my thought process was always focused on everything that could go right rather then everything that could go wrong which is what landed me to be where I am today. During the start of the Pandemic, i was working two jobs and trying to start up two businesses. One day, i woke up and decided to quit both my jobs so i had no other choice but TO MAKE IT. And I did. And i continue to do so everyday. Since October of 2020, I have been self employed and plan to stay self employed for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Sarah Genereux | Tattoo Artist, Surfer, & Fine Artist

Well I went to college for graphic design which I thought was the smarter career choice since it seemed to be more of a “real job” with art but soon after I started my classes for actual graphic design I realized this was definitely not my calling and not what I wanted to do for a career. I felt myself taking the easy way out of all my assignments instead of going above and beyond which I typically would do with the more fine art classes. So I dropped out of college to figure out what I really wanted to do. Read more>> 

Jim & Jasmin Janszen | Husband and Wife Business Owners

In terms of risk, we believe in taking calculated risks. This means making decisions—like owning a business—while ensuring we do our due diligence before pulling the trigger. It involves listing out the pros and cons, thinking about how it will affect our life and how our day-to-day will change, considering if it will impact our relationships with those close to us, and hearing their thoughts. We ask ourselves: Is this worth it? Read more>>

Laura Alessio | Nurse Coach

I think about risk as an opportunity in life. I can’t recall where I first heard it, but I love the statement “the only difference between fear and excitement is your attitude.” Of course there can be fear in taking risks, but if we never take the chance we may never be presented with the same opportunity again and may miss out on a potentially life changing experience. Another quote I really like is “make the choice to take the chance or your life will never change.” Read more>>

Shaina Zeff | Makeup Artist

Being an entrepreneur is all about risk. You have to have an intense faith and tenacity to keep any business alive and thriving. I took a huge risk 7 years into my career leaving a stable job. I was working at salons and makeup counters previously and I had no idea if I would be able to sustain myself financially off my own clientele. It was terrifying at first, but I have been fortunate enough to create consistent income over time. Read more>>