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.

Sherry Broyles | Executive Director, Inside Out Studio

This is such a great question. In the larger picture, everything proactive we do carries risk. The risk of failure, of rejection, of loss. But it is taking risks that keeps life vital, and that includes being open to all kinds of outcomes. It’s a dance of sorts, weighing risks and rewards. In terms of starting Inside Out Studio, I was investing my own funds in the project, and was also doing something for which I was technically unprepared. I had never worked with people with disabilities, nor had I worked in a business environment, much less started a business myself. Read more>>\

Hannah Zimmerman | Speech-Language Pathologist & Owner/Founder of Just Once Language & Speech Therapy, Inc.

Here’s the thing: I don’t consider myself to be a risk taker. I’m the type of person that stresses about any big decision. I can overthink just about anything. But at the end of the day, everything you do in life is a risk. I think it all comes down to what you think is worth taking a chance on uncertainty for. For me, getting an opportunity to have an experience that helps me grow and learn as a human or as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is the catalyst for my risk-taking. I think back to some of the things that I thought were huge risks at the time – going to college out of state or going to work as a SLP in Australia – and how overwhelmed I was at the start of doing those things. Read more>>

Maura Moed | Esthetician & Body Art Practitioner

When I think of risk, I think of accountability. It really puts me in the mindset of “If this doesn’t work, it’s on me.” It’s almost like betting on yourself. It forces me to do everything in my power to be a success and not a failure. When it comes to my career, I surely would not have made it this far without taking risks. I always have had jobs in the past, and it was a big step to decide to only work for myself. I have a beautiful family, and even that was a bit scary to leave that space of “stability” because my livelihood is not just my own. However, knowing how each outcome would affect not only me, but my family – really pushed me to work hard, get my name out there, and market, market, market. I knew I had to get busy, and I put everything on the line. Read more>>

Alexis Ramdhani | Account Coordinator, Disneyland Cast Member, MA in Communications

Risk is an important part of life and a key point in your own growth and development. In my own life, I’ve always strived to do things that I thought were impossible and part of risk taking is putting yourself in a situation you didn’t imagine yourself in, applying for that position at your work that you never dreamed you could do, completing your degree no matter how many years it takes you- these are all a part of the risk that comes with growing. I currently work 2 different jobs and am about to start a Master’s Program in Communications. At one of my jobs, at The Disneyland Resort, I have worked in 4 different dep[artments during my 6 years working there, not because of boredom or not being able to settle, but because I took the risk to want to learn more and to grow within the company. Read more>>