How do you think about risk? What role has taking risks played in your life/career? Check out responses from hidden gems from our community below.

Esteria Jando | Nurse, Energy Healer & Witchy Practitioner

I think my life is a very good representation of the saying “the greater the risk the greater the reward”… RISK indicates the possibility of loss, or loss of value of an investment. . . When it really boils down to it – every choice we make in life has some level of risk – and those instances that take us outside of our comfort zone, where the fear of the unknown is at an all time high tend to carry the highest level of risk. This is how I have felt every time i took on a new student loan for an educational degree, everytime I tried a new sport, and particularly every time I’ve made the jump to significantly pivot in my career. Read more>>

Brett Masters | Founding Pastor, Dream Center Lake Elsinore

I have a mentor/coach who is a man of extremely high competency and has achieved great success in his career. Now in his 80’s he often says that if he had it all to do over again, he would dream bigger dreams and take bigger risks… because everything he ever dreamed came true and he wonders if he limited God by dreaming too small! He is a pastor and has always been a BIG dreamer… His capacity to dream has inspired countless others to dream big and take steps of faith toward those dreams and goals. In many ways, I feel like I’m following in his footsteps… Read more>>

Pam Scamardo | Founder and Author of CREATE Wealth

If you’re not taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone then you’re not challenging yourself enough! The biggest risk I have taken to date was quitting my day job and building my real estate investing business. This choice opened my world up to so many different possibilities. Living life by design has been truly a wonderful experience and journey. I’m now able to focus on giving back through volunteering at the senior center, college student outreach, and becoming a board director with the only commercial real estate non-profit organization geared towards advancing women in the industry – CREW Network. Read more>>

Abbigail Ledet | Photographer & Future Real Estate Agent

Risks can be absolutely terrifying, but you know what? They’re necessary! We have to take that leap, take that risk, for even a slight possibility to succeed. If we don’t, we will always be wondering what could have been or what could have happened if we had. Maybe it won’t work out but what if it does? The way I see it, there are so many many wonderful things we have in this world because there were people behind the ideas that were willing to take that leap and risk it all. Read more>>

Kimberly Perez-Garcia | Balloon Artist

I personally feel like doing anything out of your comfort zone, is taking a risk. It best helps you navigate through life, because it’s all trial and error, you live and you learn. The biggest risk I have taken in my life/career is starting a small business. But this has also been the most fulfilling thing I’ve done! Read more>>

Daniel Feuer | Sr. Art Director, Artist, Photographer, Entrepreneur & Branding Enthusiast

Calling all Risk Takers. Without a leap, a jump, or some discomfort it’s impossible to find the next great adventure. That doesn’t mean you can’t be afraid or feel fear; in fact, id suggest following your fear. It takes fear anxiety and the willingness to confront it, to make you capable of progress and trust your ability to persevere. When you’re in unfamiliar territory, life experience and the things you have faced become the weapons you can use to forge through. Read more>>

Rebecca Sykes | Session Drummer & Singer/Songwriter

I believe risk taking plays a huge roll in my life and the path i’ve chosen. As a musician/creative, it would be nearly impossible to have reached the point i’m at if I hadn’t decided to take risks. The first risk that I took was making the decision to prioritize music over everything. This was a scary choice because of how inconsistent and spontaneous this field is but I wouldn’t have it any other way. In the past few years, one of the biggest risks I decided to take was to try something different – singing. Read more>>

Alex Tinsley | Content Creator/ Student

I am most definitely a risk taker and I think anyone you ask would probably say the same. I don’t always follow the rules but they were meant to be broken, right?! I feel like everything you do is a risk. The way I like to think about risks is you either take the risk or lose the chance. Taking risks is a part of life and we all do it, just some more than others. It’s easy to sit back and not try new things because it’s comfortable and safe, but sometimes it’s worth stepping outside of the box. Sometimes things can go really well, and other times not so much, but you won’t know unless you try. Read more>>