Taking a Risk: It’s All About Trust.

“Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what is next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark” ~Agnes De Mille

How likely are you to take a “leap in the dark” in your life and your business? I like this quote because it creates a wonderful image for me of a graceful dancer leaping freely through space with no constraints and it reminds me how very difficult it can be for all of us to have this type of forward momentum in our own lives. Do we trust and believe in ourselves enough to make the changes we want in our lives or perhaps our career?

It is not necessary to have all the answers all the time. Acknowledging this can be the first step. However, the most important element of “leaping forward” is TRUST; trusting that it’s OK not to have the answers, not to know what will happen. Taking a risk opens up the door of possibilities.

How often are we blocked from moving forward because we want to assure ourselves that what we are doing will have a guarantee of success? We analyze our strategy over and over again until we feel comfortable that the risk is minimal and we won’t make mistakes. More often than not, we get so caught up in the analysis of the situation that we never take the leap. We are paralyzed to assume any risk.

Let’s take an example of someone who wants to start their own business but is wary of leaving the security of their present job. This is a pretty common situation and one that I recently experienced myself. The best approach is to make a plan, right? You put all the pieces together for your analysis. What are my expenses and income requirements? How much cash do I need to help support myself and build my business? How do I plan on marketing my business? What will the ramp up time be? All this is necessary to create a strategy to leave a job and become an entrepreneur. You look at the numbers. You analyze and analyze. However, you also come to the realization in time that there
are no guarantees to any plan, no matter how good the plan or how well you execute. So there you are standing at the edge of the cliff again. With all the planning in the world, you still need to take the leap. You need to take the risk and trust that you have the talent and ability to be successful.

Taking a risk is challenging and self-empowering. We are willing to make mistakes in order to move forward. We are willing to let go of perfectionism in order to make changes. We TRUST in ourselves enough to take the leap.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.” ~Les Brown

Bonnie Marcus

Bonnie Marcus is a Certified Executive Coach. With 25 years of sales and management experience, Bonnie has an extensive business background that includes VP of Sales at several national companies as well as CEO of a national healthcare company. She has held executive positions in startup companies and Fortune 500 companies. As the founder and principal of Women’s Success Coaching, Bonnie’s specialty is helping women in business achieve success and maximize their potential. She assists women with promoting themselves effectively in order to advance their careers and grow their businesses. Bonnie is well known for her motivational speaking and innovative workshops.

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