Quiz 4
Am I a Risk-Taker?
Risk-taking behavior, or the lack thereof, is a fundamental personality trait. Some people rate very high in this characteristic and carry it across all areas of their lives. For them, life is never a dull moment. At the other end of the spectrum are people for whom prudence itself is a passion. They don’t like the idea of stepping outside their box—they like their box very much, thank you.
Do you typically throw caution to the wind, or do you prefer the “warm blanket” feeling of the safe and the familiar? There’s no time like the present to find out. Go ahead: take the risk.
Take the Test
For each of the following statements, indicate the number of the statement that corresponds to your experience with or feeling about the activity:
1. Would never consider it
2. Might consider it
3. Would seriously consider it
4. Have already done it
1. Take a vacation by myself
2. Quit a job without having another lined up
3. Ask someone on a date without formally meeting the person first
4. Drive over the speed limit
5. Gamble in a casino
6. Sing karaoke in a public place
7. Visit a fortune-teller
8. Get a tattoo
9. Try a very different haircut
10. Take in a stray animal
11. Give a ride to a stranger in apparent need
12. Ride in a small airplane
13. Skydive
14. Hike trails without a map
15. Bungee jump
16. Scuba dive
17. Visit a place where I don’t speak the language and few people speak mine
18. Enter a talent show
19. Do a stand-up comedy routine
20. Volunteer for a magician’s act
21. Attend a party where I don’t know anyone
22. Introduce myself to someone famous
23. Try an entirely unfamiliar cuisine
24. Surf
25. Snowboard
26. Wear an outrageous Halloween costume
27. Play a practical joke
28. Throw a surprise party
29. Apply for a job I’m not really qualified for
30. Go back to school as an adult
31. Change careers entirely
32. Enter a contest to ride the space shuttle
33. Camp out by myself
34. Sail a long distance in a small boat
35. Go on a jungle safari
36. Go whitewater rafting
37. Take flying lessons
38. Buy a hot stock on a tip
39. Have children
40. Go on Deal or No Deal
Scoring and Explanation
To obtain your score, simply tally your points for each item:
• A score of 136-160 indicates that you thrive on risk. You enjoy the thrill of seeking physical sensations and putting yourself on the line emotionally. For you, living without adventure is not really living. You may be very susceptible to boredom if you are not seeking out some new adventure or shaking things up in your life. As with most things, risk-taking has its pluses and minuses. Hopefully you are channeling your love of excitement into productive new challenges most of the time. If you are simply seeking sensation for its own sake, without heed to long-term goals or without any prudent checks and balances, you could end up in the danger zone.
• A score of 101-135 indicates that you enjoy a moderate level of risk. You’re no daredevil, but you’ll take a chance on something now and then—maybe just for the fun of it, or maybe because you are just fed up with sameness. If all your risk-taking is centered in one area—for example, sports—know that you probably do have the capacity to transfer your boldness to another area as well. Perhaps you’ll ultimately want to try some new intellectual endeavor, or consider something that will jump-start your career.
• A score of 100 or below suggests you like to play it safe. You probably like to feel “in control,” and you certainly do not care for surprises. Others probably don’t find you very surprising, either. (You can verify this by taking Quiz #5, How Predictable Am I?) But consider, when your life is drawing to a close, it might well be the things you haven’t tried that you’ll regret. For now, you might be energized, even rejuvenated, by taking just a wee chance or two. It’s unlikely you are apt to strap on a parachute (unless you routinely do so as a precaution when cleaning out your rain gutters), but think about some baby steps you can take to get your blood racing every once in a while.
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