CHAPTER 4
Risk, Redefined
Giordano Bruno was as unconventional as they come. He was a sixteenth-century Italian philosopher, and a man of innumerable interests. Cosmology, science, studying the universe and even magic—Bruno spent a large part of his life running from authorities and conducting lectures of what he believed to be true. His core thesis, written in 1584, entitled On the Infinite Universe and Worlds argued if there is one of these worlds, then there are infinite numbers of planets and stars in the Universe. Today, this seems obvious. In his time, however, there were severe consequences to pay, and he spent most of his time on the run. But he didn’t care. In contrast to Copernicus, who delayed the publishing of his works by 40 years for what many say was fear of retaliation, imprisonment, or death, Bruno was boisterous around his beliefs. He was loud, and a trailblazer. On a return trip home from England to Italy to print his works, Bruno was captured and spent nine years in prison as he awaited trial. But he was given an out: recant his beliefs and lectures, and he’d be saved. If not, he’d be burned at the stake at the hands of the inquisition. Many of Bruno’s contemporaries had chosen to retract their teachings in the face of death. But Bruno remained committed, and when the sentence finally arrived on eight counts of heresy, Bruno proclaimed: “Perhaps you, my judges, pronounce this sentence upon me with greater fear than I receive it.”1 At the time, Bruno was seen as a martyr and treated as such. And yet in the face of death, he took the biggest gamble knowing very well the outcome was the loss of life. On the surface, it’s easy to proclaim Bruno took an absurd risk. Or did he? Life is already risky. Let’s remind ourselves that we’re currently spinning at 1,037 miles per hour while orbiting a massive star that is going at another 67,000 miles per hour. And that star is part of a larger galaxy, the Milky Way—which is also moving at a brisk 1.3 million miles per hour. Enough with the science, but I’m painting you the picture that life is risky. We’re here, we’re alive. Safety is simply an illusion. We haven’t even addressed the fact we’re being kept alive by a fist-sized muscle in our left chest that acts on electrical impulses pumping up to 2,000 gallons a day. The fact that you’re here is a miracle. When we think about the bigger picture, the small stuff tends to consume us less. We’re able to make faster decisions and flip the script on how we perceive risk – and use risk to pursue our leap. In light of this: This is the power of redefining risk and playing the game by your own rules. With each step, you start to craft the life of your dreams. Not the one someone else wants for you, but the one you want. And that energy changes everything. Because the truth is simple: the way you and I have been told to perceive risk is flawed and is holding us back from living our best life. Until now, that is. From the time we’re brought into this world, we’re fed a narrative about risk and the way we perceive it. We’re told it’s better to be safe than sorry. Play it safe, and we’ll be rewarded. Don’t be too loud or dream too big. Don’t stand out, or else you’re going to offend others. It’s not working. At least not in the way I define working. It’s not working for you either, unless your definition of success involves a predictable, safe, and mundane future. But you’re here, which means you’re wanting to live a life on your terms. For far too long, we’ve looked at standing out as being risky, and we’re paying a hefty price. But what if the real risk was fitting in, to seek the approval at the expense of our own? Risk is an entirely subjective experience. We know this, and we experience this every day in our lives. On a moment-to-moment basis, we’re assessing risk and allowing it to impact our decision-making. From the trivial to the life changing decisions, risk is always present in the back of our minds. However, we rarely assess whether the way we tolerate and take on risk is actually working. We often let our risk-taking mechanisms run in the background while we experience life, even if we’re feeling stuck or compelled to something greater. In having thousands of conversations with those who have not only achieved massive success but also made bold decisions in the face of fear, I’ve identified three core pillars required to make risk work for us, not against us. But before I share those pillars, we must understand what we’re already playing with. You and I are designed to be risk averse, because our lives might depend and have depended on this mechanism. Thousands of years ago, we needed to treat every noise as a potential threat, and there was no time to consider the upside of a ruffling noise in the woods. We needed to live. This has stayed with us, and now that there’s zero possibility of a tiger eating us on the way to lunch, we must override this mechanism. Universally, we operate with an intense degree of negativity bias, which simply means that given the same amount of information, we’re hardwired to be more emotionally charged (and thus, focused) on what could go wrong. The amygdala, an almond shaped mass inside the brain is responsible for decoding our emotions and helping us make fast decisions. However, two-thirds of the neurons inside our amygdala are wired for negativity. Without stepping too much into brain science, it’s crucial to understand that our operating system is rooted in fear. And by listening to this primal part of the brain, we can miss out on life’s biggest opportunities. Of course, one of those is the leap of your life. The great tragedy of not redefining risk to serve your dreams and aspirations is you’ll always wonder what if. Without reframing risk and ditching the safe path in life, you’ll be unable to write the life story that you know is deep within you. The riveting tale, the page-turner you can’t put down will instead become another predictable book. That’s not you. It’s not why you’re here. On many days, I can be overheard talking about opportunity cost in my downtown Phoenix office with my clients. It happens so often, it must sound like I’m teaching economics. But understanding opportunity cost is crucial to the success of your leap and making the right decision, at the right time. Opportunity cost is at the core of all our decision-making and can be summed easily: it’s what you give up in order to get something. It’s the difference between what you choose now and the next best alternative. Whether that’s choosing to eat pizza instead of going to the gym or choosing to stay at your current job—there’s always a price to pay. For example, Steve is working a corporate gig and he’s making $85,000 a year—what psychologists have found to be the sweet spot for happiness and fulfillment. He’s tired of it though, it’s been eating away at his soul. He can’t deal with his boss. He has a passion and purpose much greater but has found himself stuck. The opportunity cost, what Steve’s trading in right now for what could be is the following: So, is this worth $85,000? It depends on who you ask. Often, people will say yes until it gets so bad they can’t not change. Or, they wake up one day to a pink slip to realize the truth all along: no employer is loyal to any employee. Now, let’s redefine risk so it works for you once and for all by examining the three risk pillars. The first step to redefining risk in your life is to have clarity around a bolder purpose or mission. Without this, there’s minimal chance you will make bold decisions in the face of risk. Having a driving force, which we’ll explore in Part II, Before Your Journey, is crucial to the success of your leap. Your vision will dramatically shift the way you perceive risk on the way to carving out your path. It must be powerful, and it must compel you in a way that’s bigger than simply yourself. Felix Baumgartner had a vision and mission to redefine the limits on human performance, and although he had his personal vision attached to it, it wasn’t only about himself. You must have a bold vision, otherwise you’ll get stuck in the day to day and make decisions designed to keep you anchored to your past, instead of propelled like wildfire into your future. Paulo Coehlo’s second book, The Alchemist, was published by a small Brazilian publisher and slotted for 900 copies. His publisher said it would never sell that many, and he was right. Coelho was dropped, and at 41 years old with no signs of success, the safe path was to quit. But he didn’t, because he was playing the long game. At 41, most would say the long game was over, but he was barely getting started. The rest, of course, is history, and The Alchemist is one of the most successful and enduring works of all time with over 65 million copies sold to date.2 In a world where instant gratification and this-must-work-now pressure is the norm, playing the long game allows you to take more risks. Why? Simple, we reduce the pressure of now and understand we’ve got a mission that’s designed to span decades, and hopefully, our lives. This doesn’t mean we’re complacent; it means we’re able to sacrifice short-term benefits for long ones. Remember, playing the long game doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to take a long time. Rather, it’s a mindset to help keep your eye on your bold vision and see obstacles as on the way, not in the way. If you’ve ever declared your bold vision to a family member, sibling, or co-worker, and they shot you down, you know how it feels. You put yourself on the line, and all they could come back to you with is: Quickly, your inspiration and drive start to fade, and you take this feedback at face value. This is the danger of being in an environment where risk taking is seen as bad, and the safe path should be your path. Environment matters much more than we think, especially in regard to bold decisions and life changing moments. Later on, we’ll explore the power of declaring your leap, but only to the right people. By placing yourself in the right environment, you’ll have the backbone of support required to ensure your success. Don’t buy the hype, there is no such thing as self-made. Along your path, you’ll find countless mentors, peers, and those who are likeminded helping you every step of the way. You’ll meet the tribe designed to support your boldest aspirations. (We’ll explore this deeper in Chapter 16, too.) In other words, don’t roll solo. Doing so has a shelf life, and you’re unlikely to persist when adversity strikes if you’re in the wrong environment. We all need this ecosystem to thrive, and it’s your responsibility to insert yourself into those environments to ensure your success. Now that we’ve examined how our perception of risk keeps us stuck and unfulfilled, it’s time to flip the script, change the results and use risk in our favor. Because here’s the truth: Right now, I want you to take a moment and identify one place where playing it safe is risky. Now that you’ve done that, you’re now armed with a new perspective designed to give you the clarity needed to use risk as your competitive advantage. There’s no more waiting, hoping, praying, or wishing. You’re about to discover what it feels like the moment you choose yourself in a world telling us we should choose anyone except ourselves. Giordano Bruno took the biggest risk one can take—trading his life for his conviction in what he believed in. His mouth fitted with an iron gag and stripped naked, Bruno was led to Campo de Fiora in Rome on a brisk February morning. Unable to speak, he was tied to a stake. As they lit the flames that would end his life, Bruno looked up one last time at the wonders that drove him: the stars and the unknown Universe. For a moment, everything felt right. Today, Campo de Fiora is a buzzing tourist hotspot in the middle of Rome. Surrounded by cafes, flower shops, and tourists sipping on local wine; the energy is palpable. Students, locals, and tourists mixed together, with a buzz in the air. In the middle of it all, sits a massive statue of Giordano Bruno. Hundreds of years later, Bruno is seen as a beacon of free thinking, self-reliance, and courage. Although he wasn’t able to live to see a day where his ideas and beliefs were widely accepted, Bruno’s spirit and driving force created an undeniable legacy spawning centuries. Now, you may be saying: there’s no way I’m risking my life for the leap. I get it, and what you don’t realize is you’re already risking your life by not taking the leap. And so, the greatest risk you and I can ever take is simple: not taking it. Now that we know the heavy price you’re paying, it’s time to pack your bags, get your essentials in order, and prepare for the journey ahead. We’ve got no time to waste.Face the Music: Life Is Already Risky
Risk Is a Liar
Risk Is in the Eye of the Beholder
You’re Designed to Be Risk Averse
No Risk, No Magic, No Riveting Story
Risk Pillar 1: Clarity Around Your Purpose
Risk Pillar 2: Playing the Long Game
Risk Pillar 3: Be in the Right Environments
Flip the Script and Change the Rules
The Greatest Risk of All
Notes