“When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly
by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied
on to scare away the timid adventurers.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Okay, before you freak out at seeing the word ‘risk’ in the title of today’s lesson – chill for a sec…
Preston Ely here, and I’m not talking about risking your job, or your husband or wife, or your good credit rating, or your savings, or your 401(k), or your standing in the community, or your house or car, or your dog, or your lawn mower, or your faith in humanity, or anything else that you may value.
Uummm … wait a minute… actually… I am.
Listen, if you’re not willing to risk everything, you will never gain anything. Your unwillingness to take chances is what got you in the rat race that you hate in the first place. And playing it close to the vest won’t get you out.
Now, I’m not advocating risk without a plan. That’s just stupid.
Quitting your job to fulfill your childhood dream of becoming a professional skateboarder is not taking a calculated risk. It’s called a knee-jerk reaction to a midlife crisis. And if you do this, you will certainly lose everything I mentioned previously, and more.
And you’d deserve it…
Risk without purpose will always equal failure. A risky move, powered by a plan and purpose, has a chance to succeed. And that’s all we really want… a chance.
I come from a corporate background. I was in sales and marketing, all with large corporations, for roughly 10 years. When I made the jump to wholesaling houses and owning my own business, I made sure I had the following:
(A) A mentor
(B) Financing
and
(C) A strong desire
Whoops. I mean:
(C) A strong desire to SUCCEED
Take the Calculated Risk
Once I had A, B and C, I quit the rat race cold turkey and ventured out on my own. I did this knowing full well that if I didn’t succeed, I could possibly lose my girlfriend, my home, my savings, my retirement, my car, my self-esteem and my confidence.
I had a dream and a plan… and I went for it.
Today, I own a profitable business, work out of my home, make the kind of money that only owning a business can bring… and enjoy the freedom that I always dreamed of.
You know what, though?
I’m no better than you. I feel the same emotions that you do. I feel fear and anxiety. I feel anger and frustration. And I feel disappointment and rejection. I just don’t allow it to knock me down. I simply plow right through it.
My success today was spawned from a willingness to risk it all. Don’t allow fear to create an unwillingness in your life.
If the possibilities outweigh the consequences, it’s time for you to step out in faith… and go for it.
You cannot gain the world without the willingness to lose it all.
Say Something
Tell me about a risk you took that paid off. Share in the comments section below.
Make a solid action plan before you take a calculated risk.
Don’t quit your J.O.B. until you have an REI mentor, financing and a strong desire to succeed.
Envision your dream, make your plan and go for it.
Preston Ely
is a real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, life coach, musician and philanthropist. CEO of Real Freedom, Inc, one of the most influential internet-based information publishers in the world, owns the largest Anytime Fitness Gym in the United States, is recording a music album with Atlantic Records, sits on the board of Advocates Of Love Orphanage, and has a non-profit charity assisting the poor and oppressed in Cuba with both their physical and spiritual needs.
With over 200,000 subscribers to his email newsletter, he is rapidly fulfilling his mission on earth, which is to glorify God by setting people physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually free through his music and his message of FREEDOM. Preston is 37 years old, lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Ashley, where he spends most of his time reading, writing, and practicing mixed martial arts.