People are innately curious. There is always something new to taste, to explore, to discover and to try. For this reason, many people are seen as ‘mavericks’, or ‘willing to take risks.’ It’s true that to get the most out of life, you’re going to need to push yourself out of your comfort zone every now and again.
But why is it that so many people look to take risks? What is that adrenaline rush really all about? It all depends on how you measure risk.
For example, some would class placing high stakes bets at the best casinos in NJ alongside going skydiving in terms of risk potential. However, these are two very different scenarios, with very different things at stake!
Let’s consider this theme and concept of risk, and why so many of us are so attracted to it.
- Interesting studies
As you may expect, there have been plenty of studies undertaken into risk assessment over the years. Some studies suggest that risk-takers are more intelligent than most, while others suggest that risk-taking is evidence of a cavalier attitude. In other cases, it’s suggested that taking risks might actually make us happier!
This is something worth latching onto. Without taking any risks throughout your life, you’re destined to experience the same things over and over again. Some people might see this as hardly living at all. As the old saying tells us, ‘variety is the spice of life.’
People who take risks are looking to enrich their lives. Rather than be content with the mundane or everyday, risk-takers challenge their comfort zones. They want to see what’s out there, and what could potentially be waiting around the corner.
- Making the right balance
Of course, one of the main challenges facing non-risk-takers is that ‘what if’ contingent. ‘What if’ something goes wrong? ‘What if’ you lose all your money? ‘What if’ you injure yourself, or worse?
This is where there needs to be a balance. While it’s not healthy to stay inside your comfort bubble your entire life, the health risks of taking potentially fatal leaps are perhaps even greater.
Therefore, risk-taking is perfectly fine – and healthy in terms of attitude – providing you weigh up your pros and cons beforehand. Studies suggest that risk-takers have healthy, developed, and balanced brains.
However, there are still people who take risks without balance. These are the types of people who end up committing crimes, or may end up harming themselves, and others. Risk-taking with conscience and forethought is recommended, more so than spending your whole life fearful of the world outside.
- Differentiating between ‘what ifs’
One of the main reasons why we are so attracted to risk is the fact that we are afraid of missing out on some of life’s biggest joys. This is actually a phenomenon in itself, referred to as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
It all comes back to ‘what if.’ While the non-risk-taker will think ‘what if’ something goes wrong, the risk-taker will think ‘what if I miss out on something amazing.’ ‘What if’ the measured risk and chance you avoid could have led to an amazing new relationship, bigger revenue, or an adventure in a faraway country?
Risk-takers generally see the world as one which needs to be explored. Many will take simple risks without weighing things up. That, at least some of the time, is worth doing. Otherwise, some of our biggest discoveries and some of the most important moments in human history may have never happened.
Therefore, there needs to be some kind of internal balance made between these ‘what ifs.’ It’s an internal struggle that many people go through, especially those of us with larger comfort zones and bubbles than most.
- Which risks are worth taking?
As mentioned, there are always going to be risks which are bigger than others. There are also those risks which are going to put others in harm’s way. Anything that is likely to bring harm or misfortune to another person or animal is never worth entering into.
Otherwise, it is well worth weighing up the pros and cons of risks to your everyday routine. Life is a rich tapestry. Without some form of variety, it can get stale and boring very quickly.
Why not consider safe, small risks and steps you can take to change up your routine? There’s nothing to say that you have to make big, sweeping risks. However, at the same time, there’s no reason why you should stick to your bubble for the sake of it!