Is It Worth The Risk?

 

"If you risk nothing, then you risk everything."

Have you ever thought about how risky you are? 

How often do you take risks in life and how do those risks make you feel? 

The biggest risks often come with the biggest rewards but also just as much come with extremely painful set backs. 

Our financial advisor each year asks where our risk levels are and to be honest that world terrifies me mostly because I know nothing...that is why I have a financial advisor! 

My realm of comfort with risk resides more in the outlier world of endurance. 

I can remember an Ironman Triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) in which I came off the bike locked and loaded. My risk level coming off the bike and ready to start the run was extremely high because I felt incredible. 

You have those days were life seems to be floating along with simplicity and those days we seem to push our envelop a little harder. 

While one mile into that run a great friend of mine jumped in front of mile and said, "what are you doing?" I glanced at my watch and noticed I had run a 6:10 first mile which is practically a suicide mission with intent on being carried off the course in an ambulance. My risk level was high but thanks to my friend, reality jumped in some and smacked me into slowing down and shocker...I had my best race ever! 

Each and every time I step on a stage or in front of a group for a talk, there is always a level of risk that I will be laughed at, made fun of, the audience will fall asleep or my message will fall on deaf ears. That is the risk you take and its the reason why you end of nailing the speech because you never hold back. 

Now, I am sure you are ok...what is the picture of the bones for? 

Well the purpose of this blog is to relive and create new memories for my step-dad going through Alzheimer's. 

In the late 80's we had one of the most amazing dogs ever in existence. Her name was Ingrid and she was a 120 pound Rottweiler. To say she was extremely protective of my sisters and I would be an understatement. 

Any man that knocked on the door or entered our house would meet Ingrid immediately with a terrifying growl that would frighten just about anyone. 

Don't get me wrong...she was the sweetest, most loving, never hurt anyone, protective dog...but she hated men! 

This is when my step-father Al entered the picture and see the problem with courting my mom was that you kind of have to spend time together. They would go on dates and focus on events outside of the house but visiting my mom where we lived was not the easiest. 

Ingrid had this thing with eating the scarps of meat off of the bones we cooked. My mom, my sisters and I could take it away from her but anyone else would loose their arm before she succumbed to giving up her bone. 

One evening while Al was visiting, he knew that in order to be accepted into our house it didn't have to come from any human but from a beautiful 120 pound Rottweiler. 

So he assumed his risk levels, knew the outcomes but mostly knew that he only had one choice. 

He walked up to Ingrid while she was eating her bone...bent forward...grabbed the bone from her mouth...stood up...took a bite of the meat...leaned back down...put the bone in her mouth...and walked away. 

I remember watching this whole, super crazy event take place and in absolute astonishment watched Ingrid not budge but more stare at this man and ponder...WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

What happened was from that moment on she accepted him as one of us! She would welcome him anytime he visited and never growled at him again. 

His risk level was high because he saw a future with my mom and knew that the reward hopefully would be so much greater than the risk.

Now I am not telling you to go put your hand in the region of a big dogs mouth. What I am telling you is like is all about taking risks! 

You will fail often, you will learn even more but most of all you won't end up thinking...WHAT IF?

Make It Count!