Risk takers

Innovation is naturally driven by necessity and circumstance, and our capacity for creativity seems boundless; but it is when we are cut loose from the confines of familiarity that we can truly tap into our innovative potential. Becoming more innovative is more about familiarising ourselves with risk, and less about staying with the tried and true. Living, working and training in an environment that allows for, or even encourages, risk-taking, provides us with a sure-fire path to betterment. The more we are 'punished' for taking risks, the less inclined we will be to do so, and the more opportunities for growth we deny ourselves. Most of us are risk-averse; naturally so; for this trait has been passed down through the DNA of our ancestors - if they were not risk-averse, we probably wouldn't be here today. But the world we live in has a very different set of risk factors than the one occupied by our ancestors - we can go to the shop and try a new food, without much risk of dying from it .. but how many of us choose to do this? An how many, find great comfort in staying with the tried and true? Someone had to ride that first horse; someone had to eat that first olive; someone had to build that first bicycle. On the mat, when we try out new ideas, we are taking risks - but think on it - what price do we pay for messing up? Easy .. tap out; start over and try again? Risk = Zero!
JBW

Comments

Bryan McKenzie said…
Totally true. I heard a comment once that the person who ate the first oyster must have been the bravest of them all; why would you pick up and eat something that looks like that.

A bruise or two to the ego is good to 'keep us real'.

Cheers
Bryan.
JBW said…
When I started out in BJJ back in 1987 - I never thought anyone else would be interested in training in the art - I certainly never imagined that it would become popular as it has. I jumped into the training because it filled a hole in my approach to martial arts. Glad I did. And I'm still stunned by how exponentially BJJ has grown this past decade. JBW

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