Risk is inherent in life.
Every damn day.
Whether you decide to stay the same or make a change.
Like following the speed limit, or going 5 over…or tinting your driver’s windows and getting pulled over by the same state trooper twice now.
Like staying at the same 5 pound weights you’ve been using for 8 weeks, or going up to 8 pounders for this next strength session.
Like swiping right or swiping left.
Staying at your job with a steady paycheck or going all-in on your business.
Each choice above comes with a risk whether you decide to “play it safe” or “take a chance.”
The risk of following the speed limit may be arriving late to your meeting, while going 5 over could get you a ticket.
The risk of using 5 pounders is not seeing the muscle tone as quickly as you’d like, but going up to 8s means you might be sore tomorrow.
Swiping right might mean…actually I don’t know the difference between swiping right or swiping left, but you get the picture.
There isn’t necessarily a “right” or a “wrong” choice in any of the scenarios above, but one presents a bigger perceived risk than the other.
Taking risk is inherent in life.
We can choose to stay the path and follow the course we started down, or we can change along the way.
Change is a risk.
It’s uncomfortable, and it’s meant to be.
Because part of taking risk is knowing and exploring and pushing what our upper limits are and finding ourselves at the edges of what is possible.
Testing your Upper Limits
Did you know you have an internal thermostat?
Not your body’s core temperature, but in the amount of risk you are comfortable tolerating?
For example, how much money are you willing to tolerate in your bank account before you start to get uncomfortable? The urge to buy something or reinvest it kicks in until you get back to the baseline you are most used to seeing when you open up the banking app on your phone.
That thermostat is an indicator of your upper limits.
In the book The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, the author explores the concept of Upper Limits and how we can unconsciously prevent ourselves from fully stepping into big risks and enjoying the benefits of these decisions.
Part of life is taking calculated risks and knowing, exploring, and pushing our upper limits to find new edges of ourselves.
In order to push through and hit the income goal you’ve set for the year or the mile time you dream of pacing, you need to mentally push through the upper limits of your programming as much as you need to strategize and train to hit your goals.
By pushing your limits and building resistance over time, you raise your thermostat. You push against the upper limits and allow yourself to welcome in new possibilities and increased opportunities.
The Zone of Genius
When talking about taking calculated risks, it’s important to think critically about yourself, your interests, and your skills. In his book, Hendricks says we can start this exploration of testing our upper limits and taking risks by dividing all our activities into one of four zones:
- Zone of Incompetence: all the activities we are not good at and/or do not like. For me, that looks like coding websites or using a Google Sheet. I just cannot.
- Zone of Competence: all the activities you can do, but others can do just as well as you. OR you can do it, but you don’t like to. It’s easy to say yes here, especially as a nimble, service-based business owner. But you should just say no. For me, that looks like Facebook Ads. I can do them, but I am not the best, the fastest, nor do I enjoy them. Therefore, I should just say no.
- Zone of Excellence: this is a danger zone because you ARE incredibly good at the tasks and activities in this area. You make a good living here, you are known for these activities, and others expect and want you to stay in this role. BUT you know deep in your soul that this is not what you are meant to do. For me, this looks like all things social media. I’m good at it, but I feel a draw to do something bigger and more impactful.
- Zone of Genius: this is the special set of skills and talents that allow you to perform tasks that you are uniquely qualified for. For me, this is still in development.
In knowing how your daily tasks and activities fall into the above categories, you can start making discerning choices and taking calculated risks to expand your limits.
Key Takeaways from the Podcast:
- “Risk is inherent.”
- “March is the season of spring, a sense of renewal, a sense of rebirth, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that anytime in my life when I’ve considered taking a risk or making a change…a lot of it does connect with this season of spring, this month of March.”
- “I really was just testing my upper limits, seeing what is possible…I never would have known what my limits were had I not tried this other path.”
- “Over time by increasing resistance, I increased my threshold of risk, I increased my thermostat of taking chances, and i was proving to myself…what I was capable of.”
- “And it’s through some of those “small risks” that we take, that we really do prove to ourselves who we are.”
- “Part of taking risk is knowing and exploring and pushing what our upper limits are.”
Helpful Links:
- Sweat Inspire Sisterhood: Virtual + NEW in-person women’s fitness and nutrition community
- The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Get in the MKM Book Club
In March, MKM is hosting our third month of the MKM Book Club for entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire community and personal/professional development each month. Our first selection is The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks.
In The Big Leap, New York Times bestselling author Gay Hendricks reveals a simple yet comprehensive program for overcoming our one barrier to happiness and fulfillment, providing a clear path for achieving our true potential and attaining not only financial success but also success in love and life.
To join the MKM Book Club visit mkm.myflodesk.com/marchmkmbookclub
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