Before I begin, a quick word on the importance of risk:
Risk always pre-dates work that matters. In order to do this kind of important work, creative or otherwise, risk is required. Risk opens up the possibility for failure, and without the possibility for failure, there is no possibility for true success. Therefore, if we want to experience success in our work, we must risk.
And now, When Risk Becomes Not So Risky...
I used to think that writing a blog and posting faith-centric videos online made me a very brave person, willing to take risks. At the beginning, perhaps this was true. The release of every post or video made me extremely uncomfortable. It scared me. I felt the real and present possibility of failure creeping behind every online publication.
Now that I have a small (but awesome) audience for my blog however, there isn't as much fear whenever I press that publish button. I know there are at least a few hundred people out there who actually care about what I have to say, and I’ve built up enough trust with them to be confident enough that they’re not going to completely tear me to shreds.
The same goes for The Anima Series. Our audience is not quite as small as my blog, but definitely just as awesome. I still feel a rush of excitement every Friday when we launch a new video, but I no longer experience the same level of fear I did a year ago when we started. Some people will like it, some people won’t. That second part used to bother and frighten me so much. Now I realize that it’s just a part of the deal.
It can be very easy to find ourselves lulled into the romantic notion that we are taking big risks when in reality, we are just performing actions that used to be risky, but have now become comfortable.
This does not mean that we need to forsake or quit a project the minute it ceases to scare us. I fully intend on continuing to write my blog and lead The Anima Series in new video adventures. Taking a risk doesn't always mean finding a brand new venture. Recapturing a sense of risk in your work can be as simple as pressing the boundaries within the organization or medium you're already in.
For me, this might mean tackling more difficult, controversial, or scary topics on my blog. This might mean trying a live broadcast with The Anima Series rather than a pre-recorded video. Whatever makes you squirm a little bit our of fear, that’s probably the direction you should go.
Risk is the opposite of settling. You can settle into something that is already working, and you will probably never fail again. Choose this route though, and you will also never experience any new measures of success. If your desire is to continue to grow, create, and reach new levels of aptitude in your craft, then when risk becomes not so risky, push the boundaries. Onward!
Risk always pre-dates work that matters. In order to do this kind of important work, creative or otherwise, risk is required. Risk opens up the possibility for failure, and without the possibility for failure, there is no possibility for true success. Therefore, if we want to experience success in our work, we must risk.
And now, When Risk Becomes Not So Risky...
I used to think that writing a blog and posting faith-centric videos online made me a very brave person, willing to take risks. At the beginning, perhaps this was true. The release of every post or video made me extremely uncomfortable. It scared me. I felt the real and present possibility of failure creeping behind every online publication.
Now that I have a small (but awesome) audience for my blog however, there isn't as much fear whenever I press that publish button. I know there are at least a few hundred people out there who actually care about what I have to say, and I’ve built up enough trust with them to be confident enough that they’re not going to completely tear me to shreds.
The same goes for The Anima Series. Our audience is not quite as small as my blog, but definitely just as awesome. I still feel a rush of excitement every Friday when we launch a new video, but I no longer experience the same level of fear I did a year ago when we started. Some people will like it, some people won’t. That second part used to bother and frighten me so much. Now I realize that it’s just a part of the deal.
It can be very easy to find ourselves lulled into the romantic notion that we are taking big risks when in reality, we are just performing actions that used to be risky, but have now become comfortable.
This does not mean that we need to forsake or quit a project the minute it ceases to scare us. I fully intend on continuing to write my blog and lead The Anima Series in new video adventures. Taking a risk doesn't always mean finding a brand new venture. Recapturing a sense of risk in your work can be as simple as pressing the boundaries within the organization or medium you're already in.
For me, this might mean tackling more difficult, controversial, or scary topics on my blog. This might mean trying a live broadcast with The Anima Series rather than a pre-recorded video. Whatever makes you squirm a little bit our of fear, that’s probably the direction you should go.
Risk is the opposite of settling. You can settle into something that is already working, and you will probably never fail again. Choose this route though, and you will also never experience any new measures of success. If your desire is to continue to grow, create, and reach new levels of aptitude in your craft, then when risk becomes not so risky, push the boundaries. Onward!
