Worth the Risk

The other day, I ran into an old friend I hadn’t seen in a few years.  He had been working hard, trying to get his business going to the point where he would have enough long term clients, he wouldn’t have to worry from month to month on how to pay the bills and have a decent salary coming in.  Something I’m sure all of us wish for.

 ‘Well, I finally did it,’ he said.  ‘Last year, I hit my numbers, and now I feel safe. I’m just going to relax and float for a while.’

His response stunned me.  Sure, all of us have a certain comfort zone – that place where we finally feel relief from all the stress and anxiety we felt when we were first starting out. The feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability are gone and we feel more confident in ourselves and our abilities.  Not only that, it’s a place where we feel secure.  We have clients who we think like us and will stay with us forever and we have it made.  We’re in control.

We lull ourselves into believing the hard part is over and now we can coast.

Nice thought, huh? Except that it’s just not true.  In business, if you’re not moving, if you’re not thinking ahead and planning you’re just going backwards. And that, my friends is the biggest risk you’ll ever face. 

You see, the world changes every day.  As a business owner, your success is dependent on changing with it.  If you don’t, you’re dead in the water, and will be overtaken in a heartbeat by those businesses that are more proactive.

In your gut you know that too, but you don’t want to move.  You’re too comfortable. You feel safe there. You don’t want to feel the fear you once felt, or take the risks you once had to take in order to survive and get to the level you’re at now.  You don’t ‘have’ to take those risks now.

I’m here to tell you that you do.  Because taking a risk is the best thing you can do for yourself and the long term health of your company. Not to mention you’re soul. 

Author Seth Godin hits the nail on the head when he describes why NOT leaving your comfort is the biggest risk we take.

Listen now and I’m sure you’ll agree.