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thinking of 〃all the reasons why you cannot do those things。〃
As of today； you will think repeatedly of the many
achievements which you are going to acplish in the future；
that are vastly superior to anything you have ever done in the
past。 Clearly； these are the results that can only be obtained if
you are first willing to take some kind of a risk。 Believe me；
once you undertake this process； it won't be long before you
start winningand in a big way。 You should understand；
however； that as you bee increasingly involved in the risk
taking process； you will find yourself forced to draw upon
resources which you previously didn't even realize you
possessed。 At first； this may prove very frightening to you。
Nevertheless； you must always remember you will never hear
of； read about； or see anyone who achieves anything of
greatness in his or her own life； without first taking some kind
of a risk。
As a case in point； just consider the monumental risks
which all of our great religious leaders have undertaken
during the course of their heroic lives。 Then stop and reflect
upon the enormous risks which all of our great business
leaders have also undertaken； during the span of their
illustrious careers。 Finally； as you seriously meditate upon
these stupendous acplishments； you will bee
increasingly aware of the fact that you too must bee a
risktaker for you to develop the greatness you were born with。
Moreover； you should understand； that in truth； no genuine
satisfaction in life can ever be attained by you or anyone else；
who simply refuses to take risks。 For the life of anyone who
chooses to live with extreme caution will never amount to
anything more than a succession of dull； soporific days；
continuing on； without interruption。
The Diving Board Analogy
To help you grasp the full implication of what I am
saying； consider the following analogy。 Just cast your mind
back to the time when you were a child and attempt to recall
the degree to which you admired 〃the neighborhood kid〃 who
went right up the ladder； and dived off the high diving board
without any hesitation whatsoever。 Then see if you can recall
the feelings which you harbored in yourself； as you watched
him take that first 〃risky〃 leap into the water below。 If you are
like most of us； you probably lost just a little bit of your own
selfrespect at that time； until finally； out of sheer
embarrassment； you too mustered up enough courage to
jump。 Finally； see if you can recollect how good you felt once
you actually made the plunge and proved to the world that you
could do it too。
Now that you have taken your mind on this mental
journey through your past； bring it forward to the present
time。 Let it bee fully aware of the legions of men and
women today wholike the young child looking longingly at the
high diving boardwould dearly love to quit their jobs； set out
on an independent path and do their own thing。 However； due
to their overwhelming fear of failure； these unfortunate people
never quite work up enough courage to step out and actually
take the plunge。 As a result； such individuals miss out on
many of the opportunities that life affords us all； and what is
even sadder； they never get a chance to plumb 〃the depths〃 of
their own innate resources。 Since they are afraid they might
not make it； afraid they might lose； afraid they might fail； they
simply choose to maintain the status quo and do nothing。 The
irony is； however； that even if a person should assiduously
attempt to avoid all risks； he or she will still inevitably end up
failing from time to time！ But the point is； so what？ What
difference does it really make？ After all； 〃failing〃 does not make
us a 〃failure〃； and the only time we do bee a failure is
when we decide to stop trying any more。 Therefore； even if we
should falter along the way； we never really fail because we
always retain the capacity to try once more。
Flip Wilson's Story
Flip Wilson； the famous edian； is best known for his
ability to make people laugh。 But here is what he said in a
somewhat more serious vein； about his own experience with
the risktaking process。 〃I fell down and got up； I fell down and
got up。 For sixteen years I did practically nothing else but fall
down and get up。〃
Even so； do you think Flip Wilson ever thought of himself
as a failure？ You bet your life he didn't。 For if he had； he
would never have found the courage to try 〃just one more
time；〃 and you and I would probably have never even heard
his name！
You should understand； at this juncture； that as soon as
you seriously set a big goal for yourself； you are going to
bee involved in a process of risktaking which will add a
dimension of excitement； indeed a whole new flavor to the
course of your life。 But at the same time you should be aware
that as you start engaging in more risktaking behavior； the
majority of people will be trying to avoid it 〃at all costs。〃 In
other words； instead of taking meaningful risks； most people
will continue to ensure themselves in a series of empty
promises。 These promises； in turn； will ultimately
have the effect of reducing their existence to the level of a
meaningless charade。 To understand how this phenomenon
operates； just consider the people whom you know who have
promised when buying their new home。 〃Why did they
promise？〃 you askbecause they were afraid that they
wouldn't be able to make the mortgage payments on that
〃dream home〃 they truly wanted to live in。
Then turn your mind to the veritable armies of
individuals； who remain in positions at work which they find
dull and unrewarding。 Why do they stay？ simply because
they fear they would not be able to 〃cope with〃 the position
which they would truly love to 〃tackle。〃 The irony is； of course；
if these people would simply put themselves 〃out on a limb〃by
going after that better job or； that dream home； or whatever
else it is they truly desirethey would then demand a
mensurately better performance from themselves。 As a
result； they would soon discover that the risk they had taken
was actually paying big dividends in all aspects of their life。
The Young Millionaires
Several years ago； I read an excellent book on the subject
of risktaking。 It was entitled The Young Millionaires； and it
contained the truelife stories of eighteen individuals； each of
whom had earned in excess of one million dollars。 In fact；
some of these people had actually earned many millions of
dollars； over and above the one million dollar mark； during the
course of their highly successful careers。 Throughout the
book； the author made many interesting observations about
the 〃law of financial success；〃 but the most important one was
the one which he kept ing back to： namely； although these
individuals came from a variety of different backgrounds and
although each had earned their money in a different way； they
all shared one thing in mon。
〃What was that one thing？〃 you ask。 Simply put； it was
thiseven though everything they owned was riding on the
oute of virtually every major business decision which they
made； none of them considered themselves to be taking
〃risks。〃 The reason they didn't； he went on to explain； was
because they were living their lives 〃as though it were
impossible to fail！〃 （Note； however； that in the eyes of most
people； there would be no question that these individuals were
taking tremendous risksand on an almost daily basis）。
FighterPilot Study
In a similar vein； research done many years ago which
investigated the lives of fighter pilots in World War II；
determined conclusively that； contrary to what you might
think； many of the pilots who 〃played it safe〃 during the war；
were among the first to be killed in bat。 By way of
contrast； the study also found that； practically without
exception； not only were the surviving aces individuals who
refused to 〃play it safe；〃 but they were the greatest risktakers
throughout the war。 Indeed； as one has the opportunity to
observe the performance of individuals from all walks of life； it
soon bees evident that whoever 〃plays it safe〃 in life； dies；
and dies relatively young。 For although many of these
individuals remain 〃clinically〃 alive for numerous years； when
their hearts finally cease beating it is a mere formality；
because the truth is； they have never really lived！
By now you have probably said to yourself； 〃All of this
sounds eminently reasonable； but why should it be；？〃 or 〃Why
are so many of us destined to go through our entire lives in
this condition of selfimposed misery； simply because we are
unable； or unwilling； to take meaningful risks？〃 Well； it seems
to me if we will only cast our minds back to the formative
years of our own lives； we will soon recognize where this
reluctance to engage in risktaking behavior has its source。
Once we have arrived at that point； I believe we will have e
a long way in our attempt to bat； and ultimately
neutralize； this insidious problem。 I exhort you to pay very
strict attention to t