Cut the lines

I am risk-averse… that's crazy to say, as I love the market and especially risky markets, but I am risk-averse in real life. That works well most of the time. I wake up early and try to get to class on time. I eat the same cheap food every day. And I try not to stir the pot in conversations.

I think those are admirable, and I almost pride myself on those "safe" choices, but when should I take risks? The market states that we are compensated accordingly for the risk we take on. Why don't I want to be compensated more? Risk more? I think of this in my world as taking risks for opportunities. Why do I not raise my hand in class? Why do I try to stay quiet when I'm meant to be vocal? Why do I talk myself out of opportunities a million times, but never into them?

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Minecraft End Credit Screen

The reason many people wait for an opportunity is that it's "not the right time". When will life ever present itself as the "right time"? Just as life is not coming at you, it comes from you. So does opportunity; it does not come at you, it comes from you.

We are all waiting for everything to be perfect before we even try.

We don’t wait to go to the moon, we don’t wait to run marathons in less than 2 hours, and we shouldn’t wait when opportunity is compensated fairly with risk. The cold water does not get warmer if you jump late.

Others may argue that we don’t want to take risks because it could be embarrassing, we could fail, or we could fall. We learn from these moments and, best of yet, we don’t need to look back. Nike’s slogan is “just do it,” and their main lineup is shoes meant for running. When running, you don’t look back; you only keep going. When we think of unstoppable forces that go forward with no intent on looking back, we think of trains. With trains, it doesn't matter where you’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.

“Be a goldfish” - Ted Lasso.

Ted Lasso says it best with this quote: Goldfish have 10-second memories, and if we could just mimic that ability, it’s hard to wonder why we would fail if we take many chances. We need to go for opportunities, for missed opportunities will feel worse than rejection.

YOLO is a dumb phrase. Often associated with stupidity and dumb decisions, but you truly only live once. Cut the lines on your boat, take that risk, that gamble, that weird feeling, that leg shake, that nervous sweat, that standing-at-the-ledge moment, that looking-back sight, that ringing, that tingling, that groaning, that opportunity.

You are richer than 93 percent of people.

Not in money, but in time.

Over 108 billion people have lived throughout history. 93 percent of them are dead.

You have what every king and queen, every pharaoh and ruler, every CEO and celebrity of the past would give all their wealth and power for:

Today