Shoot your shot? Take a chance? Society bombards us with messages, phrases, examples and stories of how taking risk is the key to success, but is anything ever that simple? We asked some of the brightest folks we know to tell us about how they think about risk. We’ve shared their responses below.

Tiffany Rose Goodyear | Entrepreneur

I didn’t always think of myself as a risk-taker, but starting 4 businesses and really pursuing two of them has changed my mind. Suffice to say, when you are actively taking the risks it doesn’t fee risky it feels right. As mentioned, I only really went after 2 of the 4 concepts which could be construed as 2 failures and I don’t see it that way either. I think of life as a series of experiences and lessons to be learned. A risk to one person is just another’s journey. Read more>>

LILIT AVAKIAN | Advocate for Creativity and Immersive Learning

How do I think about risk and what role has risk taking played in my life/career? I see risk as an opportunity to take a chance on your hearts curiosities. Like all things in life, there are logic and unknown, yin and yang, polarities, or duality. Everything around us exists because of this opposition, this pull. Risk leans more into the unknown. When you are willing to take a chance on the unknown, you are opening yourself to the opportunity of error. This is such a beautiful thing because the more you fall, the greater your potential to rise higher than you could ever imagine. Your capacity to love expands through the pain. Most of the time, when we take a risk and fail, it is not the fail that puts us down, its the idea that we feel ashamed by it. Read more>>

Misha -Immortal Monstera | Mixed Media Artist

I think risk is required to grow and evolve. I think that the only way to really live life to the fullest is to take a risk. If you never try something you could fail at, you’ll never try something new at all. Risk has always been a big part of my life. I’m not very conventional, and prefer to go to the beat of my own drum. It’s allowed to me live a life that’s full, and weird, and magical and wonderful. I’m greatful that I get to take risks, and if I fail at least I learned something. Read more>>

Darcy Kiefel | Professional Photographer

I feel I’ve taken risks since birth! I have always chosen the road less traveled (both personally and professionally). It has served me well and enriched my outlook on life and career in more ways than I could ever have imagined. Read more>>

Tricia Waddell | Textile Artist

You are never going to do anything truly compelling or find out what you are capable of without taking risks in your life and your career. But it’s easy to say that and yet quite hard to do. I believe in taking big swings sometimes just to move things forward in a meaningful way and force myself to reach another level way beyond my comfort zone. It can be very stressful, and I’ve definitely needed support from friends and family to mentally do it, but I’ve never regretted trying. I am more afraid of not living up to my potential (or having an uninteresting life) than any failure that may come from trying something. That’s what ultimately makes me push through the fear. I think the thing that people don’t talk about however is all the unglamorous things you do before and in between the big decisions to make you prepared to handle an opportunity when it presents itself. That can be anything from saving up money from a job you don’t love, to spending hours in the studio by yourself working, to lying awake in bed doubting yourself only to keep going anyway. I make a million small decisions leading up to the big ones I’ve made such as quitting my job, moving to New York to go to study fashion design, or applying for residencies and shows. Somehow, you have to maintain a belief that you are on the right track even when you don’t know where it’s all going to end up. Read more>>

Brooke Harter | Brooke Harter | Nutritional Science Master’s Student & Business Owner

As I reflect on my career journey, I see risk-taking as a pivotal element. Initially, I had a successful career in product management, climbing up to a Senior PM role at a web3 startup. Yet, deep inside, there was always a burning desire to be an entrepreneur and to align my professional life with my personal passion for nutrition. This passion wasn’t arbitrary; it was deeply rooted in my experiences as a competitive figure skater and my battle with an eating disorder. Read more>>