Training Your Risk Tolerance

Other than advertisers tell us: you can’t buy security!

Two of the basic needs God gave us are security (certainty = safety first) and adventure (uncertainty = safety third). She must have a strange kind of humor 🙂 because they are driving us in two opposite directions along the same track!

Safety third: Volcano Yasur 🌋 on Tanna island, Vanuatu

The fallacy of “safety first” thinking 🤔

Safety first is a good concept for civil aviation, because there is no option to stop along the way on the sidewalk, what you would probably do if your car makes some funny noise, and have a look at, what is wrong with your vehicle.

Safety 3dr: Before Skydive

But if we constantly want to improve our security, by closing insurance contracts for everything that could go wrong, putting pillows everywhere around ourselves, avoiding anything that might be risky, we might expect a pretty calm life. But we start dying inside, due to the boredom that takes over in our life. Most people live like that, and they get really unhappy. Even though their life is so protected, and they don’t even know why they are unsatisfied. Always being concerned about security, makes even stronger your fear of the danger that is awaiting you behind every corner. Plus it limits your growth!

Safety third: Skydiving from 4,000 m with 1 minute of free fall

Those who go the other way, who are willing to take (calculate-able) risks, keep training their mind to handle risks and fear better. Their self-confidence grows, so they believe that they are able to solve any problem that might appear.

Safety 3rd: Between tandem jumps

And by the end of the day, those people get to experience more security in their life. Living with a mindset like that, they fulfill both of their basic needs: uncertainty and certainty. But always remember: Uncertainty comes first!

Safety third: after the second tandem jump

This brings me to the bottom line:

The bigger your risk tolerance is,
the more certainty you will experience in your life!

Safety third: pole jump

And once again, there is no ultimate stage, in which you will experience the ultimate feeling of absolute certainty. But you are able to have a lot of pleasure along the way, like those runners still having about 35 km ahead of them until the finish line 🏁

Enjoy your journey of never lasting growth and have a lot of fun along the way!

What is the next challenge you are going for, to increase the size of your comfort zone?

Or would you rather go for a smaller version?