There is a wealth of academic research that suggests that differences in risk appetite are at the heart of differences in career and business trajectories. We wanted to go beyond the theory and ask real people from the community about their perspectives and experiences with risk and risk taking.

Jones | Food and Lifestyle Blogger on The Side, Freelancing in Film and Television Full Time

In terms of risk in my life I took a huge risk when I moved from Texas to Los Angeles to jumpstart my career in film and television. I went alone and without a job or any prospects. A lot of people in normal industries want to have everything lined up before they take that chance, with working in TV you just have to work it out on your own when you’re there. It all worked out in the end! I arrived to LA on a Thursday to an apartment I had only seen online that was super nice and in a great area and landed my first job the very next day! About a month after that I started a year long job with Paramount Pictures working on the first season of 13 Reasons Why. It’s all a hustle for sure but you never know until you take the chance. Read more>>

Melissa Moss | Jesus Lover | Army Wife | Homeschool Mama

I have learned you will never get out of your comfort zone without taking risks. I use to live from a place where if I controlled the situation-I felt as if I was safe. Safe from the fears that were secretly dictating my life and every move. Safe from surprise creeping at the doorstep of my heart. Safe from being hurt or open to any possible aspect of change. I had my routine and I was in control, or so I thought. I was wrapped up into a life of trying to carry the weight of people’s happiness while scarifying the beauty of my own. If I could control their happiness, I wouldn’t have to focus on what was hurting me or what I was scared to let go of. I have realized over these last couple years, that in the greater scheme of things, I don’t have the power to control really anything. Living from the mindset of being safe and not taking risks kept me captive in the walls of my own fears and actually kept me from experiencing the joys of life. The element of surprise brings the beauty of creation’s gifts. Read more>>

Karissa C. | Writer

Risk scares me. Most of my life I minimized risk. And most of my life I looked from the sidelines. I make safe decisions. Familiar ones. I declined internship and job opportunities for safer alternatives. I’ve procrastinated my writing on the justification that the mom-to-a-toddler-life is just too demanding. But safe and familiar don’t make dreams come true. If this pandemic taught me anything, it reminded me who I am when “normal” life is stripped. What’s left? Do I like her? Has she just been going through the motions, allowing her potential, her career, to stagnate because of fear? I think it’s time to answer risk’s call. Read more>>